Vance Gerry Memorial Blog

Found this on the internet

2011-07-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

From Lion King. Might be in a book somewhere.

Two Recent finds

2011-07-07T09:41:00.000-07:00

Before Peter became a cat.

A few more while I have the time

2011-02-19T09:47:00.001-08:00

On the way to Alaska, Jenny is accidently washed overboard and Peter jumps in to save her. The Crew is amazed that a cat would do something like that and they launch a wacky attempt to save both cats.

Peter nurses Jenny back to health.

In Alaska one of the crew brags about the heroic cat and is called a liar. A comic fight breaks out causing the captain to flee the town.

Unable to locate any relatives in Alaska, Peter convinces Jenny to return to the old man who truly cares about her. Unfortunately, upon their return they find the old man has passed away, alone and unnoticed.

There are a few missing drawings that Vance did for this section that I can't find right now. I will be sure to post them when I find them.

Jenny and Peter take a trip

2011-02-14T14:39:00.000-08:00

Jenny introduces Peter to Mr. Grimms, an old man who is always good for a dish of milk.

While Mr. Grimms wolud love Jenny to stay and keep him company, Jenny wants wants to find her family. Peter, who can read, locates a ship bound for the Alaskan gold fields where Jennys family are from.

Jenny has learned that to remain on board a cat has to earn it's keepAnd the ship's cook is a cat's best friend.

Jenny teaches Peter

2011-02-04T15:19:00.001-08:00

Jenny takes Peter to a museum to learn about being a cat.

This is what I mean!

2010-12-20T10:30:00.000-08:00

No sooner did I post those "last of the before Peter turns into a cat drawings" and I found these!

And this is one of the paintings I was thinking of when I said I had a few that were such poor quality copies. It's so frustrating to be disorganized but sooo much fun to "discover" lost treasures.

Phew! What a year.

2010-12-20T09:47:00.000-08:00

Okay. here are the last of the "before Peter turns into a cat" drawings except for the one previously posted by accident, but I'm ignoring that one. However, I never know when I might open a box and find something. I know I have a few on disc that are of such poor quality that the only reason I keep them is to remind me to look for a better quality Xerox.

Now don't wail and pull out your hair just yet. The dirty secret about animation is it ain't over 'till it's over. These drawings take place in San Francisco. Vance had to completely reinvent every drawing when the location abruptly changed to Venice, Italy because a certain V.P. hated San Francisco as a location. To understand why artists and writers are allowed to work for six months on something that has a "knowable" built in flaw would better be explained in another blog I don't have time for called DisneyLeaks or UnspunDisney. Anyway, it is a testament to Vance that he sat down and produced another set of wonderful drawings That I will post after the San Francisco version.

I miss him.

Oh, yeah... Peter!

2010-04-27T13:57:00.000-07:00

After being denied a pet one last time Peter wants a cat so bad...

... he turns into one. With the help of a cat named Jenny he learns how to survive as a cat.

Been Busy

2010-03-12T14:26:00.000-08:00

Vance's exploration for the Aunt character who has no patience for little boys.

Still more from HUNCHBACK

2010-01-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

Actual story sketches by Vance.

More Missed HUNCHBACK drawings

2009-12-08T14:23:00.000-08:00

Here is Vance exploring the relationship between Djali and Esmeralda.

Oops!

2009-12-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

Just stumbled across several from Hunchback that I had misplaced.

Can I Keep It?

2009-12-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

Peter's Mother won't let him have a cat and the Maid thinks cats are worse than having little boys around the house.

Peter searches for a cat

2009-12-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

Vance explored ways to show how lonely Peter was. He tried to make friends with everyone until eventually finding a feline friend. Peter that is, not Vance.

Getting off my Keister for Didier

2009-11-24T10:03:00.000-08:00

The story begins with a lonely young boy whose father is an officer in the army and almost never at home. His mother is so wrapped up in society gatherings she has little time for Peter. He is left at home with the family maid who has no patience for little boys. Starving for some kind of emotional connection he looks outside his window for a cat to befriend.

Before we begin...

2009-11-03T09:22:00.001-08:00

The story of "The Abandoned" took place in England just after WWII. We heard that Steven Spielberg was playing with the idea of bringing the musical "Cats" to the big screen as an animated film set in England at the same time so we needed a different local. Burny Mattinsen suggested San Francisco and because Joe Grant's mother was a survivor of the Great Earthquake Joe wanted to move our story to San Francisco just before the earthquake of 1906.

So let it be written.

So let it be done.

What if you were a cat?

2009-10-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

For about a year Vance, Burny Mattinson, Joe Grant and I worked on a Paul Gallico story called "The Abandoned" about a young boy who turns into a cat. I supposed we could have worked on a story called "Fat Chance Of Being Produced", or "Never To Be Released" but we worked on this one and of course it was abandoned. Vance did many drawings and paintings for "The Abandoned" and I have copies of almost all of them. So, welcome to "The Abandoned" it's going to take some time to post all of them.

2009-10-22T10:23:00.001-07:00

2009-10-12T09:47:00.000-07:00

2009-10-05T09:37:00.000-07:00

2009-09-28T12:45:00.001-07:00

2009-09-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

The Posture Impaired Of Notre Dame

2009-09-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

Fantasia 2000, too.

2009-09-17T09:19:00.001-07:00

Fantasia 2000

2009-09-17T09:09:00.001-07:00

'nuther one for Home On The Range

2009-09-17T09:08:00.001-07:00

Creative Talent Network’s Animation Expo (CTN-X)

2009-09-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

I'll be here with a few Vance originals.

Have you registered for the Creative Talent Network’s Animation Expo (CTN-X)? Early bird pricing ends September 30th. The most anticipated animation tradeshow on the planet comes to the City of Burbank beginning Friday, November 20th – Sunday, November 22nd. This is the ONLY place where you’ll meet so many animation industry icons under one roof. Make contacts, learn new techniques and meet with recruiters. Hurry and join in on the action where “X” marks the spot to connect with renowned artists from around the world. Register online or call today (800) 604-2238. Early bird deadline is Sept. 30, 2009. CTN-X takes place at the Burbank Marriott Convention Center with ample discounted parking and is conveniently located across the street from the Burbank Airport and Amtrak Station. Early bird tickets are $25 for the exhibit floor only, $50 for a day pass and $125 for a 3-day pass. Discounted rates are available to students, active military and professional industry organizations. Space is strictly limited at this groundbreaking event. For more information and to register, please visit: www.ctnanimationexpo.com or call, (800) 604-2238 and mention the special member discount code to obtain an extra 10% off any 1day or 3day professional/general passport. GOMBX09

Two from Tarzan

2009-09-09T13:29:00.000-07:00

Would you believe...?

2009-09-03T09:55:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe this was for what became "Home On The Range". Someone could write a book on that journey alone.

A top exec thought Vance was too old fashion.

2009-09-02T17:50:00.000-07:00

No ideas?

2009-08-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

One thing I noticed about Vance was that when he ran out of steam with the story he would switch to character or costume designs until he got back on track. The man refused to sit and do nothing.

2009-08-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

Early Bad Guy Design

2009-08-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

2009-08-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

2009-08-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

2009-08-11T15:40:00.001-07:00

2009-08-11T11:52:00.000-07:00

Pocahontas

2009-08-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

Final Few for Hercules

2009-08-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

Just a few more from Hercules

2009-08-06T16:02:00.000-07:00

When Friday the 13th falls on a Tuesday

2009-08-06T15:55:00.000-07:00

George Scribner by Vance

2009-08-06T15:54:00.001-07:00

From the collection of George Scribner

2009-08-06T15:51:00.000-07:00

2009-08-06T15:50:00.000-07:00

Another side of Vance from George Scribner

2009-08-06T15:36:00.001-07:00

2009-08-06T15:33:00.001-07:00

2009-08-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

( Vance printed under The Weather Bird Press. This from the Online
Archive of California RE: Vance Gerry)

The collection of Vance Gerry's Weather Bird Press jobs primarily consists of illustrations, layout sketches, galley, page, and signature proofs, dummies, correspondence, ephemera, pochoir samples, and stencils. It was given to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library in 1988 and 1992. The collection is contained in eight boxes. Oversized papers are stored in a map drawer under the title of Weather Bird Press.

Oh... Hell.

2009-08-05T09:27:00.001-07:00

2009-08-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

Another HERCULES

2009-08-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

A Naughty one for HERCULES

2009-08-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

Vance's Technique

2009-07-31T09:30:00.000-07:00

Vance would sketch thumbnails of any idea that popped into his head relating to the story on a pad of ordinary 8.5 x 11 paper. He didn't judge the value of any idea before he sketched it, he would just keep moving forward. This is one of his sheets from POCAHONTAS.

Once he found an idea he liked he would draw it larger on that same 8.5 x 11 pad. This is one from HERCULES.

He would take this drawing over to the copy machine and copy it onto a sheet of off white card stock. This he would paint using an ordinary box of Pelikan watercolors.

Hercules

2009-07-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

A simple one for a film that actually got made.

Yes, he did work on a few.

Donkey/Zorro

2009-07-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

Some mighty fine exploration with a black prismacolor pencil and crayons. Nothing fancy, just a small pack of crayola crayons.

And this one with pen and crayons.

Not so mysterious

2009-07-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is another from that time and Vance described it as Zorro with a donkey. I'm not sure who Zorro was.

Mystery Drawing

2009-07-29T07:52:00.000-07:00

For a short time Vance was working on so many projects for the "Creative Executives" I could not keep clear what was for what. This one I have no idea what it was for. Any ideas out there?

2009-07-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

And again.

2009-07-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

Two more for the SWAN PRINCESS.

2009-07-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

Two nice sketches that Vance did for THE SWAN PRINCESS, a project being developed by Roger Allers just before he was drafted to co-direct THE LION KING. The project went nowhere and the drawings ended up in the archives.

2009-07-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

Vance was not in the habit of signing his drawings. I had to press him to sign this sketch for ALADDIN. I'll add this signature to all the drawings I post here.