Peter Emmerich

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-22T22:33:00.000-05:00

New Portfolio

2011-11-15T23:42:00.005-05:00

My new visual development based on "Rumpelstiltskin" is posted on my portfolio blog!! Visit emmerichportfolio.blogspot.com to view it!

Hope you like it!

Happy (belated) Birthday Mary Blair!!

2011-10-27T00:47:00.006-04:00

I had hoped to have this image uploaded last week in honor of Mary's 100th Birthday on Oct 21st, but time was not my friend this past week.

For those of you that don't know who Mary Blair was, she was a brilliant artist responsible for producing art for The Walt Disney Company, drawing concept art for such films as Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Song of the South and Cinderella. Mary's greatest legacy was her involvement in the creation of character and background designs for 'It's a Small World'. Her artwork is appreciated every day throughout the world because of 'It's a Small World' and is viewed by millions of people every year. I don't know one Disney artist who doesn't appreciate or hasn't been influenced by Mary Blair. Her work has always been a great influence on me and I will spend forever appreciating her whimsy and sophisticated simplicity. Thank you Mary, I will always be in your debt.

Don't give me that face!!

2011-10-20T17:17:00.001-04:00

iRIP

2011-10-06T23:11:00.004-04:00

New Portfolio

2011-09-30T17:57:00.005-04:00

I am hard at work on my new visual Development portfolio for the CTN Animation Expo coming this November in Burbank. I will be participating as an exhibitor this year as well, so needless to say there's lots to do. Here is a preview of coming attractions, so stay tuned, and thanks to all who continue to visit!

A Dandy and his Lady

2011-09-20T17:09:00.000-04:00

CTN Banner

2011-09-16T19:29:00.001-04:00

This is looking like it might just be the banner I use at the CTN Expo this year...we shall see.

Travel Posters

2011-08-11T20:08:00.001-04:00

A preview of some new prints I will be selling at the CTN this year.

RIP

2011-07-25T14:34:00.001-04:00

"Mondrian" day dress

2011-07-16T20:30:00.004-04:00

"Mondrian" day dress, autumn 1965
Yves Saint Laurent (French, born Algeria, 1936)
Wool jersey in color blocks of white, red, blue, black, and yellow

New Sketches

2011-07-01T13:59:00.007-04:00

Adele

2011-04-14T23:40:00.006-04:00

Harem Pants

2011-04-08T23:40:00.003-04:00

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

2011-03-26T02:25:00.005-04:00

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City on March 25, 1911, was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city of New York and resulted in the fourth highest loss of life from an industrial accident in U.S. history. The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers, who either died from the fire or jumped to their deaths. Most of the victims were recent Jewish and Italian immigrant women; the youngest were two fourteen-year-old girls. Many of the workers could not escape the burning building because the managers had locked the doors to the stairwells and exits. People jumped from the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors. The fire led to legislation requiring improved factory safety standards and helped spur the growth of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, which fought for better working conditions for sweatshop workers.

RIP

2011-03-25T15:22:00.004-04:00

Snoops

2011-03-13T20:50:00.005-04:00

Many of you know that I lost my beloved Snoops last week and I am so grateful for the kind words and thoughts from everyone.

I rescued him when I was living in LA and working at Disney and I often say he rescued me. By the time he came into my life he already lived in two different homes and I still have no idea why anyone would have given up such a wonderful animal. Tearing up boxes and paper was his worst crime. If there was a box, Snoops would find it.

About a month ago I was working in the studio and listening to the soundtrack of "Tangled". I heard something behind me where Snoops was sleeping and this is what I caught him doing. I swear to you this music was playing, I did not add it afterwards.

I will miss Snoops for the rest of my life.

The New Look

2011-02-27T15:16:00.003-05:00

"I wanted my dresses to be constructed, molded upon the curves of the feminine body, whose sweep they would stylize,"

Christian Dior proclaimed in his autobiography. This concept was the Paris designer's aim when, in the spring of 1947, he launched a new line of women's clothing that stunned and delighted the rest of the fashionable world.

"Corelle," Dior dubbed the line of post-war clothing (naming it after the botanical term for the frail petals at the center of a flower), though fashion magazines in Europe and the U.S. quickly and adeptly nicknamed the Dior collection "The New Look."

The Bouquet

2011-02-22T01:18:00.003-05:00

More Riding Hood designs

2011-02-06T02:18:00.001-05:00

Big Burly Bear 2

2011-02-02T16:14:00.000-05:00

"Hello Little Girl...."

2011-01-30T14:58:00.000-05:00

Big Burly Bear

2011-01-28T13:59:00.002-05:00

Finally a post! Been working on my children's book in between everything else!

Fat Lady

2010-11-04T17:40:00.001-04:00

Strong Man

2010-10-27T19:24:00.003-04:00

Beneath

2010-10-07T16:12:00.003-04:00

Old Fashioned?

2010-09-26T06:00:00.009-04:00

An Old Fashioned is a cocktail, possibly the first drink to be called a cocktail. It is traditionally served in a short, round, tumbler-like glass, called an Old-Fashioned glass, named after the drink. I'd love to do the male counterpart if I have the time.

Acrobat

2010-09-22T23:37:00.005-04:00

"...it's a helluva town!!!"

2010-09-07T20:25:00.001-04:00

Some recent greeting cards I designed with NY as the theme.

The Lady In Red

2010-09-01T19:43:00.002-04:00

Figures

2010-08-24T16:22:00.005-04:00

Spent some time in the Hall of Pacific Peoples at The American Museum of Natural History. The lessons in design that can be gleaned from that room are immense.

Elephant Rocks

2010-08-13T13:13:00.003-04:00

Last year when Jared and I were visiting his family beach house in Northern California I took out some pastels and tried my hand at some work en plein air. There are these marvelous elephant rock formations near the beach that I wanted to capture...and yes, I am aware that it looks phallic.

Alcedinidae

2010-08-11T14:11:00.005-04:00

I drew this in La Specola, which is the Natural History Museum of Florence. This place is INCREDIBLE, filled with every animal in creation, but very different than our American Museum of Natural History. We are so used to beautiful dioramas where the animals are displayed so elegantly. Not this place, just lots of great dead animals in enormous glass cases, many of them well over two hundred years old. No muss, no fuss...just put 'em on display. I could draw in there for days.

Jackie

2010-08-09T10:40:00.003-04:00

I made Jackie look very bitter, and she isn't in the least...she's incredibly sweet and talented.

Day Dreaming

2010-08-06T01:19:00.004-04:00

More development for my jester story... a lot has changed since I started working on it and things have been progressing.

Painting at Spring Street

2010-07-17T01:30:00.004-04:00

I would have liked more time to work on the hand, but this was all I got!

GAUR

2010-07-13T13:35:00.004-04:00

Spent the day at the Museum of Natural History with my dear and talented friend David. Click on his name to see his drawings.

Il Pescatore

2010-07-07T22:35:00.002-04:00

"Il Pescatore"...or "The Fisherman" is one of my favorite sculptures in the Bargello Museum (THE BEST sculpture museum EVER!!!) in Florence, Italy. I took some gouache with me this year and I got some decent results here and there. I will be posting more from my trip soon.

Union Square Farmers Market

2010-05-28T23:27:00.002-04:00

I will be going back this summer to do more...chock full of good stuff to draw.

Reading

2010-05-28T00:04:00.001-04:00

Texting

2010-05-26T15:19:00.002-04:00

Edwin

2010-05-18T23:56:00.004-04:00

Hey Folks, sorry for the lack of posts...I have lots to scan and get posted, but in the meantime here is a preview.

B is for...

2010-03-25T20:25:00.001-04:00

A is for...

2010-03-14T23:37:00.008-04:00

New Sketches

2010-03-06T17:35:00.000-05:00

Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel

2010-03-02T19:48:00.004-05:00

From her first millinery shop, opened in 1912, to the 1920s, Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel (August 19 1883-January 10 1971) rose to become one of the premier fashion designers in Paris, France and around the world. Replacing the corset with comfort and casual elegance, her fashion themes included simple suits and dresses, women's trousers, costume jewelry, perfume and textiles. She became is synonymous with elegance and her brand thrives almost forty years after her death. Her versatile, semi-formal "little black dress" became a Chanel trademark and an enduring fashion standard not to mention the much-copied "Chanel suit.". A tireless worker and a risk taker, she changed fashion and the world.

“Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable.”-Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel

Oscar Wilde

2010-02-13T13:46:00.003-05:00

Dear Oscar and the ever imposing Bosie.

New Portfolio follow up...

2010-01-19T15:18:00.004-05:00

Some of you already know I have been creating a Visual Development Portfolio for a while and things have finally come together to start posting work. I have created a separate blog to view some of the work I have done and if you can believe it much of it has changed since I started posting back in November. As it stands now the majority of the work consists of development work I have created for two original stories I am in the process of writing. The bulk of the work posted at the moment is digital but the portfolio will include work in a variety of media if I ever get the chance to scan all I have done. I hope you all like it and of course all constructive comments are welcome.

Roy Disney 1930-2009

2009-12-16T23:12:00.003-05:00

Sadly, Roy Disney passed away today of stomach cancer at the age of 79.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Roy and presenting him with an image I painted in honor of Walt's 100th Birthday. It was a thrill to meet him in his office on the Studio lot in the old animation building where the classic Disney films were produced (his office was his Uncle Walt's office incidentally, so another great thrill for me to say the least-the people that must have passed through there, WOW!). We discussed the stamp images I was working on for the USPS and he told me how much he liked my work and how beautiful he thought the stamps were going to be. Gracious and kind and all too eager to commemorate the day for us with a photo I have to say this is one of the greatest experiences I had working at The Walt Disney Co.

The folks in the picture with Roy and (a beardless) me are the account executive for the job (the lady in pink), the man who designed the pin in the bottom half of the frame (between said lady in pink and Roy-both of their names escape me) and Jared-who was not really there for the moment.

This is what happened....a Senior VP who I never met before and who had no idea of what we had done was called in at the last minute to present the framed lithograph to Roy because company brass thought it would be best to have a person in management give him our gift. She made believe she knew all of us (none of us had met her until 5 minutes before the presentation) and took credit for the entire project. I told Jared all about this and how silly I thought the whole thing was and he had a photoshop savvy colleague take her out of the image and replace her with himself. I don't think I even have a copy of the original image anymore- I like this one better anyway!

Godspeed Roy.

New Portfolio

2009-11-24T22:27:00.003-05:00

Hey Ya'll...Thanks for continuing to check in.

I have been busy working hard on my new portfolio of Visual Development work so my posting has been limited. I will have a seperate blog specifically for that work, but here is a little preview.

Have a great holiday everybody!

JFK

2009-10-04T01:45:00.001-04:00

"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

2009-09-29T18:59:00.002-04:00

"GOD SAVE THE QUEEN, GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!"

2009-09-21T16:28:00.001-04:00

Ella

2009-09-10T23:09:00.002-04:00

New Observations

2009-08-14T14:43:00.005-04:00

Bear

2009-08-10T16:05:00.002-04:00

Grrrr.....

Tree

2009-07-16T08:43:00.003-04:00

As the poet said, "only God can make a tree,"
probably because it's so hard to figure out
how to get the bark on.
- Woody Allen

Even More Sketches from Italy!

2009-07-12T00:09:00.003-04:00

I do have some drawings that have no people in them for a change, I just have to scan them...

More Sketches from Italy

2009-07-06T09:52:00.002-04:00

I have returned....

2009-07-02T19:12:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the long lapse in posting. These are some sketches from my trip to Florence this past month. I have more that I will post soon once they are scanned.

BOOK!

2009-04-15T21:53:00.002-04:00

A special limited edition book on the process of the Art of Disney Stamps was released recently and I will be signing copies of it tomorrow, April 16th at the New Yorker Hotel on 34th St and 8th Ave from 1-3 PM, I feel very honored to have been part of this process and the book is really beautiful.

Oscar

2009-03-25T17:24:00.006-04:00

Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.
- Oscar Wilde

I am not sure I agree with Oscar completely on this one but it was fairly appropriate for this post. I used to struggle with the fact that I feel I have no definitive "style" but now I am OK with not feeling tied down to one particular way to work. I suppose I will spend the rest of my creative life figuring out which way to draw what is in my head.

Ricardo Lopez Ortiz

2009-03-23T22:00:00.004-04:00

Ricardo is one of the best people I know. I had the privilege of traveling to Florence, Italy with this kind, thoughtful, and extremely talented young man. We spent a month working together on art and simply having a great time. A tremendous young talent with work that is totally worth visiting. The brightest of futures is in store for him and he is the epitome of what a diligent student should be.

His Website

His Blog

Portrait of a Lady

2009-03-15T22:38:00.002-04:00

Jared-redux

2009-03-15T00:01:00.003-04:00

OK, So last week I had posted this portrait I was doing of Jared in progress but I was having trouble loading some of the images and some people told me they couldn't see some of them so I took down the post. Here it is again (sans the progress) with the final image as well as the original drawing. I have to admit the scan of it is not the best and for some reason it looks very different than this. You will just have to take my word for it. Thanks to everybody who commented on the original post.

Elly

2009-01-24T23:12:00.003-05:00

This portrait of Elly is the sister image (literally!) to the portrait of Sean that I posted recently. I have to ask Jared's Sister to take photos of the images in the BEAUTIFUL frames Jared handmade for them.

Vampire!

2009-01-16T00:21:00.001-05:00

Sean

2009-01-12T15:31:00.003-05:00

This is a recent portrait I did of Jared's nephew Sean and was a Christmas gift for Jared's Sister and Brother-in-law. I did not get a chance to post it before we left for the Bay area.

Some December Sketches

2008-12-23T22:59:00.007-05:00

Hey Folks, here is a bunch of sketches I have been meaning to post....No particular order, just some things I felt had merit.

I doubt I will get a chance to post some of the other stuff I am working on before Christmas so I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful holiday!

sketching, sketching, sketching....

2008-11-18T23:55:00.004-05:00

When I started at Disney I never kept a sketchbook. I give John Quinn the credit for teaching me that the only way to be better is to keep a book. Did I listen....? Not for a long time.

Now of course I keep several at all times. Often I carry two or three with me on a holiday so I have a choice of which book I want for which subject matter. I have recently started books on nature as well as architecture (I don't yet have the balls to post anything so don't look for them anytime soon), but it has always been about drawing people.

I know I draw a lot of people reading and drinking coffee and whatnot, but who cares? I am drawing right? I am always trying to push myself to be more creative and interpretive. I find sketchbook art has shaped my ability to see things and interpret them like no other art form. If I had a choice of what I would do for an entire day it would be to sketch in a book in public drawing every big nose and ass around me. The weirder people look the happier I am. I want to thank everyone who has said kind words to me on previous posts. So many of you are people whose talent and opinions I admire and respect a great deal.

Paolo

2008-10-29T23:07:00.002-04:00

More observations...

2008-10-27T00:33:00.001-04:00

Long time, no post....

2008-10-16T23:06:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for checking in, considering how horrible I have been about posting. I have been drawing a lot but none of you would know that of course...your opinion of me could be tarnished forever but it is a risk I have to take.

Anyway...here are some drawings I finally took the time to scan!

Recent Life Drawings

2008-08-26T18:04:00.005-04:00

This is what I am drawing when I am not drawing the people drawing. I think the word drawing appears way too many times in that sentence.

IF: Detach

2008-08-20T01:13:00.003-04:00

For Illustration Friday...

We just finished Season 2 of the "Tudors" so this came to mind first! Done with little finesse and very quickly, but I really wanted to do this one. Anyone else think Ann Boleyn got a bum rap?

Drawers at Spring St.

2008-08-14T08:26:00.004-04:00

As usual I find the people drawing the model just as interesting as the model! Here are a couple from a Spring St drawing session. I have actual life drawings too but they are larger and I have to scan them in sections, but I will soon.

As usual I find the people drawing the model just as interesting as the model! Here are a couple from a Spring St drawing session. I have actual life drawings too but they are larger and I have to scan them in sections, but I will soon.

Lots of reading at LAX

2008-08-12T22:46:00.001-04:00

I do have pictures from the stamp event to upload and lots of new life drawings but I thought I would throw these up for now. My trip was so busy and our flights got cancelled-TWICE!

A great deal of unwanted time in LAX with LOTS of people reading so here is a sample. Thanks for checking in guys!

The Art of Disney: Imagination

2008-08-02T02:47:00.004-04:00

Well, I am of to LA for the release of the fifth and final set of stamps that I have illustrated for the United States Postal Service. I can not say enough about this project and all the wonderful attention it has received.
I am thrilled and feel very honored to have been part of this project. A job like this does not come around very often and it was a wonderful experience.

Barbra

2008-07-15T00:32:00.002-04:00

I have avoided drawing this woman for a long time. I especially avoided her profile...but I thought what the hell...

I have returned!

2008-07-07T18:04:00.003-04:00

With some new drawings...More to come!

Some Recent Life Drawings....

2008-05-18T01:28:00.005-04:00

Hey folks...thanks for checking in even though I have not been posting much.

Been busy on several projects and have lots going on. School is finished for the semester and I have a few things I have to get done before I leave for Florence (woo-hoo!) Here are a couple of life drawings I did recently that I felt had some merit. I have a bunch more and will post them when I have time to scan them !

Dorota

2008-05-01T00:11:00.003-04:00

Go and visit Dorota's BLOG!

She was my old office mate at Disney and is a superior artist and a fabulous person!

Recent sketches

2008-04-28T22:07:00.002-04:00

Lately all I want to do is draw from life. I have done a lot, but no time to scan everything. Oddly enough these are some of the first sketches I have done in graphite in years. I almost never draw in pencil but lately it just feels right.

Wrinkles....

2008-04-27T17:29:00.001-04:00

Maybe I went overboard?...For Illustration Friday.

Drawing, drawing, drawing...

2008-04-25T01:44:00.003-04:00

Been busy drawing, a lot like this guy. Very swamped at the moment getting all my things done before I leave for Florence again. Thanks to all who keep checking in!

Sunday Paper

2008-03-22T23:13:00.002-04:00

Happy Easter Everyone!

Coffee in a cardboard cup

2008-03-19T03:26:00.004-04:00

I recently purchased a cintiq and am loving it. However it is very easy to fall into the digital hole that so very few ever come out of. I am dedicated to my craft and feel the need for tactile creation so I have been doing some inkings at the end of each day using drawings from my sketchbooks.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T20:29:00.002-05:00

Happy VD everyone! Well...not that kind of VD!

Here is the image I made for Jared's Valentine.

WINNER!

2008-02-02T22:49:00.000-05:00

Well, one of the winners anyway.

My Frankenstein Eustace Tilley was selected as one of the 20 winners of The New Yorker contest. The image will appear on The New Yorker website for a year and (supposedly) will be printed in their 83rd anniversary issue. From what I understand they will not be able to print them all. Either way I was glad I did it and it was a lot of fun whether I was a winner or not. I am grateful to have been selected.

Here is the link to view the 20 Winners selected. Mine is the fourth one in the slideshow.

The New Yorker's Eustace Tilley Contest

2008-01-18T00:18:00.000-05:00

The New Yorker is hosting a contest on a new interpretation of their favorite cover boy, Eustace Tilley (on top). I would have liked to do more, but these were all time would allow. Here is the link for all of you who want to view the entries. Some of them are not showing up unless you are signed in. No one knows why it isn't working properly.

Land HO!

2008-01-09T10:45:00.000-05:00

Jared and I just returned from a two week cruise to the Caribbean. Needless to say it was chock full of specimens begging to put down on paper. Oddly enough after looking at the drawings of all the people sleeping in deck chairs they resemble bodies in a funeral home.

The Little Match Girl 2

2007-12-28T01:27:00.000-05:00

Here are some more images I created for The Little Match Girl theme.

There is the original sketch I did where she was kneeling in the snow as well as two very rough images of her dead. I wanted her to have died with a smile on her face looking peaceful and happy like a beautiful little girl who just fell asleep.

Lastly is a more refined version of the image I had painted last time. I have to get back to some other work so I have to leave the color image where it is for now. Who knows if I will go back to it when I have more time? I think I worked her enough but I would like to finish the box and the matches.

The Little Match Girl

2007-12-23T01:02:00.000-05:00

This month's Gum or Mints assignment was the Little Match Girl.

I have always liked this story although it is grim. The concept of her getting lost in the hallucination is what attracted me first with this assignment and subsequently the light from the matches which help to take her there. I felt the need to work in color for this to feel the light best and did a watercolor rough of the first image I drew out. I really was going for an awestruck expression as well. I wanted her to look completely happy and not to care about all that was bad in her life. I have done some changes to the drawing and will probably give it another try in watercolor. I have also done some of her dead the next morning that I have to scan and will post them once I do.

The Zoo

2007-11-27T03:35:00.000-05:00

Illustration Friday this week tackles The Zoo.

I have drawn out a menagerie of the animals I would have in MY Zoo. Oh sure....anyone can have a Lion or an Elephant, but how many have a Short Snouted Shuffalo? Hmmmmm?

I rarely show my roughs and I have no idea why. Looking at them they have a certain charm and seeing the way the Shuffalo turned out it is easy to imagine how the others will look. John Quinn recently said in a comment to someone else that seeing the development is interesting and exciting so.......I hope these have some excitement or interest!

Two of them don't have names yet but certainly have a story. This has been a fun topic.

Very Superstitious......

2007-11-21T00:44:00.000-05:00

The topic of Illustration Friday this week is Superstition.

In some cultures a lone magpie is a sign of bad luck. In others a bird inside a house is bad luck. I just combined the two for a double whammy!

Nina Simone

2007-11-13T22:48:00.000-05:00

American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger and civil rights activist, not to mention genius. Although she disliked being categorized, Simone is generally classified as a jazz musician and was known as the High Priestess of Soul.

She sang fierce renditions of " I Put a Spell on You", "My Baby Just Cares for Me" and "Feeling Good" with just as much emotion and gusto as when she approached the subject of Civil Rights. Hundreds of recordings exist but her live recordings are legendary.

Often known for being difficult (a charge she took umbrage with) she once shot and wounded her neighbour's son with a pneumatic pistol after his laughing disturbed her concentration.

No one sang the way this woman did.

Does Anyone Still Wear a Hat?

2007-11-07T02:53:00.000-05:00

For Illustration Friday.

Charlie in his Bowler...

Lady Sings "The Blues"

2007-10-02T02:20:00.000-04:00

This one was obvious for me when I read the topic on Illustration Friday.

Waitress

2007-10-01T14:59:00.001-04:00

The theme for September's Gum or Mints was waitress. Please check out the other entries of some of the most talented people I know.

"This is Julia Child, Bon Appétit!"

2007-09-18T02:43:00.000-04:00

The wonderful and enormous (she was 6' 2"!) Julia Child.

Jared and I have been watching " The French Chef" on DVD and marveling at the things that Julia was teaching America in the early 60's. It is fascinating to think how little America knew about certain dishes we take completely for granted. Her book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" is still a steady seller after all of these years.

There would be no Food Network without Julia and she helped to establish a need for stores like Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table. She taught us how to make a Salad Nicoise and the right way to cut a potato all the while in her sing song warble that we have all tried to imitate. If you get a chance to watch the old episodes they are a real treat!