How I Make a Poster

Paper illustration © Kevin Kidney

Earlier this year I was hired to create a promotional campaign for a holiday entertainment company using paper sculpture. I love Christmas and everything about the holidays so I was really excited about this project. Above is a scene that I put together for a poster. People often ask me to show more "behind the scenes" in making and photographing one of my illustrations, so this might be a good time to do it.

The first thing that I do, after talking things over with the client and doodling in my sketch book, is the layout:

A layout is simply my pencil drawings placed in a digital mock up, with a bit of shading and value. I try to figure everything out during this stage so I won't have problems to fix later. For this project, I experimented a bit with colors...

For me personally, choosing colors is the most difficult part of the whole thing.

Once I get the "go ahead" to continue, I start building my image. I had a very specific idea of how I wanted the "Holiday Village" typeface to look, with lots of whimsy and beveled edges:

Every part of the picture, including the lettering, is cut out of colored paper with an x-acto knife and assembled with strong tacky glue. I like to work very clean, so I keep a dampened dishcloth nearby to periodically wipe off my hands and fingers. Dirt, oil or glue will smudge the paper and ruin everything. Grungy is not my style, anyway.

Some of the paper bits are LITTLE and the slightest breeze will send them flying off my table like tiny leaves. I won't tell you how many times I had to search the floor for Santa's eyebrows.

Finally, it's all assembled like a miniature theatrical set, and carefully lit like one, too. It's very important the shadows fall where they're supposed to. This year I bought an excellent new camera that takes hi-def images, so conceivably, I could create artwork for a freeway billboard, if necessary!

I can fudge details in photoshop later (for print work) but I strive to keep that to a minimum. CG imagery is not as exciting to me, and part of the magic of making something look hand-made is to avoid over-polishing it in the computer afterwards.

And that's about all there is to it. Merry Christmas everybody!

Peg-Legged Legos!

We recently discovered the amazing work of Henning Birkeland, a digital artist in Norway who specializes in 3D visual effects and animation. He also happens to be a wizard with Lego bricks! Henning has built just about everything with them, from a Back To The Future Delorean to this familiar guy based on our Pirate Parrot replica for Disney.

"I had a lot of green and orange bricks that I never use so I thought I would try something different... I found out that a Parrot would be perfect for the colours. When searching for reference I found a great model made by Kevin Kidney & Jody Daily:
I did a quick model in 3D and converted it to Legobricks..."

Wow, Henning, it looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing!

View more of Henning Birkeland's work on his website, and while you're there, be sure to watch his show reel. Good stuff!

Happy Birthday, Mary Blair!

The Indian Chief from Peter Pan, 1953

Artist Mary Blair would have been 100 years old today, and to join in this week's love-fest for her incredible body of work, I would like to present a few of my personal favorites. Each of these pieces - whether done in pastel chalk, watercolor, or ceramic tile - display the brilliance of her design and color magic. Mary Blair was awesome.

Background study for the "Jesusita en Chihuahua" sequence,

The Three Caballeros, 1945

"You Belong To My Heart" sequence, The Three Caballeros, 1945

"Zandunga" sequence from The Three Caballeros, 1945

"Zandunga" sequence from The Three Caballeros, 1945

Old Saint Nick, Christmas Card

Mermaid Lagoon, Peter Pan, 1953

A nine-tile "test" for the Jules Stein Eye Institute mural, 1966

Mary Blair shares a tandem bicycle ride with her boss in 1941, Rio de Janeiro.

Happy Birthday, Mary Blair, and thanks for all the beauty you gave us.

It's Andy Anaheim!

The original Andy Anaheim model sheet, drawn by the Walt Disney Studio, early 1954.

Of course, you know all about Andy Anaheim, right?

Our city's oddly endearing character mascot is featured today on the Anaheim Historical Society's blog. We love him and, mark my words, Andy is making a comeback!

If you just happen to be in Anaheim this Saturday, I'll be hosting a presentation about Andy at the Anaheim Historical Society CITRUS CELEBRATION in Founders' Park. It'll be old-fashioned home-towny fun.

And you can hear about Andy and other good stuff on NPR, in an interview that aired today!

Ghoulish Delight

Jody and I will be traveling to Walt Disney World for the resort's 40th anniversary on October 1, and Disney asked if we might create something special for a Haunted Mansion themed auction that takes place the night before, on September 30th. We decided on a unique interpretation of the Hatbox Ghost - a one-of-a-kind maquette based on artist Collin Campbell's original painting for the famous 1969 Disneyland Record, "The Story and Song from The Haunted Mansion."

For decades, old Hattie's legend was kept alive for thousands of kids lucky enough to own a copy of this LP, with its "magnificent full-color illustrated book." There was (and still is) something deliciously disturbing and exciting about Collin Campbell's illustrations, and the very best page was the the one that showed "a cloaked man whose head disappears from his body and glows hideously from within a hat box."

As far as we know, we've never seen a three-dimensional figure based on Campbell's Haunted Mansion illustrations, so this may very well be the first. Our 8-1/4" tall ghost was cast from my sculpture and then hand-painted by Jody in Campbell's illustrative style, with "hair" fibers added on as a final touch. The maquette is displayed on a wooden base made of antique weathered barn wood, under a glass bell jar. When viewed through the wavy glass, the figure takes on a mildly distorted appearance that makes him even more ghostly.

Hope to meet some of you in Florida.

Here is where we'll be...

Friday, September 30, 2011 -- WDW's Contemporary Resort

Signing at the Contemporary Resort gift shop from 10am-12pm

Haunted Mansion: Room For 1 More event 6pm to 9pm

Saturday, October 1, 2011 -- WDW's actual 40th Anniversary

Diamond Horseshoe in the Magic Kingdom from 1pm-3pm

September Song

So, how was your summer? Wonderful, I hope.  Mine was outstanding.  

This summer Jody and I went to a bunch of great parties (and threw a couple of really good ones, ourselves), we took some memorable road trips with friends, enjoyed countless bicycle rides on both U.S. coasts, finally landscaped the backyard, and still found time to hang out as much as possible with all our neighbors at the Anaheim Brewery.

But this doesn't mean we goofed around from May to September.  We also worked our tails off.  The Soundsational Parade opened at Disneyland in May and we were part of the promotional hysteria at the beginning.  (As a birthday present from the Disney team, I got to be a chimney sweep in the parade's premier!) We debuted new collectibles throughout the summer, for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and D23.  We contributed to the new Trader Sam's enchanted tiki bar (and designed a line of custom drinkware that will appear at Sam's sooner or later). We built a pirate parrot, and now we're tackling an exciting project for Tokyo Disneyland.  All in all, one of the best summers of my life.

But one other thing happened this summer that on the surface might seem small, but for me is huge.  I fell in love with the city I live in.  So did Jody!  Anaheim is a uniquely American city with an amazing history, though it has always struggled to find an identity of its own. Except to those who actually live here, most people consider Anaheim to be synonymous with Disneyland, but I've discovered there is much more to this town than that.

In July I had the unbelievable good fortune of being elected vice president of the Anaheim Historical Society.  It's a 35-year old organization of enthusiastic folks who help preserve the history, public art and significant architecture of the city for future generations.  Anaheim's Historical Society is especially vital, and a fantastic organization to be a part of. 

We're about to have our annual kick-off event on Saturday, September 24th and I sincerely hope everyone reading this will come.  The "Citrus Celebration" in Founder's Park will be a wonderful little "small town" event with tours of two historic houses, the gigantic living tree that inspired Disneyland's Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse attraction, orange soda & vanilla ice cream floats provided by Ruby's diner, fresh Anaheim-grown lemonade and presentations on the agricultural era for which Orange County is named.  We're putting a whole lot of effort into this so I hope you can come down and experience an Anaheim I'll bet you never knew existed.

And I hope you'll consider becoming a member of the Society, as well, even if you don't live in Anaheim!

More about Anaheim Historical Society and the Citrus Celebration here.

Parting is such sweet sorrow....

Pirate Parrot concept art by Marc Davis

Marc Davis, himself, with an early version 

of the Pirate Parrot animatronic.

Our replica of the final WDW figure for the D23 Auction tonight.

By tonight, our little parrot figure will have a new owner and be off on exciting adventures that the rest of us landlubbers can only imagine.  Jody and I became pretty attached to this little guy while we had him in our studio.  So much so, in fact, that Thursday night we carefully snuck him with us into Trader Sam's where some surprised folks lifted their "Lost Safaris" and "Shipwrecks" in his honor. (Several people took pix, which I'm sure we'll discover on facebook sooner or later!) 

At any rate, he's now in the hands of D23 and will go on the auction block at 8PM this evening.  If you happen to wind up being the lucky bidder, Jody and I will divulge to you the secret of what's inside the sealed barrel that he stands on! 

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UPDATE:  The auction results are in.  Our salty ol' parrot sold for $5000.00 worth of solid gold doubloons.   Not too shabby for a bird with only one leg!  

Art in Anaheim: Sculptor John Edward Svenson

1970 Downtown Anaheim, Home Savings 

Near a busy sunlit intersection in Anaheim dominated by the sounds of traffic and the occasional air-brake hiss of city busses, a young child is going for a joy ride with a trio of dolphins. His arms outstretched like a rodeo bronc buster, the youth seems barely capable of keeping his seat, as the creatures slip over and below the waves of an imagined sea.

Plaster presentation model for "Child on Dolphin," 10" high.

John Edward Svenson's sculpture celebrating the joyful spirit of childhood has enhanced the southwest corner of Harbor Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue (one mile north of Disneyland) for over forty years.  The bronze cast was commissioned for Anaheim's Home Savings of America branch in 1970, to accompany Millard Sheets' brilliant tile mosaic depicting the early years of Anaheim history.  Through his association with the Sheets Studio from the 1950s through the early 1970s, Svenson produced more than twenty sculptures for Home Savings and the Ahmanson Corporation all over Southern California.

1970, the original full-scale plaster pattern in Svenson's Studio.

Today

Whenever I walk downtown and encounter the sculpture, I'm always drawn in by the pleasing flow of its shapes and the illusion of motion.  More idealistic than realistic, the piece has a magical "far away" quality that I like.  It seems to exist in a completely different world from its urban surroundings.

Chase Bank now owns the building and the artwork, and sadly the reflecting fountain has become an unkempt planter with the addition of a scraggly bougainvillea and a large rock resting on the fountain's original nozzles.   Someone (probably well intentioned) placed plastic pots of flowers into the basin at some point, but the plants have long since died and dried up, and the pots have become just more litter among the trash tossed in by people passing by.

Besides the obvious neglect and lack of stewardship on the part of the current owners,  there is no apparent signature or credit given to the artist, who still lives and works today from his studio in Upland. (Perhaps John Svenson's name is buried somewhere beneath all that landscaping bark?)

A beautiful new book "Exploring Form: The Life and Sculpture of John Edward Svenson" by the artist's son David is now available and is an enjoyable way to become re-acquainted with Svenson's amazing body of work.  Wouldn't it be fantastic if the city of Anaheim and Chase Bank would restore the fountain and Svenson's sculpture with the care and respect that it deserves?

UPDATE!  Art in Anaheim (Part Two): Sculpture Finally Gets Some Love!

Finally Florida!

Mary Blair's concept art for the Contemporary Resort 

Grand Canyon Concourse tile mural... as a ceramic vase.

Walt Disney World turns 40 this year and Jody and I were invited to concept nostalgic collectibles for the Orlando resort's anniversary.  Naturally,  we adore the vintage look of WDW in all its 'seventies orange and lime-green goodness.  Excited about the project, we submitted far more concepts than Disney had expected, including attraction replicas and scale models, a line of retro Tiki mugs for the Polynesian resort, and other cool stuff.  Disney ultimately decided on a small assortment of "gift" items similar to things we had designed for Disneyland's 50th last year, which we think are pretty cool too.  (As for those unproduced collectibles, don't cry.  There's always the 50th Anniversary to look forward to, right?)

A boxed trio of mini-attraction posters silk-screened 

the old fashioned way, onto sheets of tin!

In a rare departure from the way we've always created collectibles in the past, we had assistance from the Florida merchandise team in Disney's Design Group.  Talented artists on their own, we'd like to give DDG a hearty round of applause for all their efforts.  In particular, we want to express our warmest gratitude to Disney artist Linda Flynn who labored over the nitty-gritty details to get exactly what we wanted out of each item.  Linda, you rock.

Vintage graphic "Magic Kingdom"paper cup, cast in ceramic.

The items are already beginning to be released at various locations around the Florida resort: The Tin Attraction Poster set is available right now at Downtown Disney, EPCOT Center's Art of Disney, and at the Magic Kingdom's Disneyana Shop.  The other items will follow throughout the summer.  

Boxed Dinnerware set illustrated with the colorful 

map insert in the 1971 Preview Center Map.

Jody and I will be in Florida for the Resort's big Fortieth Anniversary shindig, with an appearance and signing event at the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 2011.   

Note to west coast Disney fans, we've been informed that as of now, there are no plans to offer the Florida collectibles in Anaheim, but you can order these items though the Walt Disney World Guest Services Mail Order Merchandise Dept. by calling (407) 363-6200.)

Parrot of the Caribbean

Click above photo to make it huge.

I can't believe he's finally done, and I wish I could keep him.  He's destined for the D23 Expo Auction in August.  If you're interested in bidding, keep a weather eye open for Lot #27, Mateys!

From the auction catalog:

WALT DISNEY WORLD

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN PARROT "BARKER BIRD" 

A one-of-a-kind, hand-made, authentic replica by Kevin Kidney & Jody Daily

Mixed Media (Fiberglass, wood, feathers, metal, nylon fur cloth, velvet, cotton fabric, rope, and an artificial eye.)

Dimensions:

Entire piece: 31" H x 17" W x 12" D.

Parrot figure is 19" H

Value (Disney's estimate): $4,500 - $6,000

Fur and Feathers

You have a Friend Request from Disney

It never crossed my mind to publicly declare fandom for Disney on facebook, but I guess that perhaps it's finally time to "Like" Disney. Jody and I are this week's featured artists on the company's official facebook and Twitter pages. You can download a pretty slick image of our giant Disneyland '55 paper sculpture for your desktop, and it won't cost you anything. Do it! 

I'm doin' it.  

Pegged and Painted

With his solitary glass eye installed behind his eyelids and his hand-turned wooden leg varnished up like fine old furniture, he's starting to look pretty sharp.  Jody's detailed paint work on the face looks great even in close-up.  Our parrot will be viewed (and scrutinized) much closer than the original figure ever was in Walt Disney World's Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, so the details require time and tender loving care.

Coming up next:  Fur and Feathers!

• Look for the completed Pirates of the Caribbean "Barker" Parrot replica on display at the D23 Expo 2011 in Anaheim this August. The one-of-a-kind replica will be on the auction block on Saturday, August 20th as part of the Expo Live and Silent Auction.

Fiberglass and Feathers

A new project has landed on our worktable and the feathers are flying.  It's a one-of-a-kind figure we're making for the D23 Expo auction in August.  

Any guesses who this is going to turn out to be??

Models and Movie Magic

I just wrote an article for the Walt Disney Family Museum blog on the use of Character Model Statues and the artists who created them, at the Walt Disney Studio in the late 1930s and early 1940s.  It's a topic that always gets me excited!  

Walt Disney Family Museum blog 

Pinocchio puppet model made by Bob Jones

Smiling in Anaheim

Chances are, if you are a follower of this blog, I imagine you have at the very least a passing interest in things that go on in Anaheim.   And if, like me, you also enjoy history and really great beer, then I have an announcement that will make you smile:  

Historic downtown Anaheim has really, REALLY, INCREDIBLE BEER.  

The original Anaheim Brewery which operated in the 1800s until it went dry during the Prohibition era, is back!  This weekend the new Anaheim Brewery will have a 'soft opening' with four types of delicious craft beer on tap - Anaheim 1888, Anaheim Gold, Anaheim Red and Anaheim Hefeweizen.  Drop in Friday, Saturday or Sunday for a cold glass in the tasting room, or take home a "growler" bottle for your Fourth of July party.  

The new Anaheim Brewery is the start of many exciting things in the works to revitalize the historic downtown district, just one mile northeast of Disneyland.  In the coming months, the Brewery will be joined by Los Angeles burger sensation Umami Burger (On July 16th Umami will actually be grilling and selling its burgers as part of the Brewery's official grand opening.) By next year, the site will also include an eclectic food hall inside an historic citrus packing house, organic produce markets, gourmet food truck gatherings, and a public park for festivals and outdoor concerts.  Lots to smile about!

Anaheim Brewery Official Website

Anaheim Brewery Blog

Trader Sam's Tiki Bar

"The Wicked Wench" in the Bottle. 

Last month, in between late night parade rehearsals at the park, Jody and I helped out on a pretty nifty project over at the Disneyland Hotel.  If you're a Tiki fan or Disney nut, you may have heard about Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar which opened in May.  You might even have already visited!

For the new bar, Jody and I scratch-built a one-of-a-kind scale model replica of the "Wicked Wench" - the ship that fires cannon balls over your head in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.  Our miniature version is rigged up to do a little trick.  I won't give away the surprise, but if you order a 'Shipwreck cocktail' ( a nice lemony Bourbon thing ), the boat in the bottle, um...well, it does something!

While the Imagineering team worked late into the night programming lighting effects and Krakatoa explosions, Jody and I rolled up our sleeves and painted the totems over the bar.  These are, of course, cast from the original molds created for the Enchanted Tiki Room attraction, and we picked colors to match, as near as we could, the original 1963 paint scheme of the show. 

If you find yourself anywhere near the Disneyland Hotel this summer, I recommend you drop in to Trader Sam's for a refreshing grog and any food item on the menu that is panko-crusted.  Sam's is easily the best bar in the resort and has become one of our favorite local hangouts.