Eyvind Earle - Master

While working on a synopsis for Sleeping Beauty 2 I began to do research on the original concept art that was produced for the original movie. What I found was Eyvind Earle. He was Walt's "Inspiration Guy" for the look and feel of Sleeping Beauty. In my opinion, Sleeping Beauty is one of the most beautiful works of art that has ever been made. Every aspect of the production is finely crafted, from character design to cinematography. It truly is Disney's Masterpiece.

Earle's work permeates the entire film and he is responsible for the backgrounds and the color tone of the movie. So, in working on a story for a possible sequel, I thought about the art that inspired the original might be inspirational to me. I hope that makes sense. Earle lived from 1916 to 2000 and produced a huge volume of work. There is an excellent chronology and gallery at www.gallery21.com. Earle has also inspired many other artists and designers - including the guys who worked on Samurai Jack (one of my favorites!). Enjoy a couple of Earle's paintings - they are fantastic: