Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Chinese Brushstrokes




Thanks to the YouTube channel Obscure Animation, I am very happy to showcase for the first time
 a video from China. And a lovely one it is, too. This award winning 1960 short was the earliest example
 of brush painting animation. It was produced at Shanghai Animation Film Studio, and co-directed
 by Tang Cheng and Te Weiwho is also generally credited with inventing the technique.
The watercolor paintings of Qi Baishi inspired this unique approach to animation, which was reprised 
three years later in The Buffalo Boy's Flute. After a decade of Cultural Revolution
 had all but destroyed the Chinese animation industry, Te Wei utilized again the technique
 for his 1988 masterpiece Feeling from Mountain and Water. Hopefully this is the first
of many new interesting eastern discoveries...


Franco Matticchio - Black Cat Blues



Sunday, January 29, 2012

Sunday Safari - Taiga

Diana Sudyka, Taiga

Today's post was inspired by the chilly northern winds sweeping through Florence,
and by Werner Herzog's documentary Happy People: A Year in the Taigaabout a group
 of fearless and resourceful people who really know how to survive in the cold.
Just like these wonderful animals...

Feodor Rojankovsky, Panache l'ecureil, 1939, thanks to The Visual Telling of Stories

T. Kapustin, The first sun, 1987, thanks to polny_shkaf's amazing visual library 

Nathalie LeteLe Jaseur

Mikhail Belomlinsky, Wonders under the feet, 1967, thanks to bookvart

Ene Pikk, Kärp, 1981, thanks to vaula

V. Kanevsky, Winter Poems, 1984, via Hanna Rivka

Nikolai Tyrsa, Snezhnaya kniga, 1926

Gwen Keraval, Le fils qui sauva son père


Georgy Nikolsky, Year in the woods1978 and
Nikita Charushin, My first zoology book, 1984, thanks to Book Graphics

Animalsleepstories, The Old Caribou

Friday, January 27, 2012

Les Oiseaux Nouveaux


Flying on the wings of a brand new century



Jugend Magazine, 1897


Camille Martin, late 1890s

Manuel Orazi, 1900, thanks to Peacock's Garden

Bruno Paul, 1901

Marcel Behmer, illustration for Die Insel, 1901

Book cover by B. Löffler, 1903




Karol Frycz, rolling papers ad, 1905

Galileo Chini tile, 1906

Hungarian postcard, 1910

For more turn of the century birds, you can visit the posts


Monday, January 23, 2012

Un Matticchio Bestiale!



Today the new exhibition of Franco Matticchio, Bestiale, opened at 
the Nuages Gallery in Milan. I couldn't be there in person, only in spirit.
May you stay forever young!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Sunday Safari - Sweet Seals



Matchbox label, 1963, thanks to Oliver Tomas


Feodor Rojankovsky, Scaf the Seal, 1936, thanks as always to 50 Watts


Gilles AillaudInterieur Vert, 1964

Dale Maxey, The wild and woolly animal book, 1966, thanks to Bonito Club 

Milton Glaser, Cats and Bats and Things with Wings, 1966



M. Ovchinnikov, The girl-swan, 1979, via hannarivka



 two illustrations by Józef Wilkon

Alice and Martin Provensen, The Golden Circusthanks to Golden Gems




Saturday, January 21, 2012

Sun and Ice



This 1936 cartoon by Olga Khodatayeva was one of the first produced at the great 
Russian studio Soyuzmultfilm. It's story is based on one of the many Eskimo legends 
and rituals celebrating the return of the sun after two months of winter darkness. 
Many thanks to Niffiwan for the upload!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Jim's Jazzy Creatures



With today's post I want to celebrate the recent Italian edition of Jim Flora's 
The Day The Cow Sneezed. To my knowledge, this is the first time that a book 
by Flora has been published in my country, and as they say, better late than never!
My gratitude goes to the wonderful publisher Orecchio Acerbo for bringing us 
another classic, after their beautiful re-editions of Peter Newell.


Like many, I discovered Flora through his famous jazz record covers before realizing 
that he had written and illustrated 17 children's books between 1955 and 1982.
The Day the Cow Sneezed was published in 1957, and was the second of the series.
Here's a peek at many of the other volumes, with links to more illustrations and info when available. 
And if you are not familiar with the artist, you may read his biography in Italian and English.








Fishing with Dad, 1967

The Joking Man, 1968




My thanks goes to the website and blog dedicated to Flora, and to the always delicious
Vintage Kid's Book My Kid Loves, which has uploaded most of the artist's books.

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