Model Sheet of Alice from February 1950 - a Recent Addition!

Over the years I've been very successful in finding model sheets of many of the characters from the film, including some very odd ones indeed.  And as one might expect, there were several of Alice herself.  But for the past 32 years one of the Alice sheets has eluded me, but no longer!  Sheet 250-7 is finally in the collection!

This sheet has a couple of very famous poses, most - if not all - taken from the Caterpillar sequence.  The central image is of Alice leaning on the mushroom listening raptly to the Caterpillar, and the image just below it is of Alice saying "...who you are first?"  Feels good to finally have this sheet after so many years.

Animation Model Sheet 550-8006 - Peed's Dodo Suggestions

Well I'll be damned...a newly discovered model sheet.  How cool is that?  And this one is extra special, it mentions a specific artist by name!

That's right, this model sheet is specifically by Bill Peed (later Bill Peet) who was a story artist on Alice and did a lot of storyboard work on this and many other features before leaving the company in the late 1960s to pursue his solo career in children's books and illustration.  Boy that was a long sentence.

Animation Model Sheet 657-1131 - Alice Cleanup Suggestions

And last but not least, another Alice, but it is a conundrum.  A cleanup model sheet, but date coded June 1957?  Why?

The style of the model sheet is correct for '57, as it has the dark gray background whereas in '50 they had white backgrounds.  Also, all 1950 model sheets list the production number (2069) for Alice, and this one does not.  Was this perhaps used for an educational film, a commercial, or some other project?  We may never know.  But all the images are from the feature, so no new art.

Animation Model Sheet 1150-8008 - Carpenter Cleanup

This Carpenter cleanup model sheet is the last of the model sheets from 1950 - but not the last model sheet.

As with the Dodo cleanup, there are way too many images on here!  But lots of fun ones with him juggling tools, food, and dishes.

Animation Model Sheet 950-8037 - Dodo Cleanup

There are so many images on this Dodo cleanup model sheet it is practically blinding.  I'm not sure why there are so many, but there it is.

Animation Model Sheet 650-164 - King of Hearts

And the King.  This is another odd sheet in that it is vertical, just like the Caterpillar.  But great images.

This model sheet is also the only one I have in both sizes - 14x17 and 11x14.

As with all the model sheets we've seen so far, these are photostats, an old duplication process that was essentially a photograph exposed directly by the camera onto photographic paper.  It was replaced as we all know by the Xerographic process in the 1960s.  But these old photostats have a great feel to them, much more substantial than newer Xeroxes.

Animation Model Sheet 650-163 - Queen of Hearts

The Queen!  Very nice cleanup model sheet featuring many classic images.  The upper right image in particular has been used many times.

Interesting choice showing a model image of the Queen's bloomers...

Animation Model Sheet 650-162 - Caterpillar

Finally, a Caterpillar!  The was one of the very last model sheets I acquired, and is an oddity as it is vertical rather than horizontal.

I can't really see a good reason why the layout change, but I've only seen one other in this orientation, and it is another in the Alice set, coming up soon.

Animation Model Sheet 650-96 - Cheshire Cat

The model sheet eluded me for may many years, and no wonder because it is pretty amazing.

Every image on this sheet has been used many many times on every imaginable thing.  A rock star of a model sheet.

Animation Model Sheet 550-8007 - Dodo Suggestions

This Dodo suggestions ruff has something I've never seen on any other model sheet for any other character:  a reference image from another source.

In this case it is a John Tenniel illustration of the Dodo.

Animation Model Sheet 450-8001 - Wonderland Characters

We first saw this model sheet in a post about a Jaymar puzzle.  As a model sheet it is a little odd, but clearly it was meant as a size comparison reference.

This model sheet appears to be the only place this entire art can be seen; all of the merchandise crops at least some of it.

Animation Model Sheet 350-8034 - Dee & Dum

Last of the story art based model sheets from sequence 05, this time with Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

I really like their design on this model sheet, much more so than their final design.  It the film their faces look more sinister, these faces are friendlier.

Animation Model Sheet 350-8033 - Oysters

Baby Oysters!  How awesome is this model sheet?  I will admit that the two images in the lower left corner look more like denizens of a Tim Burton movie, but most are very close to their final depiction.

And there is even Mother Oyster with her pearl nose.  The comparative sizes seem a bit off, indicating that the Baby Oysters are half the height of the Carpenter.  Either he is really short or these oysters are jumbo size!

Animation Model Sheet 350-8032 - Carpenter

Companion to yesterday's Walrus is the Carpenter.

As with all the flowers and the Walrus, date coded March 1950 - must have been a good month for whichever story artist (Bill Peet?) did these, for they look to be all by the same artist.  Lots of great business in these images, and even a few oysters thrown in for good measure!

Animation Model Sheet 350-8031 - Walrus

I love this model sheet.  These ruff sheets with story art just have so much life and character to them, I wish there were more of them out there.

Again my untrained eye thinks of Bill Peet when it sees this art, but of course I could be wrong.

I had the very good fortune to see the original at the Montreal Disney exhibit Once Upon a Time in June of 2007 - now that was quite a drive!  The original was loaned by the ARL for the exhibit which toured exactly two cities:  Paris and Montreal.  But there is a catalog!

Animation Model Sheet 350-8023 - Flower Suggestions for the Red Rose

The last of the flowers, at least the ones of which I am aware, is the Red Rose.

Conductor and unofficial leader of the Garden of Live Flowers, she tries to keep everyone in line, even her outspoken son Bud.  Interesting that this sheet even has an image of the backside of the Red Rose.

Animation Model Sheet 350-8022 - Flower Suggestions for Iris & the White Rose

More flowers from March 22, 1950 in this Iris and White Rose model sheet.  There must have been a reason all these flowers were submitted on the same day.

The Iris is a great character, very haughty, and the business with her lorgnette is just great.  The White Rose only makes an appearance during the Golden Afternoon sequence, and only very briefly.  Perhaps her role was initially larger?

Animation Model Sheet 350-8021 - Flower Suggestions for Daffodils, Lilies & Tulips

More flower suggestions in this model sheet date coded March 1950 with the same March 22, 1950 notation.

This time we get a peek at the dizzy Daffodils, Tulips, and Lilies (sound your A).  Still getting a strong Bill Peet vibe here, especially on the Daffodils.

Animation Model Sheet 350-8020 - Flower Suggestions for Rocking Horse Flies and Bread & Butter Flies

This is a repost from three years ago, but I hate to break up a series.

This is a very cool and unusual model sheet for Alice, a flower suggestions sheet that has no flowers, but rather insects!

Dated March 22, 1950 as most of the other Flowers sheets, this model sheet of Rocking Horse Flies and Bread & Butter Flies represent some of my favorite denizens of the Tulgey Wood and the Garden of Live Flowers.  I especially like the Heel.

Animation Model Sheet 350-8019 - Flower Suggestions for Pansies & Daisies

Next in the Flower Suggestions series is this of Pansies and Daisies, date coded March 1950, with the same March 22, 1950 notation as well..

In general the pansies are not that interesting, but the daisies have a bit more character.  These look more like images taken from story drawings, and they have the look of Bill Peet to me.