Pinocchio (1940)

WALT DISNEY STUDIO
Pinocchio (1940) 
original production animation model sheet
photostat on paper, dimensions: 11" x 14"

Since the early 1930s the Disney Studio has produced model sheets of its animated characters and/or atmosphere and concept art for circulation among artists and animators working in production of an animated film. Before the 1970s they were reproduced by a photostatic or printing process. They were made when a character or setting was in development and to help animators maintain a consistent look to the character throughout the film. This photostat model sheet of Geppetto was made at the Disney Studio during production of Pinocchio, and it was issued to animators for use in drawing Geppetto, the kindly wood-carver who makes Pinocchio and becomes his father after the puppet is brought to life by the Blue Fairy. Disney's great animator Vladimir Tytla supervised the animation of Geppetto, and the images reproduced in this sheet are likely his work. It is punched with the Studio's registration system along the bottom and stamped "Return to Character Model Dept." in lower right corner.