With the advent of computer animation, fewer and fewer artists are involved in the traditional methods of creating animated films. The Academy's exhibition “Ink & Paint” highlighted the work of numerous artists who devoted decades of their lives to creating the characters, storyboards, color keys, backgrounds, layouts, cels and thousands of other process artworks that are needed to assemble a traditional animated film.
The magic of an animated film depends on the ability to bring to life not only animated characters, but the worlds they inhabit. Encompassing all stages of the filmmaking process, this exhibition showcased artwork mainly from the 1950s through the 1990s and featured such animated classics as “Alice In Wonderland,” “Peter Pan,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “101 Dalmatians,” “Gay Purr-ee,” “Charlotte's Web,” “The Secret of NIMH,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “The Lion King,” “Pocahontas” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” as well as from Oscar®-winning shorts starring such timeless characters as Mr. Magoo, Winnie the Pooh and the Pink Panther.
While exploring the creative process of pre-computer animation, “Ink & Paint” also celebrated the artists whose genius spawned the screwball characters of Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes cartoons, the classic fairytale environments of Disney animated features and the Academy Award®-winning shorts of UPA, whose stylized look and simple lines approach modern art.
