Design and Appeal
Design and appeal aren't exactly the same things but they are related. This character was designed in a modernistic style (for 1944-45) by Hank
Ketcham.
It's very different than the mid 40s
WB style. But this cartoon is animated by Bob
Clampett's unit of guys and the combination of styles is spectacular.
Hank's design is appealing and the poses drawn by this animator are extremely appealing. You can take a design and draw it in appealing poses -
or not - depending on how appealing your own style is.
Line Of Action
The features of the character's design are stretched along clear and strong lines of action.
Construction and Related Features
The
construction in most of the drawings is great.
Construction, by the way is not merely a solid looking drawing. That's only part of it. The other part is that each of the features fit into the larger forms and weave in and out of the expression and pose. Remind me to do a whole post about that. A house can be solidly constructed, but a
creature has to have
construction and fleshy parts that stretch and squash, push and pull and all cause each other to react sensibly.
For example - look at his smile line and cheek and the back of his cheek in the profile - they all relate to each other and together create fleshy forms that flow around his head and make his expressions.
Arcs
When this guy turns his head moves in an arc which helps make the action smooth and pleasant.
Overlapping Action
His hair doesn't get to his poses as fast as his head does.
Asymmetry
Note that his expressions and poses aren't perfectly even on both sides.
Funny Expressions
His expressions are not only clear and direct
functionally, they are funny and fun to look at. They are beautiful designs in of themselves.
Specific Expressions
A lot of the shapes used to make his expressions are customized to his thoughts. They aren't stock expressions. When you watch this part in the clip, watch his mouth shapes change. You can't find these shapes on any model sheets or in other cartoons. The animator is making them up as he goes along - by feel and instinct. He's acting.
Spontaneity and Looseness
In the animator's rush to make his poses and emotions flow from one to the next, he made a mistake in
construction on the odd pose, like the one above. But it's a great pose anyway.
Flow - Organic Feel
To make characters both constructed and flowing is no easy feat. It takes a lot of study, thought, practice and skill.
Exaggeration
Drag
The faster the action, the more drag you can use. This whole action here is amazing as you'll see when you watch the clip. He does a whole
whirly sort of overlapping action as he brings his mop into the scene.
Anticipation and moving holds
In the middle of the clip it cuts to another animator.
The timing of this animation is full of variety, some slow soft parts, some fast wild parts and it moves very naturally, even though it uses all kinds of technical drawing and motion principles. It doesn't come off as a formula.
WATCH SOME GENIUS ANIMATIONThe first scene was animated by Rod Scribner, who I think is the most talented and versatile animator in history. (take a look at some of his UPA style stuff and see how cleverly he approaches it). Most animators have their basic principles and if they are extra gifted, maybe one or 2 strengths on top of them. Scribner puts together all kinds of skills and makes them flow as if there was no effort involved at all.
The second scene also moves beautifully, but the drawings aren't as fun as Scribner's. They don't have as much appeal. Appeal is a very rare trait and can't be forced without looking contrived - although many do try to contrive it. Some people just have it naturally.
This cartoon is full of great stuff, and I'll post more soon.
This is a great scene to study and copy the drawings if you are a student trying to learn classic skills.
Here's the weirdest scene cut I've seen.
Before the cut Clampett anticipates that something weird is going to happen by having the bonds bag throb and shrink into infinity.
Then the hammock rolls up.
The walls begin to quiver
and then morph into a completely different scene, but Hook is still there
The WAY it morphs is really controlled and fun too - it isn't just inbetweened from one background to another as in many independent stoner animated films you see in animation festivals.
and then Hook's take when he discovers he is in a different place is amazing
The 40s was a great time for experimentation and especially in the Clampett unit. Clampett would come up with crazy ideas out of nowhere and just try them - but them execute them so skillfully that they cause a really arresting visual effect that adds to the entertainment.
