The Amazing Home of John Lasseter

Take a look at the Sonoma, California residence of John and Nancy Lasseter. Also, take a peak into a busy day at Pixar Studios.

Train Library

Model railroads travel throughout various rooms of the house, both above one's head and below the feet.

To access the Train Library: none other than a secret, hidden staircase. 

Hawaiian Shirt Closet

Over 370 Hawaiian-style shirts.

Trophy Room

Wine Cellar

Kitchen / Dining Room

Gym / Backyard

We need to see more pics of the backyard, John! From what I can tell, there is are (at minimum) water slides going into a pool. In the two photos above it almost resembles River Country.

Below we see a satellite view of the mini water park-like backyard, as well as the rest of the home. Beautiful home in beautiful beautiful Northern California. 

The estate is located some 60 miles from Pixar in Emeryville. But worry not, John has a driver to take him to/from the Studio. And for good reason. I wonder if that black SUV made a cameo in Cars 2? Hmm. If so, it surely had a clever and punerific name.

This is fascinating. John approves animation and provides notes from his iPad.

"A Day in the Life of John Lasseter" Video

Thanks John Lassetire. Oh, I mean Lasseter. Remember to send us photos of your cool backyard!

Related posts:

Love, Hate, and John Lasseter
The Makings of a Good Sequel
Walt Disney Studios Post Production Behind-the-Scenes
Imagineering Sound Design Behind-the-Scenes
Original Visions of CalArts
Real-life 'Up' House

Animation Studies

We don't often feature the works of art that are the Disney animated films. And we really should, for they are the basis of many beloved theme park attractions.

My adorable wife recently surprised me with a number of FANTASTIC animation books. From these books we can study various ranges of movement with only a few drawings by some of the old greats. Leaps and bounds above the pencil tests my fellow students and I produced in art school. I did, for a time, work as a character artist at Disney- not in Animation though former animators did train us. I will always remember one Sr. Artist teaching me that we do not draw characters "line to line" but we "feel the shape of the figure and draw accordingly." He was clear that anyone could memorize how one line connected to the next but if you don't "feel it" the character has no volume.

SLEEPING BEAUTY- Samson and Prince Phillip, 1959 by Milt Kahl

PINOCCHIO- Pinocchio by Jack Campbell

THE THREE CABALLEROS- Donald Duck, Panchito, Jose Carioca, 1945 by Clyde Geronimi

SONG OF THE SOUTH- Brer Rabbit, by Milt Kahl

ALICE IN WONDERLAND- Mad Hattter, by Milt Kahl

101 DALMATIONS- Roger Radcliff and Pongo, by Milt Kahl

Andreas Deja

Recently famed animator Andreas Deja left Disney (reasons unknown to me) and started a blog (among other things, no doubt). "Right now I am focusing on my own animated short films, sculpting with wire and this Blog. I might be back at Disney some time.....who knows," says Deja on his blog.

If there was such a thing as a second (or third) set of "Nine Old Men", Andreas Deja would definitely be among them.

HERCULES- Hercules, by Andreas Deja

Related posts:

Walt Disney Studios Post Production Behind-the-Scenes
Original Visions of CalArts
Upcoming Concept: Sword in the Stone Dark Ride

[Image source] Images ©Disney

National Geographic Aug '63

 

Sometimes collections of striking imagery cannot stay hidden in dusty old boxes. We present a new series that offers images that please the eye. Today we present some photos from a 1963 issue of National Geographic magazine. We get a snapsot of what the Disney company was in '63.

 

Photos ©National Geographic Society

[Part 2]

Related posts:

The Wonders of Nature's Wonderland [ PART 1 ]
Walt Disney Studios Post Production Behind-the-Scenes
Imagineering Sound Design Behind-the-Scenes
Painting Animatronics
New Lincoln Animatronic Lookin' Good