Here is the artwork topic of this week, and it's a special Disneyland's Tomorrowland artwork. The renderings below were done by great WDI artists such as Herb Ryman, John Hench, Dale Hennesy and more. As usual don't forget to click on each image to enjoy them in big size!
Walt Disney was fascinated by the future. Tomorrowland is an optimistic salute to "what's in store", a world where "tomorrow is just a dream away". Below, a 1954 Herb Ryman concept drawing with a painting by Collin Campbell of Tomorrowland Entrance.
This 1953 concept for Tomorrowland by Dale Hennesy included a monorail, an attraction which, as we know, did not become a part of Disneyland until the technology became available at the end of the 50's.
Another concept for Tomorrowland entrance - probably by Herb Ryman. The waterfalls evolved into pylons as designers searched for ways to create a visual language of the future. Note the boat which looks like a Jungle Cruise boat...
Next is a great watercolor of a Space Mountain early concept by John Hench, 1965. Detail from this painting at the top.
Always in 1965, John Hench proposed a futuristic adventure called "Saturn" that catapulted guests through the rings of Saturn to a space station.
Let's end with this great painting of Space Mountain at night by John Hench, a real master.
Talking about John Hench, i'd like to let you know that his great book "Designing Disney" is now available in soft cover, now at a very affordable price - only $13.57
! This 160 pages book is fantastic, each page with plenty of John Hench's paintings, and you can order it if you wish through the Disney and more Amazon store HERE
Artwork: copyright Disney Enterprises Inc
3 comments:
Alain, I have recently seen some of the illustrations by George McGinnis for Tomorrowland done during the Walt WED Days, and was very impressed. I believe George did the enterance to Tomorrowland that looks like Alcoa aluminum panels which are actually plastic he said. I have always loved that enterance and I'm glad it remains today. A lot of John Hench's Space Mountain concepts shown here but not used, were used in Hong Kong Disneyland's version No. 5.
The rendering of the Tomorrowland entrance with the Jungle Cruise boat is most likely WDW's:
1) There's no bridge/water feature at Disneyland
2) When WDW opened, the Swan Boats did, in fact, cruise by this stretch of Tomorrowland. The water that runs around the hub connects to the Jungle Cruise and Swiss Family Treehouse, so having the JC boats cruise around in the moat was a real (if silly) possibility.
Yeah, that's the Magic Kingdom Tomorrowland bridge, as it was built just as it's shown, with the rock outcropping and wider spot in the middle. The PeopleMover track can also be seen on the buildings. Put two towers with water jets instead of the waterfalls and you've got the original entrance to Tomorrowland circa 1975.
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