Thursday, December 25, 2008

Simple Gift


I was having a conversation with R. O. Blechman about illustration. Actually, I think it might have been about Ed Smith and his insistence on working without in betweeners or assistants (more on that in the future). We talked about the film he animated for the 1978 Christmas Special Simple Gifts, we talked about a few Ed Sorel commercials he did.

Then Bob asked if I would like an original peice of art. Hell yeah.

Later he approached with this drawing:


"Funny, it doesn't look like a Sendak. It looks like Ed Sorel"

"Oh, you wanted a Sendak." He replied, as shocked at the misunderstanding as I was.

The next day he gives me a package, in it is the drawing from Simple Gifts.

All of Sendak's original artwork is donated to a children's hospital in Philadelphia. So these are pretty rare. I'll sell it for $5000, if anybody's buying. (He writes, only half-joking)

It's signed by Ed Smith who did the drawing, and Maurice Sendak who designed the character.

Missing is the autograph of Sara Calogero who did the watercolor. Sara's art production skills were unparalleled.

The Sorel drawing is a nice bonus. Note the paste up on the hood ornament.

Once I asked Ed Smith (who animates in ink) what he does when he makes a mistake.

His response: "I'll let you know when that happens."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

" Actually, I think it might have been about Ed Smith and his insistence on working without in betweeners or assistants (more on that in the future)."

"Once I asked Ed Smith (who animates in ink) what he does when he makes a mistake.

His response: "I'll let you know when that happens."


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Would love to hear more about that .

roconnor said...

I'm planning on writing up a commercial I did with Ed Smith and Ed Koren in the next week or so.

Later, I'm thinking of pulling drawings from the title sequence to film we worked on.

He's an inventive animator, he has no instinct for cliché. Versatility unlike anyone else, and a virtuoso at that.