Running head: THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 1
THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART STYLES WITH VISUAL STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES ______
A Thesis
Presented to
The Honors Tutorial College
Ohio University
______
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Graduation from the Honors Tutorial College with the degree of
Bachelor of Science of Communication Studies, Media Arts and Studies
______by
Maia Hamilton
August 2019
THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 2
THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 3
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to understand the influences of art style in the development of animated film. By observing animated films with period settings, we can draw comparisons between their art direction and the art styles of their time. By understanding the historical era and its culture, a creator can then begin to build a world that uses these elements as inspiration. For my animated short film, I use the history and culture of 19th century Paris to illustrate the story.
By using influences of period artists such as Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Pissarro I must understand their techniques and incorporate their stylistic choices into the film using visual storytelling techniques.
Keywords: traditional animation, 2d animation, modern animation, narratives, storytelling, visual storytelling, storytelling techniques,
THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 4
Introduction - Showing Without Saying
“People are storytellers - they tell narratives about their experiences and the meanings
that these experiences have for their lives.”
- Julia Chaitin, Narratives and Story-Telling, 2003
Storytelling is an integral part of humanity. It is an essential part of all cultures, and it has instilled values and desires into people throughout history. With the evolution of art and culture, storytelling developed alongside. Storytelling now encompasses many forms including print media, television, films, video games, and more.
Storytellers have always attempted to incorporate stories and visuals. Cave paintings were some of the earliest forms of visual storytelling – portraying the many aspects of the people’s culture. As time has gone by, we’ve seen the combination of visuals and stories rapidly change with technology. Today we can see visuals and stories combined in graphic novels, television, movies, and games. The different components that make up visuals – particularly space, line, shape, and color—help to create compelling elements of the stories that are being told (Block, 2008). These visual elements give context to the story, allowing the images to give life to the story. For instance, when composing an image, space is a visual component that helps viewers understand the story. A shallow space might suggest the subject feels closed off from others or a deep space might illustrate how small they are when compared to the world around them.
In The Art of Immersion, author Frank Rose attempts to explain the importance of storytelling and how stories help to “make sense of our world and to share that understanding with others.” (2017). Stories affect everyone, as people identify glimpses of their realities and struggles in them. My goal as a media maker is to create something relatable and compelling for THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 5 an audience. I want someone to see my work and be changed for the better. This desire is what led me to be intrigued by character development and design. Creating a relatable, original character that audience members can connect with is one of the most beneficial parts of storytelling. The immersive design of stories and the complexity of the characters can create an impact on the lives of the people who view them. I have always dreamed of being able to create something that will immerse people just as well, even if at a much smaller scale.
Using animation seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to attempt this. Animation will always have elements that make it unique from other film. With animation, the whole world is created entirely from scratch. The “actors” and “sets” must be designed and created by artists, all with a style that keeps the film cohesive. Every frame, color, and sound is made with intention, or the project falters. In animation, you create virtual spaces and actors that are used within the film. In a sense, the entirety of the world is at the hands of the creator. These worlds and characters must work cohesively to allow for the perfect opportunity to connect with audiences. If done correctly, an animated film can successfully create a compelling story, world, and visual.
This love for animated storytelling led me to the creation of an animated short for my senior thesis. When working on projects in the past, I’ve only created minimal animated projects.
I spent most of my time practicing different animation techniques such as Rotoscoping and 3D computer animation. I had never developed a full-fledged story with my designs and art direction. Within this project, I developed all aspects of an animated film: developing the story, art direction, and animation. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 6
When exploring options for the subject of my story, I started by creating a mood board to
decide the tone of my story (Figure 1). Tone and mood are often confused in narratives, but there
is a distinct difference. Tone allows for the establishment of mood, which will affect how the
viewer feels. (Block, 2008) In example,
a dark, mysterious tone will create a
mood that is also dark and mysterious.
When creating this mood board, I found
myself reaching to several themes I am
familiar with. I found myself selecting
gesture drawings, which is one of my
favorite ways to draw. I chose paintings
Figure 1. Thesis Moodboard detailing inspiration. of ballerinas, as I had danced for over
13 years, and finally impressionist paintings, which was one of my favorite art styles. Within
these themes, I found an artist whose style combines these three elements: Edgar Degas.
Research
Understanding French Culture and History
Edgar Degas was a French artist mostly known for his paintings and sculptures of
dancers. Over half of Degas’ work depicted dancers of the Paris Opéra (Trachtman, 2003). These
paintings, sculptures, and sketches all profoundly described movement in a way not commonly
approached at the time. Many dancers are portrayed off stage or in rehearsal. These women are
not represented as artists or beauties, but rather as athletic figures. Art critic Laura Cumming
describes Degas work as less anatomical analyses of “the articulation of limbs” but rather “the THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 7 struggle of bodily existence” and the drama that is provided through movement (2011). The way the dancers are represented is not glamorized, but rather they are seen as laborers.
Degas’ most notable piece of work would be that of La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans
(Figure 2). This sculpture is a one-third life-size depiction of a ballet dancer of the
Paris Opéra. She is dressed in a real costume complete with a tutu, ballet slippers, and a wig of real hair. The entire model was created and covered with wax, an unusual medium for the time, apart from the tutu and a ribbon placed in the hair.
When first presented in Paris at the Sixth
Impressionist Exhibition of 1881, the piece was met with mixed reviews. (National
Gallery of Art, n.d.) Some critics praised Figure 2. Photo I took of Degas' La Petite Danseuse de Quartorze Ans. the piece of work. Paul de Charry described it as “extraordinary reality” and “a real masterpiece.” Joris-Karl Huysmans claimed it was “the first truly modern attempt at sculpture I know,” and Nina de Villard referred to it as “the leading expression of a new art.” However, other critics were shocked by the ugliness of the dancer.
Critic Paul Mantz referred to her as the “flower of precocious depravity,” with a “face marked by the hateful promise of every vice” and “bearing the signs of a profoundly heinous character.”
Such volatile reactions can be contributed to the understanding of French society at the time
(Dorsey, 1998). THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 8
The late 1800’s saw improvements in the standard of living for the upper and middle classes of France, and is now labeled as a golden age. (Wilde, 2019). This period, now known as the Belle Époque, saw an increase in technology, luxuries, and quality of life which allowed for the introduction of more art forms to Parisian society. The Belle Époque is generally dated from the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 to the beginning of World War I in 1914. This roughly 45-year period was a time of stability and peace for Paris, which had been dealing with tumultuous events for an extended time. From this time period, we see a lot of symbolic landmarks of modern Paris created (Wires, 1977, p. 60-72). The 1899 World’s Fair led to the creation of the Eiffel Tower and the Paris Métro which brought a great influx of travelers to the city (Figure 3). Notre-Dame de Paris had been restored to its former glory less than ten years prior due to the success of Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel of the same name (Historique de la construction, n.d.). Sacré-Cœur was also constructed during this period in the Montmartre neighborhood (The New York Times, 1899).
During this time, significant developments in art began to arise, such as Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Art Nouveau. These art periods were starkly different from the works of artists prior, as they abandon many traditions of the past and encouraged an attitude of experimentation.
Figure 3. Men at the opening of the Eiffel Tower at the World's Fair.
THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 9
As this revolution in art began to flourish, Paris was met with an influx of artists and
entertainment. Many cabarets, such as the Moulin Rouge, opened to the public alongside cafés,
bistros, and music halls (Figure 4).
However, though art was prominent in the city, the Paris Opéra Ballet began to face a
culture shift. In the early 19th century,
the Romantic era of ballet began to
shift perceptions of the art form. With a
focus on soft, ethereal movements,
ballerinas such as Marie Taglioni
achieved celebrity status. High-status
ballerinas and new developments in the
art form helped to establish Paris as the Figure 4. Moulin Rouge in 1900. capital of dance. However, in the late
19th century this era was in a steady decline (Richardson, 2015). “The Ballet Girls of Paris” was
an article published in 1859 in London Society that pointed out the truths of the Paris Opéra. The
article stated that many of the ballerinas who were young girls, were often found “in hospitals, in
streets begging, or worse, in asylums, in gaols, at the solemn little Morgue by the bank of the
Seine—very rarely that we do not hear of them in places of misery, in the somber realms of
wretchedness. Their lives are frail and brittle, and break often under their burdens.” (Kelly &
Flight, 2013).
Ballet dancers typically came from lower-class families in hope to achieve a steady
lifestyle. These poor women and girls tiringly worked in hopes to achieve small roles to maintain
a steady, secure job. These “petite rats,” as they were called, were very vulnerable to the social THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 10 and sexual exploitation by the wealthy male subscribers of the Paris Opéra. “The ballet is…what the bar-room is to many a large hotel,” wrote Apthorp for Scribner’s Magazine in 1892, “…the chief paying factor, the one from which the surplus profits come.” (p. 350-372). These men did not care for the art form displayed, but rather for the sexual favors they could buy from these women. With such influential subscribers propositioning these women, it was the only chance some could have for security or a life out of poverty. This secretive approach to sexuality, in contrast with the boisterous, open cabarets, led to many women and young girls being taken advantage of by much older men (Blakemore, 2018).
With this environment dominating the Paris Opéra, the backlash to Degas’ sculpture was directly in line with these ideas. This little ballerina, deemed “ugly”, only portrayed a hopeless cause that would most likely ultimately lead to prostitution or a life of depravity. Degas often saw these exchanges between patrons and dancers and created his art with this knowledge in mind. His work does not glorify the ballerina, but rather expresses the movement and strenuous labor these women were put through. His paintings seem to come alive: The dancers stretching, pain exuding from their poses. He mixed beauty and brutality into his work, creating a story by merely showing the world around him in an artistic way (Richardson, 2015).
Degas posed his paintings like photographs, with an “in-the-moment” tone. Colors were typically soft, steering clear of bright, saturated tones. Degas was often referred to as an impressionist or romanticist, but would have rather preferred the title of realist. However, I believe he falls somewhere in between. He often created Impressionistic style paintings with a very realistic, unglorified subject. He could leave an audience unsettled or in awe, depending on THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 11 their understanding of his dancers’ history. In Two Ballet Dancers I
(Figure 5) Degas creates these dancers with delicate, pastel colors.
However, their bent over exhaustion exudes a feeling of fatigue that contrasts with the delicate and romantic palette. Degas’ ability to Figure 5. Degas' Two Ballet Dancers I create such a mood within the audience was what inspired me to incorporate his style and subject in the art direction of my project.
Analysis
Integration of Classic Art Styles into Modern Animation
An essential aspect of understanding the constantly evolving state of art was realizing the influences that played a role in creating these new art styles. Because I would be using the art and history of Degas and his dancers as inspiration, it was essential to see how an art style could be incorporated into an animated film while maintaining a unique visual sense. Art direction plays a fundamental aspect in creating the world of a film, especially in animation. Many different elements go into art direction, and to understand this, I explored the art direction of three different movies. The films I chose to study were Hercules (1997), John Henry (2000), and
Loving Vincent (2017). Each film took elements of classic art into its direction, with varying results. For each film, I focused on characters, backgrounds, and techniques used to create these original films. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 12
Hercules Analysis.
In the Disney film Hercules, the work of Gerald Scarfe played a significant role in the film’s character design and concepts. Scarfe established himself as a satirical cartoonist during the 1960s and 1970s. Much of his work was of a political nature focusing on conflicts in
Vietnam, the Middle East, India, and Northern Ireland. In Charles’ Nightmare, Scarfe is seen satirizing Prince Charles and his constant “Shooting off of the mouth” (Figure 6). In this image,
you can see a sense of Scarfe’s caricature style that
emphasizes Charles’ nose and ears with grotesque detail. The
bright, frightening monster chasing him follows the style
commonly used by Scarfe in the stretched out details that
would later be seen in Hercules.
Scarfe worked with Pink Floyd on their 1979 album
The Wall, its 1982 film adaption, and subsequent tour. The
band and the artist collaborated to incorporate the story of the
record with characters that would become recognizable by
anyone familiar with the band (Kennedy, 2016).
A political cartoonist known for his grotesque and
dynamic art might have seemed like a particularly interesting Figure 6. Scarfe's political cartoon Charles' Nightmare. choice for a Disney film, but co-director John Musker was a fan of the work Scarfe had produced. After consulting co-director Ron Clements, Scarfe was soon on board to help create the characters of Hercules by becoming the Production Designer.
After studying much of Scarfe’s work, it’s influence in the character design is what makes the visual aspects of Hercules so unique to other Disney films. Clements saw resemblances between THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 13
Scarfe’s style and the “Grecian-vase style they wanted” (Smith, 1997). The bright and sweeping line work of Scarfe contrasted well with the “power and elegance of Greek art.” (Smith, 1997).
This concept art was a unique blend of styles compared to
Disney films of the past
(Figure 7) . In this piece, we see early concept of Hercules and the Hydra. Hercules is drawn with similar anatomical features to characters on Figure 7. Concept art created by Gerald Scarfe for Hercules. Grecian vases while the Hydra takes on similarities to the monster seen in Figure 6. This style compared to the storybook visuals of prior Disney films would lead to the eventual aesthetics of the film.
Scarfe’s style is seen throughout the majority of the film, but most specifically in that of the villains of the film. Scarfe stated, “One of my tasks on Hercules was to say, ‘Let’s make our menacing characters truly wicked and frightening. If the centaur is a Hell’s Angel type, let’s give him real menace. I mean, we all know that good will win out and that the villains will get their comeuppance in the end, but while the wicked characters are on, let’s make them truly frightening.” (Oh My Disney, 2017). Villains are often visually seen as larger than life characters, with exaggerated anatomy and sharp features. When designing villains, artists often create them using aggressive shapes such as triangles, due to their sharpness. Triangles appear malicious, sinister and communicate with the most aggression (Bancroft, 2008). Dark colors are also most notably used with villains to communicate danger or fear. On Hercules, animators THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 14 most heavily incorporated the Scarfe style within these characters and notable aspects can be seen from Scarfe’s early concepts to the final design of Hades.
Hades, in particular, has very sharp and jagged lines in his illustration. This line style is comparable to the most significant aspects of Scarfe’s work. Scarfe creates large and grotesque
subjects (Figure 8). The triangular shape he uses is a
commonly used shape within character design for its
angular lines and dynamic style. From Hades’ entrance in
the film, it is clear he is our main antagonist (Figure 9).
Shrouded in darkness, Hades character is dripping in
sarcasm and cynicism. He is the only God within the film
that is heavily shrouded in muted colors, with the only
brightness being the blue flame that displays as hair and his
bright yellow and red eyes. Hades’ face, in particular,
highlights the evilness of the main villain. Expressive worry
Figure 8. An early character design of Hades. lines, long, exaggerated mouth (complete with unevenly spaced fangs), and deep-set, yet bright eyes visually tell the audience this is a villainous character. Each of these things, along with the usage of fire, fully makes this character a believable and exciting villain.
Scarfe’s influences are much Figure 9. Final version of Hades seen in the film. subtler in more wholesome characters, THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 15 such as the title character Hercules, of which he stated “proved the most difficult character to design.” (Oh MY Disney, 2017). The appearance of Hercules can be described as a stereotypically handsome character. His design follows a combination of round and square shapes which highlights the naïve aspects of his character as well as his strength and “hero archetype” (Figure 10) . Circles in character design often are used for soft and likeable characters
like Mickey Mouse, while
square shapes are often used for
steadfast characters like
Superheroes (Bancroft, 2008).
Using both of the shape styles
and the variations of the shape
size in his design creates a
Figure 9. Character design sheet used for Hercules. dynamic character. For example, Hercules has a great mass, but a small waist and head. When comparing portions of his body, his head is smaller than his neck, alluding to huge muscular proportions. Arms and legs are also comparable in size to complete this ideal of symmetry that often follows athletic, handsome characters. Different line weights are also used to help emphasize his muscles. His larger muscles are outlined in thick lines, while thin lines are applied to smaller, more dynamic shapes.
Angular lines make up the character’s knees, forearms, biceps, and the uniform he wears. The outfit further illustrates his pectoral and ab muscles by using curved, smooth lines. These lines are where we begin to see the influence of Greek architecture within the film.
Greek architects provided some of the finest and most distinctive buildings in the entire
Ancient World (Cartwright, 2013). Many of the temples, theaters, and other buildings still stand THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 16 today and are a fundamental part of Greek culture. Ancient Greek architecture is divided into five separate orders: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan, and Composite. For the film, much of the art is inspired by the Ionic order. This order, named for the Ionian islands in which it was developed, provided the delicate, swirled columns heavily associated with Ancient
Greece (Dietsch & Stern, n.d.). Roman historian Vitruvius compared this subtle order to a female form. The delicacy of the form lent itself to being used as a reference for Megara, Figure 10. Early sketches of Meg's body shape. the main love interest of the film. Her body follows the proportions of vases, alluding to the feminine appeal of Greek Art. Character sheets show the references of these columns and vases being used to assemble the body and costume design for her character (Figures 11,12).
By using Greek architecture and the work
of Gerald Scarfe, Hercules created an eclectic
reimagining of Greek Mythology. It’s a playful
approach to its source material allowing for the
story to abandon the traditional tale of Hercules
and have a fun, fast-paced tale that is exceedingly
Figure 11. Ionic columns used as inspiration for Meg's body. modern and bright. The incorporation of two such starkly different styles allows the film to play with this contrast by using Scarfe’s modern, dynamic style with the more traditional, architectural style of traditional Greek art.
THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 17
John Henry Analysis.
John Henry (2000) is featured in a collection of animated shorts depicting American
“Tall Tales” created by Walt Disney Animation. John Henry illustrates the life of the title
character, a former slave who worked on the railroad driving spikes into the rails. Henry
competes with a steam-powered drilling machine in a race, dying of stress shortly after his
victory. Even without extensive knowledge of post-Civil War history and art, a viewer can use
these clues of line, shape, and color within the film
to understand the time period and the importance it
plays in American folklore. When creating the film,
the artists took inspiration from American folk artists
as well as past Disney artists. The inspiration of folk
art is most evident within the quilting scenes that
depict the past of “John Henry”. After the end of the Figure 12. A traditional African American quilt.
American Civil War, African-Americans began to develop distinct styles of quilting (Figure 13).
These quilts were most often characterized by “pattern improvisation, multiple patterning, bright
and contrasting colors, visual motion, and a lack of rules.” (Heffley, 2007 pp. 4-10). This styling
is used within John Henry to situate the
story into its time period —post-1865
America. This style can be seen throughout
the film in the quilting sequences. The title
card quilt creates a border using
mismatching patterns, a technique often Figure 14. Quilting scene used in John Henry. seen in quilts. These patterns would THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 18
illustrate the story that would be told (Figure 14). Small details such as the train, fields that John
Henry worked in, and the hammer are all motifs that play an important role in the story. The use
of multiple patterns and bright colors incorporates these details commonly used in African
American quilts.
When it is seen at the end that Polly is making the quilt for her son, these stylistic choices
fall directly in line with what could have been created during this design. The characters of John
Henry have two distinct designs – those that follow a more life-like approach and simple, quilted
versions of each character. The quilting versions of the characters are used to illustrate the tall
tales that built the reputation of John Henry during these bright quilting scenes (Figure 15).
This artistic aspect and approach to the film had been used by Disney before, most
notably by artist Mary Blair. In 1945, she wrote to Walt Disney, “I have found a good book on
American quilts and bought it for the studio. I think I should make a quilt now after reading it. It
seems that quilt making is a revived art in this country now, which [in] fact adds more value to
its use as a medium of expression in our picture.” (Oh My Disney, 2016). She would later use
this style in the film So Dear to My Heart (Oh My Disney, 2016). Walt Disney frequently
worked with Mary Blair and on a development trip to South America she created some of her
most notable work which would later appear in the films Saludos Amigos (1942) and The Three
Caballeros (1944). During this time, she
produced artwork that was colorful, graphic,
geometric, and dynamic which was often
seen in quilting style. In the example shown
here (Figure 16), we can see some stylistic
choices that might have inspired the quilting Figure 15. John Henry title card. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 19 portions of John Henry. This style was implemented into concept art for Cinderella (1950), Peter
Pan (1953) and Alice in Wonderland (1951) though much of the whimsical style was not included in the final aspects of those films. Mary Blair’s most notable stylistic impact can be seen on the It’s A Small World attraction which was initially produced for the 1964 New York’s
World Fair (Designing Disney, n.d.). The bright colors that are used within this ride resonate with the coloring themes of John Henry. Much like each country of the ride has colors that represent their nationality, John Henry is mostly represented by reds and blues, two colors heavily associated with the United States (Canemaker, 2014). Mary Blair’s flat and playful aspects are also noticeable during the quilting elements of this story, showing how her art style would be adapted by other artists for the film.
When John Henry transitions into the more realistic animation, the simplicity of the animation, colors, and designs establishes a good comparison to the more vibrant quilting portions of the film. This style falls into a similar category as the other Disney Tall Tales series shorts such as Paul Bunyan (1958) and Johnny Appleseed (1948) which were created during the
Silver Age of Walt Disney Studios. John Henry is an important part of American folklore and uses the same stylistic choices that are seen within these Tall Tales shorts. What is interesting to note is Mary Blair’s art was actively used as background for many of these films.
As Disney began to create more feature length films, they were able to experiment with style to maintain quality and explore the artistic boundaries of the medium (Belle, 2015). The
Silver Age was an innovative time period for Disney because of the pressures of time and budget constraints. These budget constraints were due in part to Disney being in debt from movies such as Bambi and led the company to produce movies more quickly in hopes to create a turn around
(North, 2016). With these constraints, new methods of animating were tested to allow for faster THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 20 and more frequent animation. With cheap animation at the forefront of the industry, Walt Disney wanted to preserve the quality that was associated with Disney Animation. Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland were successful movies of this time that differed significantly from the styles seen in past films due in part to their usage of bright color and unique character styles.
Experimentation is most notably seen in
Sleeping Beauty (1959), which was designed with Medieval tapestries in mind. Sleeping
Beauty is filled with geometric shapes and bright, impactful colors. It did not fall into Figure 16. Mary Blair art used as inspiration for John Henry. the soft, romantic categories of the Disney fairytales that had been told before, such as Snow
White (1937) and Cinderella (1950). Instead, it focused heavily on Medieval inspirations rather than that of the Brothers Grimm. These ideas of adapting from traditional art styles allowed for the creative direction of Sleeping Beauty to be starkly different from its predecessors (Toennies,
2008). Rather than follow the soft color palettes and rounded features of past Fairytale films,
Sleeping Beauty adapts bright colors and angular shapes into the film. Backgrounds also played an extensively important role in the art process as they were filled with details and took weeks to illustrate, much to the disdain of character animators of the time. These backgrounds had bold stylization and color that paid tribute to the influences of medieval tapestries (Figure 17). In this figure, we see the sprawling background used for the Once Upon A Dream sequence. This background consists of geometric shapes such as rectangles and triangles to create a stylized, less organic forest for the film. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 21
Similar to Sleeping Beauty’s references to Medieval art, John Henry’s environments take inspiration from traditional American
Folk Art. The distinctively flat backgrounds are made to look like scratchboard Figure 17. Backgrounds used in Sleeping Beauty. paintings with little detail (Figure 18). In Figure 18, the train tracks recede into deep space, but the color and texture flatten the perspective similar to American folk art of the time. The mountains and grass are illustrated with scratched lines to create a difference in texture. This technique is often seen in scratchboard art, and its use in John Henry makes the artwork feel more handmade and cohesive.
The characters within
this portion of the film are
created with more realistic
anatomy as compared to the
flat geometric characters in the
quilting portion. The lines are
very sketchy, with reference Figure 18. Backgrounds used in John Henry. lines being left within the art. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 22
Imperfect line work gives this animation a homemade aesthetic (Figure 19). In this shot of John Henry, we see varying line weights used in the character’s outline giving it a very fresh from paper feel. This style was most notably used in 101 Dalmatians (1961). As detailed in the documentary, “Redefining the Line: The Making of 101
Dalmatians”, when faced with such a multitude of animated characters, this proved beneficial to the economics of the Figure 19. Still from John Henry. animation process (Dudley 2001). John Henry uses this look to help create this homemade appeal that was often found in quilting and other folk art media.
Mark Hen, the director of John Henry, succeeds in emulating the style the Silver Age of
Disney storytelling and putting John Henry into the period of the story. The artistic decisions do not distract from the story, but rather enhance the message that is being told. The use of traditional art in conjunction with the story develops a visual pattern that supports the narrative of a folk hero. The end product is a film in which the visual aspect is as deeply rooted in
American culture as its story. Motifs such as quilting connect viewers to the story and heritage of the time and geographical areas. Taking these aspects of influence and balance between story and art can provide benefits to the short film that is being created.
Loving Vincent Analysis
Loving Vincent differs greatly from the other animations I analyzed for this project. With the other two being from a major animation studio, Loving Vincent was created by an independent studio with experimental goals in mind, rather than critical and commercial success. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 23
With this difference in goals, this allowed for the art direction to differ considerably from the
typical animation created by major studios.
Loving Vincent follows the story of Armand Roulin as he attempts to understand the
death of Vincent Van Gogh. This film was not the first to bring the subject of Van Gogh to life.
Preceded by Lust for Life (1956) and Vincent and Theo (1990), Loving Vincent focuses on the
painter in retrospect through the eyes of Armand Roulin, who is on a mission to deliver a letter to
Theo Van Gogh and understand the death of Vincent.
This movie’s impact stems less from its story than from the visual medium it uses to tell
it. Loving Vincent is the first fully painted feature film with over 65,000 frames created from oil
paints. The film uses the style of Vincent Van Gogh to bring the story to life (Messinger 2018).
The Loving Vincent website explains the tributes and desires behind the film, claiming that the
story of Vincent cannot be told “without his paintings”, hence the choice to recreate his paintings
in an animated format. (lovingvincent.com, 2013) Without using Van Gogh paintings, a viewer
would not be able to understand the bold creativity and unique spirit that Van Gogh evoked
through illustration. The film brings to life
several pieces of work by Van Gogh
throughout the film.
When observing the work of Van
Gogh, symbolic colors and gestural
application are applied to express the
subjective emotions of the artist. The film, Figure 20. Beginning shot of Loving Vincent, modelled after Café Terrace at Night. rather than merely taking inspiration from his
art style, directly emulates his pieces in the movie (Messinger, 2018). As the protagonist of the THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 24
film attempts to understand Vincent Van Gogh, the audience already has a bit of understanding
of the man. The world is created through Vincent’s eyes, discovering the people and places he
encountered in his lifetime. Through the usage of textures and bright colors we see the beauty in
the ordinary i.e. a wheat field or a woman playing the
piano.
The only times that we are taken out of this style
is when we lose the vibrant colors found in Van Gogh’s
work. As the film falls into flashbacks his color palette is
abandoned and is rather represented in grayscale.
The beginning of the film is modeled after Van
Gogh’s painting Café Terrace at Night (1888) with very
few changes, even managing to manipulate the camera to
achieve the vertical orientation in its entirety. (Figure 20) Figure 21. Paul-Ferdinand Gachet portrait.
The only evident manipulations can be seen in the adjustment to better catch the likeness of the
actors used for the film. The 1899 portrait of Paul-Ferdinand Gachet (Figure 21) provides for a
good comparison, as the film creation provides more realism within the anatomy of Gachet,
rather than the distinctive shapes of the piece (Figure 22). Van Gogh had an innate ability to
evoke beauty through suffering. Van Gogh suffered
from mental illness throughout his life but was able to
illustrate with such vibrancy and life. Loving Vincent
provides a glance into the painter’s life through the eyes
of those he encountered. Rather than using the art style
Figure 22. Reimagining of Gachet portrait in Loving Vincent. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 25 to understand the setting of the film, it is used to understand the artist who inspired it (Figure 23).
As night skies and wheat fields come to life, it allows for audience members to fall into this mindset and entrancing world of Vincent Van
Gogh (Messinger, 2018).
Influence- Developing Visual Motifs
With analysis completed, I began to Figure 23. Depiction of Van Gogh in Loving Vincent. prepare the visual aesthetics for my film. To have a deeper understanding of the research I accumulated, I took a week-long trip to Paris. In Paris, I visited many sites that would play a role in the conceptualization of my film. These locations included Musee d’Orsay, Montmartre, and Palais Garnier.
Palais Garnier
Palais Garnier was built from 1861 to 1875. Since its inauguration, it has hosted the Paris
Opéra Ballet (Craine and Mackrell 2000 pp. 360-361). It is most notably known as the setting for
Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opéra and subsequent adaptations (Hanser
2006 pp. 172-179). The exterior of the palace is structurally magnificent, following the Napoleon
III style which borrowed from traditional art
styles such as Baroque, Palladio, and
Renaissance architecture (Sarmant 2012 pg.
191). Even the back entrance had a grand
façade that would provide inspiration for my
film’s backgrounds (Figure 24). The interior
is just as grand as the outside and is filled Figure 13. The back entrance of Palais Garnier. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 26 with art tributes. These tributes consist of dancers’ portraits, pictures of the classes that were held in the building until 1987, and many glass-encased costumes from past ballet performances. I took many photos in this area, specifically of the empty hallways, the main theatre, and the views of the outside streets. When exploring the building, it was clear they had a deep respect for the history of the artists. The extravagance of Palais Garner contrasted greatly from the neighborhood of Montmartre. Much of the area differs greatly from how it was represented in the past.
Montmartre
Montmartre was the home of many artists during the Belle Époque and was known for its cafes, nightclubs, and cabarets. Rent was low, and the area had a sense of comradery and bohemian spirit that led to many seeking the space out to explore artistic ideals. Artists such as Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre-Auguste
Renoir, Camille Pissarro, and Vincent Van Gogh called this neighborhood home during this time
(Ayala 2014). Today, it has been overrun by commercialism and cheap tourist traps. Figure 14. Photo of the Sácre Cœur in Montmartre. However, much of the original charm can still be seen in the building facades. The proximity of the cobbled streets and the dimly lit buildings all suggest a glimpse into the history of the area. Sácre Cœur looms over the neighborhood, a constant reminder of the Belle Époque era and the culture it provided (Figure 25). THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 27
To further explore a more accurate look into this area during the late 19th century, I toured Musée de Montmartre which is a renovated home that hosts gardens and the history of many of the artist who lived there. What proved to be most striking in this area was the recreation of Suzanne Valadon’s studio and apartment. Suzanne Valadon was an artist of the time who achieved modest success but is not renowned like many of her male contemporaries. In this area, I was able to take pictures of the area that was decorated with the idea of a middle-class woman in mind. This would later provide beneficial as I began developing the environment of my main character’s home. In this museum, the original feeling of Montmartre came to life.
While exploring the museum and its gardens, I took note of several pieces of art. Most of the prints were not by renowned artists but shared similar aspects with art by Toulouse-Lautrec. This museum also included several videos from the period of Can-Can dancers, which originated with the Moulin Rouge. Seeing real clips of the women of this time helped me to connect and further understand the characters I would soon create.
Musee d’Orsay
After indulging in the streets and lifestyle of
bohemian artists, I felt it was important to see the art
they created in person at the Musee d’Orsay. Musee
d’Orsay consists of mainly French Art from 1848 to
1914. With high arches and open windows, the
original purpose of the building is still apparent but
matches the grandiose collection of the neighboring
Louvre (Figure 26). Its broad and open concept
seems strikingly modern for a museum that resides in Figure 15. The interior of Musee d'Orsay. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 28 a late 19th-century building. The building it resides in was built between 1898 and 1900. During this time, it was used as a railway station and was active until 1939 (Museé d’Orsay 2015).
This visit allowed me not only to see the works of Degas, who has 43 works in the building, but also his contemporaries: Gustave Caillebotte, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet,
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Each of these artists had a unique style, but all were major players in the Impressionistic and post-Impressionistic era. I took notes of each artist, detailing what struck me about their artwork. The most common themes that stuck out to me was that of the usage of color, regards for movement, and textured line work.
Though these three locations provided the most profound insight into what exactly I wanted to evoke in my film, immersing myself in the city as a whole further helped my understanding of the essence of Paris. I took many pictures of streets, the Seine, and indulged in the Parisian culture. Through this trip, I began to understand the leisurely but motivated style of the streets of
Paris.
With this knowledge, I began to develop color palettes for my film, which now had an established script. Using references from my travels, French artwork of the time, and the story as inspiration, I selected three different color palettes for my film. Each palette would illustrate the differences in the neighborhoods and social classes associated with them. These three palettes would be defined by Montmartre, the streets of Paris, and the Paris Opéra.
For Montmartre, I wanted to delve further into the bohemian spirit that was prominent during the late 19th century here. At the time, Montmartre was considered a vibrant yet controversial area. The home of many of the artists of the time, it was considered the underbelly of Parisian life but influenced much of the culture of the time. Many landmarks played inspiration to the palette, particularly that of the Moulin Rouge. This place represented so much THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 29 of the spirit of the Belle Époque but also hosted many of the poorest people of its time. While it was famous for art, entertainment, and boisterous life, it held the people who suffered most significantly during this time.
To capture the essence of this area, I focused on the art of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec.
Toulouse-Lautrec captured the heart of Montmartre not only in his art but in his life as well.
Toulouse-Lautrec spent most of his spare time in the cabarets and was a close friend to many of the celebrities of Parisian nightlife and he often immortalized them in his artwork. Despite his status, he suffered greatly from alcoholism which led to his eventual death (Frey 1994). In his artwork, the subjects are ever-changing. Famous dancers such as La Goule and Jane Avril were frequent subjects of his art, as well as prostitutes. He expressed an interest in the “urban underclass” who are frequently the characters of his art and the characters of Montmartre (Frey
1994).
His color palettes include vibrant and deep tones, to illustrate the intensity of life in this area. Many of the people of Montmartre lived with a bohemian spirit and to convey this I chose many jewel tones while contrasting it with many dark neutrals to convey the struggles many faced in these areas. The colors are inspired by cabarets, mainly the brightness of the costumes and sets, as well as the shadow and deep colors of the Figure 16. Moodboard depicting Montmartre. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 30
unlit audience. This palette represents the complexity of the lower class (Figure 27). It is
familiar, warm, and inviting, but quickly invites darkness into its midst.
For the streets of Paris, I wanted to capture the essence of Paris in general. I wanted it to
feel timeless and inviting, a palette that would feel just as relatable to a 19th-century artist. I
wanted to highlight what was seen as normal life to the Parisians of the time. The colors needed
to showcase the middle-class neighborhood and the beauty of the time, without extravagance.
For the streets of Paris, I delved into the art of Gustave Caillebotte. The majority of Caillebotte’s
work depicted domestic and familial scenes as well as street landscapes. His unusual usage of
perspective suggested inspiration from photography which was in its beginnings as an art form.
Much of Caillebotte’s art depicted
urban settings with
impressionistic influences. In his
time, Caillebotte was not
considered much of a
controversial artist, but rather an
upstanding supporter of the arts.
Much of his art depicted varying
Figure 17. Moodboard depicting the streets of Paris. social classes, particularly in his
street scenes (Pissaro, C., Pissaro, L., & Rewald, J. 1972).
This palette takes inspiration not only from Caillebotte but from the pictures I took of
Paris as well (Figure 28). These colors consist of warm golds and browns that contrasts with cool
blues and greys. These naturally occurring colors are often found in French architecture and take
into consideration the importance of light and weather to the atmosphere. These warm golden THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 31 tones are meant to represent this Golden Age and the modern ideas of the time while the blues and grey represent how many of the contemporaries of the time consumed their time with grey normality often associated with life.
In my last palette, I went back to the place that had inspired my film: the Paris Opéra. For this location, I wanted to represent the hypocrisy of upper-class life in the Belle Époque era.
Ballet was considered a highly romantic, delicate art form during this time and for this palette, I wanted to use these colors in some of the most morally ambiguous sections of the film. This contrast would take inspiration from the art of Degas, which used delicate colors to convey complicated subjects. Degas’ style inspired this color palette because of the subjects of his paintings. Degas attempted to show the real aspects of the ballet, through colors most often associated with the art form. His art was the primary influence of the palette, but I decided to take inspiration from other places as well to keep the art style distinctive to my work. In this palette, I also use the architecture and interior design of Paris Opéra as inspiration. The extravagance of this location helped define the upper-class lifestyle of this age.
The colors I chose consist mostly of pastels, as well as vibrant blues, green, and buttery yellows. For neutral tones, I selected light greys, browns, and purples to convey the light purity expected of ballet. The majority of these colors were directly taken from Degas’ palette. Key colors would
Figure 18. Moodboard depicting the Paris Opera. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 32 eventually play an essential role in visual motifs that would be further developed in the process
(Figure 29).
Each palette had different takeaways that influenced the art direction for their scenes.
Montmartre would represent a vibrant place with an essence of darkness. The streets of Paris would consist of rich colors but with a natural, realistic tone. Paris Opéra would be soft and vivid, which focuses on the delicate beauty of ballet to contrast with the darkness of the story.
Process- Incorporating Visuals into the Narrative
Character Development
As I researched the history and art styles that would eventually lead to the creation of this film, I developed a script. My original script was a 10-page script that delved into the story of
Adelaide, a young ballerina who struggles to make rent. The ballerina attempts to make rent by working harder at the ballet but still cannot reach her amount. In the script, we meet her young, naïve counterpart, Amelié. Adelaide sees Amelié as a younger sister who she often tries to mentor and guide through their career. While Adelaide approaches her role in the ballet with hard work and responsibility, Amelié considers being a part of the ballet as an exciting and fun adventure. When ticket holders approach these women after their performance, Amelié meets the men with excitement and flirtation, while Adelaide is hesitant to approach. Adelaide attempts to find the younger girl after their performance, but instead finds the ribbon she gave her earlier in the day. She sees a carriage drive off, presumably with the young girl inside. As Adelaide returns home, she must deal with the sexual advancements of her landlord in exchange for the past-due rent. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 33
Adelaide
From this script, I began to develop the designs
of the three main characters: Adelaide, Amelié, and
Paul. When designing Adelaide, I wanted to create a
character that would be visually striking as compared
to the background art. I focused on creating an
innocence in her appeal, with wide eyes and soft Figure 19. Character design of Adelaide. features (Figure 30). She commonly has a serious expression, that contrasts with the constant grin found on Amelié. Much of her palette came from
Caillebotte’s palette as I wanted her to appear as someone who could easily shift through many social classes. Adelaide is meant to represent a woman who has the opportunity to advance through moral ambiguity but rather attempts to maintain her ethics. This contrast of maturity and naiveté is played out through her older features but innocent motives and soft palette.
Amelié
Amelié is represented as a wide-eyed and playful character.
I took much inspiration from the model for Degas’ La Petite
Danseuse de Quatorze Ans, using the bangs and shape to create this model (Figure 31). Much of Amelié’s palette consists of the colors found in the Paris Opéra. As a character, she visually comes off as very childlike and playful. When incorporating her motives into the Figure 20. Character design of Amelie. film and her lack of fear toward sexual exploitation, the audience is meant to feel a bit of shock. Degas’ work directly inspires this disconnect.
THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 34
Paul
For Paul, the landlord, I took inspiration from
Toulouse-Lautrec’s work, particularly with the silhouette
of “No-Bones” Valentin that is portrayed in Moulin
Rouge: La Goulue (1891). From this silhouette, I created
my character (Figure 32). Paul is not supposed to be
represented as evil, but rather a morally gray character. Figure 21. Character design for Paul. His color palette finds influence from both the bright
essence of the Montmartre palette as well as the dark essences of the palette.
Art Direction
Storyboarding
Once the art direction had been developed, I began to create storyboards for the eleven
scenes that would be animated for my script. With each scene, I attempted to establish shots that
cohesively told the story without the usage of words. In order to tell this story, I had to prepare
each frame to best convey the meaning of the shot. For example, I incorporated POV shots using
the main character to better understand the character’s feelings and to establish empathy. By
doing this I hoped to draw attention to the character’s experiences with sexual exploitation and
their observance of the other’s around them. After developing these storyboards, I could begin
the process of animating my film.
Animation
For this film, I decided to use the professional software ToonBoom Harmony, a 2D
animation software. I used my storyboards to create roughly blocked animation. Blocked
animation uses simple models that mimic the moves the characters will later use. From this THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 35 animation, I tweaked the timing and movement of the characters to create a more cohesive narrative.
After creating this rough animation, I went through the long process of clean-up animation. Through clean-up, each frame was developed individually to clearly illustrate the characters in the film and the movements that they would be making. Taking into consideration the fundamentals of animation was an important step in creating believable movements, especially within the dancing scenes featured halfway through the short.
With these techniques and understanding of movement, I had to incorporate the complexity of the emotions portrayed in the film. For Amelié, most of her actions are fast and over exaggerated while Adelaide’s are slower and subtler. This can be seen when they sit on the bench together observing the audience members around them.
The line art that I used throughout the film was sketchy, comparable to John Henry. This sketchiness was meant to represent the instability found within the character’s life and is more noticeable as she goes throughout her day. This accentuates the moral ambiguity of her situation and how she experiences what happens around her. While others are simply characters she observes, we see the inner turmoil she faces in these harsh realities.
After coloring a scene, I would then incorporate the backgrounds I created for each scene
(Figure 33, 34). Some backgrounds were relined and colored by a colleague to help with the workload. When this was completed, each scene was supposed to be done.
However, the painterly effect I desired was not conveyed. After experimenting with Figure 22. Background concept for the Moulin Rouge during the day. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 36
several different methods to create this look, I
decided to layer multiple effects to provide
texture to each of the scenes. This helped to
reference the style of the Impressionistic
artwork that provided inspiration. The results
were made with different types of brushes
and mostly consisted of creating shadows and Figure 23. Background concept for the Moulin Rouge at night. depth of color to each scene.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
After this, I had a completed project that would convey this critical piece of history not
often discussed. With the usage of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist methods incorporated
with my art style, I was able to show emotional strife and moral ambiguity that was essential to
women’s survival in the late 19th-century Parisian ballet.
As somebody who has always had a fascination with history, this project allowed for me
to further understand the importance research has in the visual development of films. With
animation, I was able to recreate a point in history in the way that artists of the time illustrated it.
Animation allows for the bending of the rules of realism, which helped me to create this short
film in the art style I envisioned it. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 37
This project helped me to understand the place that I can provide my knowledge in the entertainment industry, something I have been trying to understand the last four years. As an integrated media production student, I had the problem of loving all aspects of the field. I wanted to work on films, social media, animation, games, music, and the list never ended. Working on Joy of Living I was able to Figure 24. The opening shot of Joy of Living. incorporate each of these things I enjoyed into the film, also learning where my strengths and weaknesses lay.
When I continue onto different projects, I hope to keep the importance of research and inspiration alive in the project. Having an in-depth understanding of the time, culture, and world I was presenting in Joy of Living, late 19th century Paris, I was able to create a world that was fully realized that I had a connection with. Every time I watch this film and see the opening shot of
Adelaide I am so proud to see the story I’ve envisioned come to life (Figure 35).
The last four years at Ohio University have been a test of understanding who I will be in the professional world. I came into school with limited experience, but I had a passion for storytelling and creating a connection with others. By finding my passions, art, history, and animation, I am able to confidently go forward with a vision of where I will find myself in future projects.
Joy of Living is a testament to so many of the things that I have loved over the years. From growing up as a dancer and developing a love for art, I created this story as a way to show how animation can tell any story. By understanding the full potentials of this medium, more stories can THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 38 begin to be developed for animated film, and exploring the possibilities that could arise in the field of animation.
The completed film can be viewed by the following link:
https://vimeo.com/334952166
THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 39
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References
Apthorp, William F. (1892). Paris theatres and concerts. Scribner’s Magazine, 350–375. Retrieved
from https://www.unz.com/print/Scribners-1892mar-00350/
A true contemporary: The life and work of Mary Blair. (2016, June 13). Retrieved from
https://ohmy.disney.com/insider/2016/06/11/mary-blair-history/
Designing "It's a Small World" - The 1964 New York World's Fair. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://web.archive.org/web/20130101121553/http://www.designingdisney.com/content/designin
g-its-small-world-1964-new-york-worlds-fair
Ayala, R. D. (2014). Dictionaries historique de Paris. Paris, FR: Le livre de poche.
Bancroft, T. (2008). Creating characters with personality. New York: Watson-Guptill.
Blakemore, E. (Writer). (2018, January 5). Sexual exploitation was the norm for 19th century
ballerinas [Television series episode]. In History Stories. A&E Television Networks.
Block, B. A. (2017). The visual story: Creating the visual structure of film, TV and digital media.
New York: Focal Press.
Canemaker, J. (2014). The art and flair of Mary Blair: An appreciation. New York: Disney
Editions.
Cartwright, M. (2013, January 06). Greek Architecture. Retrieved from
https://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Architecture/
Chaitin, J. (2003, July). Narratives and story-telling. Retrieved from
https://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/narratives
Clements, R., & Musker, J. (Directors). (1997). Hercules [Motion picture]. United States: Walt
Disney Studios. THE JOY OF STORYTELLING: INCORPORATING CLASSIC ART 45
Craine, D., & Mackrell, J. (2010). The Oxford dictionary of dance. Oxford, UK: Oxford University
Press.
Cumming, L. (2011, September 17). Degas and the ballet: Picturing movement. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/sep/17/degas-ballet-picturing-movement-
review
Dietsch, D. K., & Stern, R. A. (n.d.). Greek architecture: Doric, ionic, or corinthian? Retrieved from
http://www.dummies.com/education/architecture/greek-architecture-doric-ionic-or-corinthian/
Dorsey, J. (1998, October 11). Degas’ ‘Little Dancer’ is still on the point of controversy an exhibit
at the BMA explores the famous tutu-clad sculpture, variously described as ancient and modern,
an example of depravity or the epitome of a classical dancer. The Baltimore Sun.
Dudley, S. (2001, December 14). Redefining the line: The making of 101 dalmatians. [Video file].
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZRm67FJH3Q
Edgar Degas, little dancer aged 14. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.nga.gov/collection/highlights/degas-little-dancer-aged-fourteen.html
Frey, J. (1994). Toulouse-Lautrec: A life. London, UK: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
Hanser, D. A. (2006). Architecture of France. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Heffley, S. (2007). Bold improvisation: Searching for African-American quilts: The Heffley
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