ABSTRACT
The late Shamus Culhane correctly pointed out in his wonderful book, Animation from Script to Screen, that Disney-style realism is harder to accomplish than more restrictive, stylized cartoons. To adhere to realism is to abide by the laws of physics, weight and volume. That’s why, even if you do not aspire to realistic animation, it is still smart of you to learn what it’s all about. Picasso’s earliest paintings were very realistic. Examine his “Nude Study of Jose Romain” (1895) and “Science and Charity” (1897), and you’ll see realism worthy of Michelangelo. He could not have executed “Seated Old Man” (1970) or “Two Women of Algiers” (1955) without first having mastered the basics. His Blue Period, Rose Period and Cubist work would have been impossible without a firm foundation in realism.
