Download - Animator Profile - Winsor Mccay
ANIMATOR PROFILE: WINSOR MCCAY Winsor McCay (1869-‐1934) was an American
cartoonist and animator. A prolific ar<st, McCay's pioneering early animated films far outshone the work of his contemporaries, and set a standard followed by Walt Disney and others in later decades.
McCay was fascinated by theatre and circus; his comic strip LiLle Nemo in Slumberland (1905-‐1914 and 1924-‐1927) recalls the design of theatrical and circus posters. “The frozen ac<on of the characters’ poses suggest the spirit of kine<c live performances by people and animals.” (Canemaker 1987)
McCay was heavily influenced by
Grandville, Frost and most importantly of the art nouveau ar<st
Alfonse Mucha.
Right: Iris by Mucha c1902
“Animator Mag” writer David Williams (1988) claims that McCay’s “concern for the cra_ing of anima<on makes him one of the most important figures of its early history.” McCay developed a “split system” of star<ng with key drawings and then “inbetweening”, drawing in the stages. Although this id familiar prac<se today, it was not taken up by the anima<on industry for some <me. •
McCay's ground-‐breaking animated film Ger$e the Dinosaur is classified by film and anima<on historians as the first cartoon character created especially for film to display a unique, realis<c personality. In the film, Ger<e causes trouble and cries when she is scolded, and finally she gives McCay himself a ride on her back as he steps into the movie picture.
Winsor McCay -‐ the genius of a popular ar<st extraordinaire, creator of the most beau<ful comic strips ever devised, poli<cal cartoonist, brilliant animator and much loved family man. (Robin Allan)
McCay created the anima<on The Sinking of the Lusitania (1918), a depic<on of the aLack on the mari<me ship. This was meant to inspire America into joining World War I.
Illustra=ons hLp://www.bpib.com/illustrat/mccay.htm References Allan, R (date unknown) hLp://www.animatormag.com/archive/issue-‐24/issue-‐24-‐page-‐23/#.T1T4z79_Su4 Canemaker, J (1987) Winsor McCay -‐ His Life and Art Abbeville Wikipedia hLp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winsor_McCay