BG Painting 4 / Color Theory- Art Lozzi explains some technique

Yes John,

I saw the newest post and I sit here open-mouthed at the reaction and the responses. Above all (and I repeat) you deserve lots of praise for turning these people on and directing them, like you're satisfying a hunger. The way you describe and analyze makes it clear that you have a great sense of color yourself.

But as you point out, color sense is not a subject or an item that can be taught in a class. It's innate and it grows with exposure. Color theory? Yes. The technique of color? Yes. Psychology of color? That too. We know that color affects moods, as light does. We cannot paint with light but we can paint light itself, by using different tones, contrasts, etc. Color is a tool.

Now how does one use it? Acrylic? Water colors, oils, gouaches, pastels -you name 'em. You can slap it on, dribble it, roll it, sponge it, spray it, finger it and even glue it. But that's not what determines if the final look is good or not. If there is no inborn taste or acquired, studied, knowledge, then don't expect too much. And if you see that you don't have the feel of it, then drop it and hire someone who has it. If one exposes him-her-self to what's considered good, long enough, then it's possible that it can rub off onto him-her. Open the eyes, observe, absorb. What's good is not necessarily what's trendy. Beware of trends. Analyze: WHY do I like it? WHY is this considered good? It has to come from inside. Usually, good is lasting. And usually good will last.

The technique I used in the bgs you ask about? I don't remember. (I keep reminding you that this was 45 years ago! What were YOU doing then?). I see that I painted the sky a soft salmon pink, knowing who and what is working against it. It's always pleasant, warm and it goes with so many other colors, like a sunset. It's not dramatic. No need for drama unless the story calls for it. Yogi looks great against it...as somebody pointed out his muzzle. You?

Art Lozzi on Technique

Paint Overall BG Color First
This color is rolled on (onto the thickish Bristol paper we used, not board and not canvas) and everything was painted on top of it so that if there were any "holes" or spaces, the sky color would tie it all together.

You can see the peach sky in the little holes in the hills where the sponge didn't paint. This gives the effect of mixing the main BG color with the other colors in the BG and it ties them all into one harmonious color scheme.
You can also see the hill color behind and through the tress and so forth.
Blending the colors makes all the objects in the BG part of a family of color, rather than having a bunch of separate objects each with completely different colors splitting up the image and all competing for attention-John

What Tools To Paint With?
Sponging, frisketing, brushwork, pencils, as you mention, were all used. (The paint is cel paint)
http://www.cartooncolour.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=1&osCsid=1eb3bd8aa6e248e3c18c1e24f5a74d80

SPONGE

BRUSHED LINES ON CAVE




FRISKETS
The brown path was a hole cut in a cel, then painted brown over the green The light green above the brown path was done the same way. The outlines of the foliage at the top of the BG was cut out of friskets and sponged on over the salmon sky. The tree silhouettes were cut from friskets and sponged on, that's why you see the rough edges from the rough texture of the sponge.These trees are painted with sponges and friskets.




PENCIL
The leaves and black tree sketchy lines are done in pencil. The light blue lines on the turquoise tree might be chalk.

HEAVY BLACK BRUSH OUTLINES
The black heavy lines are drawn on with brush in slow smooth controlled yet flowing natural lines.
JAGGED BRUSH
I think these light lines are done in a jagged brush stroke, but they may be chalk too.

What Colors To Choose
The choices of these colors were what the artist felt were right. This is what distinguishes one from another. Same goes for the shapes, other than what the layouts called for.

Use Nature's Colors to add Depth and Interest
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2006/10/color-theory-neutral-or-natural-colors.html
And try to use the many colors of nature itself. There is NOTHING in nature that is pure brown or green or red. Everything is a blend or a texture. Animated characters and objects, of course, have to be painted flat, but this is why a textured bg adds depth and interest. Even on a one-color wall we add a shadow or a slight texture. On a flat sky we add a slight white cloud or two. Avoid bland.

Use Contrast and Variations on a Theme To Keep Things Organic

Notice how every tree is different, as in nature: wide, thin, tall, short, various colors. Same also goes for branches, leaves, pine needles, ground plants, etc. Sometimes Art would add a lot of drawing and detail that wasn't provided in the BG layout. The bark on the tree. The free flowing patterns on the bushes etc.

This is NOT because the layout artist asked for it, but because the bg artist "felt" it. Look around you. It's all there. Look at your hand and notice the nails, skin, pores, veins, colors, tones, textures, size, shapes. And yet, every hand is different from all the others. Simple: If you don't look, you can't see.

John, how else can I say it? I hope it's useful to all those who ask. I certainly appreciate their interest to learn.

Continue it, whatever you're doing.

Best, Art Lozzi

Me, I'm being called back into the cruiseship world with a couple of new medium-sized ships to work the Aegean. Busy, but very glad.

Mike Fontanelli Can Get Away With Murder

I only know of one curmudgeon who's even more intolerant of modern culture than me and that's dear old Mike Fontanelli.

Somehow he can get away with saying things that I'd get lynched for and I have a theory of why.

Because he has highlights on his butt cheeks.

Mike gets young girls over to his curmudgeon pad and starts right in on them. First, he insults their favorite rappers and he gets this.Then he makes fun of their collection of lumpy toys.

They don't even take him seriously! "Aw Mikey, you're so cute when you hate our 90s nostalgic memories! Let's kiss you everywhere!"Then he shows off his own hard shiny plastic gee-gaws and tells them "Real girls like hard things, not floppy things with buckled seams!"So what do they do? They start in to stroking his popping veins thinking that might calm him down.

So that's the secret, fellas! You want some lovin' and the right to complain about hip-hop, flat cartoons and lumpy toys?

Get your butt cheeks polished! (it doesn't hurt to have perfect fingernails either.)
"Ha ha!" says Mike.

All the girls left in this condition.

Raketu - roughs and pencils, cartoon ideas

Raketeena the Communication Imp of Tomorrow
1. Raketeena is the “imp from the future”.

She’s from the far future (The Imp Of Tomorrow), 6 months from now, where technology is far in advance of us- people drive around in rocket cars and spaceships.

People communicate completely through the convenient Raketu application. No one has lips anymore, because lip technology is so outdated.

Raketeena’s Sidekicks

Raketina has two little helpful friends: a remote control/cellphone: (MO-BILLY )with a big nose and a futuristic monitor with one eyeball: (MONITORR).
MONITORR speaks in techie lingo with a little bit of ad exec thrown in.
Raketeena translates what he says to the audience.
MO-BILLY has no patience for primitive humans, and thinks they are too dumb to bother with and Raketeena has to always watch him and keep his temper under control.

RAKETU THE ALL POWERFUL
RAKETU is the omnipotent force in the future universe that has appointed Raketeena and her crew to help people solve their communications problems.

We never see RAKETU, but we sometimes hear his booming voice as he issues benevolent advice and commands to his loyal crew of COMMUNICATEERS.

2. George Liquor and his time period is like the stone age to an imp from the future like Raketeena.


George Liquor and his world represent people from the audience.
They live in the primitive “World Of Now.”

Raketeena travels backwards through time to help the people of “Now”, whom she thinks of the way we think of cavemen.

Raketeena travels though holes in time. She appears out of people’s ears and noses and armpits and pores to help them with their communication problems.

Raketeena snickers at George’s primitive tools like the telephone, fax machine and even television and dvd players.

Whenever George and any of the characters have trouble with any of their primitive communication devices, Raketeena appears to solve the problem through RAKETU.





6. Raketu tag lines
Be the subhuman of the Future!
Raketu – where Tomorrow happens Today!
Visit Tomorrow Today – with Raketu

"Communication but not as you know it"
"Tomorrow’s world is just a download away"
George Liquor Stories with Raketu Commercials embedded

George Liquor teaches Slab&Ernie about Tomorrow

George Liquor is sleeping
George’s alarm clock rings – it’s an old fashioned alarm clock with key in back
George looks at alarm clock – its quarter til NOW
George goes to wake Slab & Ernie up
George knocks on the door “Are you decent!?”
Slab & Ernie: “Hang on Uncle George”
George: “We’ve got a visitor coming today. She’s a real Cutie-wootie!”
S&E: “Who is she, Unca George?”
G: “She’s a lady from Tomorrow!”
S&E: “Where’s that?”
G: “down 3 blocks, around the corner” “behind the chicken coop” “Look it up on yer Yahoo maps”

The doorbell rings.

George opens door – there is a floating vortex in the open doorway
George: “look outside, kids! It’s tomorrow! Don’t get too close!”
Slab sticks his head partly into the shimmering vortex – he sees the future! When he pulls his head back in, he has partly evolved a big brain.

George: “Don’t go to the future! They’ve evolved past humans! You can’t go to Heaven if you’re not human!”
George: “Think there’s giant brains in Heaven? NO!
The Lord doesn’t want you too smart! Too hard to keep you under control!
You’ll start thinkin’ for yourselves! Then the whole world’ll go to Hell in a handbasket!”

Raketeena comes in and shows the family how to better communicate using the Raketu app.

George loves the technology of tomorrow but of course, being a Republican is a mite suspicious of the newness of it all.
Raketeena wins him over by showing how simple and convenient Raketu is.

She shows George the different IM services.
George: “Which one does Jesus use??
I got somethin’ I wanna clear up with him right now!
Can you pray through this shit?”

George Instant messages Jesus.
His screen name is Zealot.
Zealot: Hey are you really that Christ guy?
Jesus 2447238: Yes my, son.
Zealot: Can I confess some crap here?
Jesus 2447238: We are all sinners.
Zealot: I had a dirty thought this week!

A lightning bolt zaps through the instant message window and fries George to a pile of cinders and a pair of clean fresh y-fronts on his chair.
George is impressed.
“Sign me up!”


After the family is all wired up, with George Instant Messaging his ancestors and the kids playing video games and the dog text messaging the cat down the street to tell him his ass is grass, Raketeena says “My job is done here” and dissolves through a warp in time in George’s armpit.

Everyone waves goodbye and George gets a tear in his eye.

Meet Hot Widows Through The All Powerful Medium of Raketu

2. George Liquor is sitting in his living room, spying on the pretty widow girl sitting in her living room next door.

“If only there were some way I could COMMUNICATE with her!”

Raketeena suddenly appears out of nowhere to help George.

“Should I call her on the phone?” George asks.

“The phone!?” Raketeena laughs. “No no no. You should use the technology of the future: RAKETU.COM!” Raketeena does a heavy blink, like “I Dream Of Jeannie”, and all the future equipment appears in George’s living room.

Soon, George is instant messaging his lovely neighbor and they get married and have an “Instant Honeymoon” all without ever leaving their houses. Virtual children frolic acroos their desktops.

George gets Free Phone Calls To Foreign Lands

Raketeena tells George that he can call long distance free to 42 countries.

George loves a good bargain, but “What the Hell do I wanna talk to foreigners for??”
“If I wanna go to the trouble of calling long distance, I want to hear a true American on the other end of the horn! Hopefully one I already agree with! Who lives across the street where I can keep an eye on ‘im!”

George is dying to test it out, so he gets on a plane and goes to Europe and calls the sexy widow across the street from his house to tell her to stay where she’s at, “‘cause there’s nothin’ but dirty foreigners here. An’ guess what! I’m tellin’ ya this fer free!”

BG painting 3 Art Lozzi- scooter looter-paint technique-

How about a cartoon with layouts by Ed Benedict, animation by Carlo Vinci and BG paintings by Art Lozzi? Add it up and get cartoon ice cream.

I want to start talking a bit about painting technique. Technique is different than color.

So far I've talked only about color theory and nothing at all about brush technique. They are two completely separate things. You could be good at color but not so good at technique. There are a lot more artists who are good at technique but are not as good at color. I don't know why exactly. I guess you can learn technique but not taste.

Art Lozzi was excellent at both. Look at this beautiful painting below.

The color thinking on this tree BG above is very similar to the color thinking in this Frazetta painting below, yet the two styles look completely different. Why?
Because the painting techniques are different.
Here's a painting by Kristy Gordon. Similar thinking in color. Another different painting technique.

The general technique that Lozzi and Monte and the early Hanna Barbera painters used was painting with sponges and friskets.

This one above is by Monte.
Below is Art. Simlar techniques but different styles.

They would cut holes in cells (friskets) in the shapes of certain objects, like the trees above, and then dip a sponge in paint and apply the sponge over the frisket.

Then when they peeled the cel off the paper, there would be a textured tree in the shape of the frisket on top of the BG color.

Sometimes they would keep layering sponge textures on top of the paint and even use smaller friskets to fill shadow shapes in with.
Below you can see contrasts in techniques. There is some flat color (the sky), some sponge (the tree on the right) and some dry brush (the trees on the left).
If the painting was completely filled in with equal amounts of texture from left to right, the BG would be indistinct and hard to read. Contrasts are important in all aspects of creativity. Contrasts are punctuation. They are what tells you what to pay attention to. Stories need contrast, dialogue needs contrast, acting needs contrast, composition needs contrast, design does, animation does, timing does-everything does.

Here is a similar technique with less contrast from Disney. See how more monotonous it is compared to the better designed, better colored and contrasty styled HB BGs? Looks like wallpaper.

Without contrast or punctuation you have monotony. Controlling contrasts is very difficult and I'd say even impossible for weaker artists or actors or writers. Today's prime time cartoons are extremely monotonous because they have no punctuation or contrasts in any of the creative aspects of them. Everything just drones along at the same pace, volume and evenly spaced design. Nothing is more important than anything else. It all just lays there and expects you to weed through the morass to find what the entertaining parts are.
This BG above has all the paint techniques I've been talking about plus some pencil shading on the grass and hills and trees. Lots of contrasting textures, values and negative shapes.

These HB painting techniques can be very simple...
..or more complex
Even the lines on the trees are full of contrasts. Some are close together. Some are far apart-they are not evenly spaced. Some lines are painted on, some are drawn with colored pencils, some lines are curved, some are jagged.Even though the striking styling of this is bold and cartoony, the control of the contrasts in techniques and design and color makes it all organic and natural.... as opposed to today's mechanical computerized looks.

God, those multi million dollar budgeted prime time cartoons don't even HAVE painted backgrounds. The flat characters vanish right into the flat fluorescent backgrounds. These HB cartoons were originally budgeted at $3,000 each-or $9,000 per half hour and they are infinitely more complex and skilled than what you get for 3 million. Here's millions of dollars worth of artistic achievement.


I've asked Art if he would be willing to explain to us his step by step procedure in painting backgrounds like this. Tell him in the comments how much you would appreciate that!