I am a Disney baby. All the way. I can’t even count how many times I’ve been to Disney World. I grew up adoring the animated movies, especially the animated musicals! As a girl, Sleeping Beauty was my favorite Disney princess. As an adult I think it’s the most beautiful Disney film there is. The whole thing looks like a Renaissance painting and Aurora looks the most “human” of all the princesses…and she runs with her toes pointed at all times. Gotta love that!
“Walt Disney challenged his artists to create a ‘moving illustration’ in which every frame of film could exist independently as a beautiful picture. To enhance the film’s illustrated look, Disney enlisted the talents of studio background artist and color stylist, Eyvind Earle. Earle fused Gothic French, Italian and Renaissance influences with his own abstract style of realism to create much of the formalized beauty and stylish design seen in Sleeping Beauty. Earle’s influence was also felt in the character design which was strongly vertical and angular in contrast to the more familiar soft and round designs of previous animated films.” –http://www.excellentvirtu.com/eyvind_earle_sleeping_beauty.htm
I’ve wanted some art from Sleeping Beauty for some time or maybe just from Eyvind Earle. AND I don’t think that you have to be a Disney enthusiast to appreciate it. His art is so mythical. It transports me back to my childhood, but it also is reminiscent of some of the Gothic and Renaissance masters and his solo work even has some Japanese influences.
If those were a little too “dungeons and dragons” for you, check out some of his non-animated work. He is clearly a genius and his color palette is so rich. His subjects are mostly nature with a fantastical element…so it’s right up my alley. I would love to own one of these originals!*
*Just go on Ebay and search for ‘Eyvind Earle.’ His work varies from a couple thousand dollars for signed originals to $7.50 for art promo cards. He is gone now so the price of his works have shot up. š¦
harmonyfrance.wordpress.com 
September 8, 2011 at 12:13 pm |
This is beautiful – I only read a little bit, sorry as I’m doing “homework” and, unfortunately,con not dwell on more pleasant things. Sleeping Beauty is my ultimate favourite Disney movie, too! I absolutely adore the music and animation – somehow (although cartoon- or whatever it’s called) it is just different. One of the other main attractions (other than, of course, the enhanced fairy-tale plot and one thousand other great elements of the film) is Prince Philip’s gallantry. He’s so sweet (and he says one of my favourite lines: “Come, Father, this is the fourteenth century!”
Anyway,got to go now. Wonderful website!!