"Mickey's Elephant" (1936) [2/2] - Pencil Background and Layout Directions

This is a very nice background sketch. Good shading and detail. The initials on the layout sheet are probably for Joe Grant. The same background also appeared in Lambert's "Mickey Mouse" book.

Pencil Background

When we bought this piece, there wasn't much interest in backgrounds -- people were more interested in (1) color cels and (2) the characters. To increase the "apparent" value, the seller traced the matching image of Mickey and placed it on a cel over the background. Frankly, I think the Mickey is a distraction from this great background! At some point, I'm going to open up the frame and pull Mickey out.


The background as it appeared in Lambert's "Mickey Mouse" book (see the reference below). By the way, if you don't have Lambert's book I think it is one of those "must have" reference books. I was fortunate to get two signed copies -- one for reference and one that is still sealed in shrink-wrap.

Side-By-Side Views

----- DATABASE NOTES -----

From “Mickey’s Elephant” (1936). A Mickey Mouse film directed by Dave Hand. (1) Pencil layout of the elephant house. Mickey cutout is pasted on a cell over the pencil drawing -- Mickey flexing a saw. (2) Also on the pencil drawing are the layout directions -- "semi CU of Elephant House" " 6-9-36 Anim - JG" in green pencil -- possible initials of Joe Grant. Production M46, Scene No. 6 The sleeve has sticker on it: "1936 Dept 24" [Unframed Item: 20”W x 10”H] Acquired 1998. SeqID 0348 8/3/2005

Reference: Color image match of background on Page 131. Lambert, Pierre. Mickey Mouse. NY: Hyperion, 1998. ISBN: 0-7868-6453.2. $150. Limited edition: 000421. Signed by Pierre Lambert. 13"W x 13"H. UNOPENED. SeqID 1469