As an exhibition celebrating 20 years of Pixar takes over the National Museum of Scotland, Claire Prentice casts an eye over the studio’s groundbreaking animation.
called Ratatouille who will reach the big screen in June. The exhibition allows us to see something we can only imagine when we view the gloriously sophisticated final product — all the effort that went into Sully‘s fur. the dents on the lenders ol. the eponymous Cars and Nemo’s individually drawn scales.
‘IF THE GHOST OF DA VINCI WAS TO GO TO WORK IN THE MOVIES
HE WOULD NO DOUBT END UP AT PIXAR'
As animation goes. this is an industrial process. demanding the use of cutting edge computer programmes. but an industrial process carried out with the care that normally goes into a work ol~ art. Michelangelo was a cartoonist too and if the ghost of da Vinci was
PIXAR
to go to work in the movies. there's no doubt that he would end tip at Pixar.
It all seems a world away from the jerky early days ol~ animation. the squeaky voiced mouse steering the tug boat. or the running horses projected on the walls of French salons. But. for all that Pixar is cutting edge. there is something reassurineg old- l‘ashioned about the artistry involved.
Pixar‘s trademark is Luxo. the little anglepoise lamp which began life in the studio‘s first ever lilm. Luxo Jr. in 1986. The lamp is a sign of Pixar‘s ability to transligure the ordinary. to cast magic spells. to animate the contents of the toy box and lead us into a world which makes reality seem something of a disappointment. Who knows where the little anglepoise will point next‘.’
Pixar: 20 Years of Animation, National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Fri 2 Mar-Wed 28 May.
Clockwise from top left: six fur pattern studies of Monsters Inc’s Sully; a sketch of Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story; Luxo, Pixar’s trademark anglepoise lamp which began life in the short film Luxo Jr; early pastel drawings for Finding Nemo; colourscripts from The lncredibles; and Frozone from The Incredibles. Copyright Disney/Pixar.
i -l:'> Mar 900/ THE LIST 15