When I say the word “Disney”, what feeling does it elicit in you? some are awash in nostalgia as they remember the first time they saw Cinderella get her prince or Snow White defeat her evil stepmother. Others immediately think of Disney theme parks and are typically in one of three camps:
I can’t wait to go back again this year. Last year was SO MUCH FUN! And they year the before that!
I wish I could take the kids, but it’s approximately a million dollars to go.
NEVER AGAIN.
However you view Disney as a whole, the impact that Walt Disney has had on popular culture is undeniable. His animated shorts and movies have been viewed by millions, young and old alike. His characters are some of the most well-known throughout the world. His entertainment empire is one of the biggest.
But how often have you ever sat down to think about the man behind the myth? Well, that was the task at hand this past month as I fulfilled a long-awaited commission request to depict one important aspect of the history of the legendary Walt Disney. What I learned during this process is often what I find when I do a deep dive into a historical figure: they are more nuanced than what I first imagined and, in the end, they’re really just messy humans like the rest of us. But hot damn, Walt Disney was a brilliant innovator.
My commission centered around one of these brilliant innovations: the multiplane camera. Rather than attempt to describe the technicalities of this momentous invention and its impact on modern animation, might I suggest that if you’re interested, you watch this video and let Disney tell you about it himself: Disney’s MultiPlane Camera.
Disney’s innovative multiplane camera.
Walt Disney with the multiplane camera.
After researching the camera and taking a deep dive into Walt Disney’s biography, I started dreaming up the composition of the painting. I knew I had to include the camera itself, but the question to answer was whether to include Disney himself and, if so, where to place him in the scene. The piece was all about this one particular innovation, but I couldn’t fathom not including the genius behind it. In the end, I got the idea to try and depict the moment after Disney had another bright and innovative idea; the AHA! Moment. As a creative, I relish that moment and one could argue that it is all I chase after in my work. Disney surely knew that pursuit well and found it time and time again. This was the moment I sought to capture in the commission.
The sketch of The Imagineer composition along with a donut chant the boys were repeating in the studio one day.
So I got down to business and started painting. The usual doubts and technical challenges plagued the process, but I fought through them and found the look in the end. One important revelation came when I decided to try and go with a heavy outline of the major shapes in the piece. This gave it a more animated, “cartoony” look without looking too gimmicky. It was what took me beyond the crux of the piece and I feel like the spirit of Disney was in the studio that day guiding my hand. I love those moments.
As with many commissions, I put a number of little Easter eggs for the viewer to find in the piece, each of which gives a personal nod to the subject. In The Imagineer, those details included Walt’s beloved lawn bowling gear bag, a newspaper with the headline, “Disney’s Folly” (what critics called his investment in the multiplane camera), and a drawing of a horse on the drawing table, which was a nod to his first commission he fulfilled as a young artist, drawing the horse of a neighbor. It is said that this commission ignited his love of drawing. Oh, the importance of genuine encouragement as a young artist. I know that all too well.
The Imagineer | acrylic, watercolor & kraft paper on stained maple panel
The Walt Disney historian and owner of The Imagineer.
In drawing close to Disney during this process, I was pleased to find that he was just another human: a person trying to do their best with the talents and resources that they’re given and trying to do right by God and their fellow humans. Disney wasn’t perfect, but his ability to trust his gut and boldly chase the next big innovation is quite admirable. It is not his imperfections that stood out to me, it is the fact that he was able to rise above them in bold pursuit of his creative purpose in this life. We should all aim this high in our own versions of that movie.
Include me among the countless creatives inspired by Disney. He was a gentleman and genius. I am grateful for the chance to learn about him through the process of creating The Imagineer. But I’m still not ready to go back to Disney World.
Walt Disney | 1946
If you have a specific person, job, or industry or a space in your house that needs an artist's touch, let’s chat about it. You can get on my commission list in one of two ways:
First, by joining our Patreon at The Lamplighter Tier ($50/month), you will save $50 each month to put towards an original painting or a commissioned piece. Becoming a Patron on Patreon also gives you first dibs on my annual commission slots (I do 3 commissions per year) along with a handful of other perks.
Second, if you don’t want to join Patreon, you can email me (howdy@tylervoorheesart.com) and I can add you to my Prospective Commissions List, and I’ll reach out to you when I have a slot available.
Commissions pieces must have a minimum value of $2,100 or roughly a 648 square inch piece (for example: 18x36 inches). If this blog has brought up any intriguing ideas that you’d like me to explore, I’d love to see where it takes me and make something special for your wall in the process. Onward!