Inspiration #1: Charles Addams'

You know, I said in my mind I wasn't going to do this, but here I am doing this thing. Because I think that this 'reference' can fit in with my work, here's the first normal sort of blog post for this blog.

I was looking through the local library looking for some decent books to help me with this project, some inspiration, to say and then I came across a book of Charles Addams' illustrations. Otherwise being known as the main creator of 'The Addams Family', this man was a great cartoonist and I can see where Gary Larson of 'The Far Side' got his influence in. Anyway, because these seem to fit in with the era of design I'm looking for in the animation, I'm going to go ahead and post some scans here.

The following images are from the book 'Charles Addams; Creature Comforts'. Which honestly made me giggle as I browsed through and scanned.


I thought this was a really good scene of the kind of look I'm hunting around for. My animation will be a lot more flat but the shape of the building looks perfect.


Here's another little street scene, I love the little doors. I shall have to fit those in somewhere.


This is a pretty good gag. Again I'm liking the structure of the buildings. The perspective is a bit too tight though, at least for what I'm planning in the animation.


Short little skyscraper gag. Eyes peering out on the right. This is the kind of suggested busy'ness I want in the main city the film is set in.


I love the difference in scale with the cars.


A bosses office. I like the chequered floor, brings character.


Office window view. Just look at those simple suggested skyscrapers and the people that look like they're about to commit suicide.


A nice old fashioned car. I can see this being good reference to break down even more.

That's about it, anyway, I can see myself adapting some of this or using it for reference in the finished animation.