Fall has arrived!

 

Autumn Leaves & Fantasia Fairy

Well it is official .....Fall has arrived according to the calendar with the passing of the Autumnal Equinox this past Thursday at 5:03 pm.  However, Fall has been arriving in our northern latitude of Alaska for the last couple of weeks now.  I love this time of year up north.  The Birch, Aspen, Mountain Ash and Cottonwood trees are at their color changing peak now.  It is wonderful sight and magical time with the leaves changing in my front yard of my Anchorage home.

So, this morning I thought I would share a wonderful production piece of the Autumn Fairy working her magic on a leaf from one of my favorite films, Fantasia.  This courvoisier setup consists of three cel levels set against a watercolor background as prepared at the Disney studio back in the 1940's.  I love the detail that was painted on the cel of the leaf and the delicate transparent painting of the fairy's wings.   The Nutcracker sequence from Fantasia is one my favorite segments in Fantasia and with Disney animation in general.  The artistry that was employed and work that went into this segment is truly amazing.  Happy Autumn!

            Original Courvoisier Cel Setup, gouache on trimmed acetate, watercolor on paper 

            Artist: Various Studio, unknown

            Acquired:  September 14, 2007