The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has made available online a tremendous resource for animation and filmmaking aficionados with its new Production Art Database.
The database contains records for more than 5,300 items from the library’s collection, including motion picture costume and production design drawings, animation art, storyboards and paintings. Nearly half of the records include images, making this an invaluable online resource for researchers interested in motion picture design.
A quick search for animation items yields such gems as classic Popeye production artwork from 1939, Bruno Bozzetto animation cells from the late 1970s, and drawings from the 1940 Disney classic Fantasia.
The Production Art Database allows users to search, view and study motion picture design materials from the 1920s to the present. “We’re very happy to be able to make this database more widely available to researchers, students and film enthusiasts,” said Library Director Linda Mehr. “Our hope is that it will bring much-deserved attention to the costume and production designers, sketch artists, animators, and other artists who have contributed so much to filmmaking.”
For information on additional materials, or to make an appointment to view an item that does not yet include a reference image, contact Anne Coco, graphic arts librarian, at acoco@oscars.org. For more information about the Margaret Herrick Library, visit http://www.oscars.org/library.
