picturebookshelf

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I bought the book version of the Amulet of Avalor simply so I could get more Cedric pictures XD Scanned to share

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The Wild Robot Protects (2023)

Story and Art: Peter Brown

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Murmel Murmel Murmel (1982)

Story: Robert Munsch - Art: Michael Martchenko Canadian

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The American Girls Handy Book

Text: Lina Beard & Adelia Belle Beard -- Art: Unknown (Original Edition: 1887 -- This Edition: 1994)

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From Ursula K. Le Guin’s Cat Dreams. Illustrated by S. D. Schindler.

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I want to talk about one of the most incredible art books that Disney (though somehow not published by Disney themselves) has ever put out: The Art of the Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1996.

I wanna preface this by saying that my 14 year old obsessed self found a copy on EBay in 2005 (me realising right now that was 20 years ago????) and the only person in my household with an EBay account was my grandma, so I saved up all my pocket money transferred it to her and we got it for I feel like 60 dollars or so from an American seller all the way to here in Australia. It’s since traveled with me to three different cities, across the world to France (ironic) and then all the way back to Australia. Is this information relevant? No, but when I pulled it out to snap these very quick photos on my phone it gave me a sense of holy shit 20 years can fly by so quick. Anyway!!

Photos and info below the cut so I don’t destroy your dashes!

This book is BEAUTIFUL. Whoever did the layouts so perfectly matched it to the 90s does medieval vibe of the movie. That purple? The gold pages?? I’m back in 1996 with my Esmeralda barbie on Christmas Day.

The interior title page has a blown up frame from the movie and I’ll tell you what, I would’ve never have thought of putting a pink outline to mimic the glow of the afternoon sun on those birds. 20 years and I’m still inspired by the artists/animators on this film!

There is SO much concept art in here, as well as rough animation test frames, colour keying, etc. I’m especially enamoured by this concept art of Frollo on the right, in a very Rasputin inspired vibe. Let’s be honest - he’s way more frightening as an average looking white French man wielding the power God to hide his sexual fantasies.

I wish I knew more about the artists that were working at Disney at the time; a lot of us who grew up on the Disney renaissance and became artists are familiar with the big animators, but these concept artists have fallen by the wayside and I hate that. Look how much detail and movement there is in these two sketches!!

I’m fairly certain by 96 most Disney animations weren’t cell shaded anymore. But I’m loving how rough these finished lines are? Really gives a lot of character to something that could’ve looked too polished and clinical with colour done digitally.

Any of these concepts were infinitely better than the Phoebus we got in the movie.

Full disclosure: Frollo is absolutely my favourite character in the movie. Disney writing a complex villain that deviates in the best way possible from his source material? Iconic. I had to have a quick look through my harddrive to see if I had any of my old art of him hanging around, and alas I do not. Which just means I'll have to draw him now (for the first time in nearly 20 years lol).

Speaking of Frollo; I love the way the author has written the plot here, because honestly I did not think of the movie like that at ALL and yet it's so right??

Also love that they included a gate fold in the book JUST for the storyboards for Hellfire. Look at this!!

Kathy Zielinski the woman that you are. She also animated Tzekel-Kan in the Road to El Dorado which absolutely tracks.

Good Lord these drawings.

I'm closing out with these two images because 1) Tumblr won't let me put any more and 2), looking back through this art book for the first time in probably a decade, after having played some iconic medieval-styled games like The Witcher 3, Kingdom Come, Dragon Age, Avowed etc etc - it's made me realise how much the art style of this movie has influenced a lot of other pieces of work within this genre. Sure, it's easy to see where the historical references fit in and come from - but the 90s had such a medieval revival that had a very specific flavour that I feel can be traced back to the production of the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Especially in the way the concept artists defined their use of colour, which is a big point in the book in relation to Victor Hugo's metaphorical colour/light play in the original novel.

Or maybe I'm just sitting here going, wow no wonder you like medieval stuff you unhinged idiot. Anyway! Cue me reverently placing this book back onto my shelf until the next time I need to be inspired.

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Itchy, Itchy Chicken Pox (1992)

Story: Grace Maccarone -- Art: Betsy Lewin

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Sidewalk Rescue (2004)

Story: Hazel Hutchins - Art: Ruth Ori Canadian

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National Geographic Kids: Red Pandas (2015)

Text: Laura Marsh -- Art: Unknown

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Pippi's Full Name: Pippilotta Viktualia Rullgardina Krusmynta Efraimsdotter Långstrump

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Illustrations by Zena Bernstein

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Stop That Ball! (1959)

Story: Mike McClintock -- Art: Fritz Siebel

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The Boy Who Was Raised By Librarians (2007)

Story: Carla Morris - Art: Brad Sneed

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Littlest Pet Shop: Best Friends (2006)

Story: Quinlan B. Lee -- Art: Jim Talbot

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“Could this be a mountain?” he wondered. “I think I’ve always wanted to climb a mountain.”

Corduroy by Don Freeman

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Juk's Adventure in Phuket Thailand (2005)

Story: Meng Lin Chen -- Art: Michael Kirjon

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Raining Cats & Dogs (2008)

Story and Art: Will Moses