Archive for the ‘lobby cards’ Category

Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

Illustration: Fantastic Mexican Lobby Cards

Mexican Lobby Cards

Previously, I posted galleries of images of lobby cards by the master Mexican caricaturist Ernesto Garcia Cabral. Today, I’m presenting a group of images from a variety of science fiction, horror and adventure films released in Mexico. In many cases, these cards are a lot more entertaining than the movies they’re advertising. Every one of them makes me curious to see what the movie is all about, which shows that the lobby card is doing its job. It’s a shame that lobby cards have gone the way of the dodo in this age of cinema multiplexes and mall theaters.

But that isn’t all that seems to have been lost. Check out how these images exude the essence of the fantastic. Science fiction movies today are generally ugly and mundane compared to these crazy creatures and bizarre locales. Instead of cramped, cluttered shoeboxes flying through space, rocket ships should be streamlined and beautiful. The future should be strange and alien, not urban and post-apocalyptic. Creatures should be shocking and otherworldly too. Movies today could use a double dose of fun.

Mexican Lobby Cards
Mexican Lobby Cards
Mexican Lobby Cards
Mexican Lobby Cards
Mexican Lobby Cards
Mexican Lobby Cards
Mexican Lobby Cards
Mexican Lobby Cards
Mexican Lobby Cards
Mexican Lobby Cards
Mexican Lobby Cards
Mexican Lobby Cards

And here’s a batch of miscellaneous cards that use cartoons to sell a wide variety of films…

Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Card
Mexican Lobby Cards

Stephen Worth
Director
Animation Resources

IllustrationIllustration

This posting is part of a series of articles comprising an online exhibit spotlighting Illustration.

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Friday, July 21st, 2023

Illustration: Ernesto Garcia Cabral (aka Chango)

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

The Greatest Cartoonist
You’ve Never Heard of Before!

Ernesto Garcia Cabral (nicknamed Chango) was one of Mexico’s greatest political cartoonists and illustrators. He studied art in Paris just before WWI, and became well known there as a cartoonist. He returned to Mexico in 1918 and quickly became one of the country’s premiere illustrators. He was known for his expressive caricatures, which illustrated the posters for Mexican film comedies throughout the forties and fifties.

Cabral is almost unknown outside of Mexico, but that is changing. A recent book, Cine Mexicano: Posters from the Golden Age 1936-1956 featured some of his best work.

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Garcia Cabral Chango

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Now for a little quiz… Which of the following lobby cards are by Cabral and which aren’t?

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

Ernesto Chango Cabral Mexican Lobby Cards

The answer is "none of the above"… These five cards were likely painted by Juan Antonio Vargas Briones… a second generation Mexican movie poster artist who was the director of publicity at the Mexican Movie Distribution company. It’s clear that Cabral’s influence was strong among movie publicity artists.

Stephen Worth
Director
Animation Resources

IllustrationIllustration

This posting is part of a series of articles comprising an online exhibit spotlighting Illustration.

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Wednesday, April 12th, 2023

Animation: Bambi

Bambi

Here’s a nice overview of items related to Bambi… color keys, animation drawings, model sheets courtesy of my friend Mark Kirkland…

Bambi
Bambi
Bambi
Bambi
Bambi
Bambi
Bambi’s Father
Animation Drawing by Milt Kahl

Bambi
Bambi’s Mother
Animation Drawing by Frank Thomas

Bambi
Model Sheet by Marc Davis

Bambi
Bambi
Character Design by Marc Davis

The wonderful thing about our digital archive is that it allows collectors to share their treasures with the world. If you have artwork you would like to loan us to be digitized, please drop me a line.

Stephen Worth
Director
Animation Resources

Animated CartoonsAnimated Cartoons

This posting is part of the online Encyclopedia of Cartooning under the subject heading, Animation.

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