Bill Justice's White Rabbit

Today, the 60^th anniversary BluRay edition of Alice in Wonderland hits the stores around here. I'm already curious how different the colors will be compared to the recent "un-birthday edition" that was already very different from the previous DVD release. 

If ever I have time to write about the color design of a whole Disney feature again, it will be Alice. I particularly like the whole Mary-Blair-haircut-house scene with the bordeaux grass and the balancing gray.

In remembrance of Bill Justice who passed away two weeks ago, here is a whole animation scene (31 drawings altogether, all exposed on twos):

The White Rabbit is witnessing the burning of his own house. The beginning of this shot has him cheering along with the Dodo who sets the straw on fire. The turning point comes when the Rabbit realizes again that he must do something against it in order to save his house. Bill Justice accents this turning point with a take that takes the rabbit beyond the frame edges (just look at the shadow - probably by the effects department - that appears only when necessary and without connection to the overall lighting scheme).

Alice Mosaic and Fantasia Draft

It might have gone below your radar but Steven Hartley is in the middle of doing a Mark Mayerson-style mosaic for Alice in Wonderland based on the draft supplied by Hans Perk.
I have been toying with the idea of doing it myself but am glad to see that someone else has already done it. Hartley who has shown his passion for animation history already as a commenter on Hans Perk's blog also provides insightful commentary to each sequence. Look and see how much he has to offer about golden age animators.

The mosaics are found here and here.

Coinciding with the 70th birthday Bluray edition of Fantasia (reportedly still missing the Deems Taylor narration) Hans Perk has meanwhile started to post copies of the draft for this movie.