'Drawing for Nothing': Free new book redeems art from canceled animated projects

[Enter Stage Rite]

 

It’s fascinating to think about the journey from sketchbook to silver screen. But what about the countless ideas that never make it past the drawing board? Drawing for Nothing is a free digital compendium created by Ziggy Cashmere (pen name of Jacob Pruitt) that celebrates the artwork behind abandoned animated films.

 

Cashmere, a passionate animation student, compiled this book by scouring artists’ portfolios, animation reels, and even obscure book scans. The result is a treasure trove of concept art, storyboards, and character designs from unrealized projects by major studios like DreamWorks and Laika.

 

Drawing for Nothing isn’t a mere visual archive, though. Cashmere incorporates insightful commentary and even links to animation tests, offering a glimpse into the creative process behind these lost films. Some featured projects, like DreamWorks’ shelved Me and My Shadow, may be familiar to animation buffs, while others are entirely unknown discoveries.

 

 

 

This compendium serves a dual purpose. First, it acts as a heartfelt tribute to the immense amount of artistic labor that goes into animated features, even those that never come to fruition. Second, Cashmere hopes Drawing for Nothing will inspire fellow artists by showcasing the boundless creativity within the animation industry. Peer through it here.

 

 

 

 

• https://www.animationmagazine.net/2024/07/new-digital-book-presents-the-art-of-canceled-animated-films/ 
• https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/03/movies/drawing-for-nothing-canceled-animated-films.html 

 

 

Images: Drawing for Nothing