My Spoon is Too Big!

This guy; he is awesome.

Have you ever seen the Pop-Tart commercials on television about people tricking those delicious pop-tarts into toasters? I have and it was NOT Don Hertzfeldt. Kellogg's used a very similar style and humor, but Hertzfeldt has stated that he would never do commercial work.  I did not know this until I began writing this blog, so I felt I had to inform you of this. Several other companies have also borrowed his style for their products. He has stated that he will not be involved in the commercial world. He makes his films because that is what he enjoys doing, not because he can make money from it. 

Born on August 1st in 1976, in California, he taught himself animation when he was only 15. All he used was a small video camera and his pen and paper. Before then, he spent his time attending animation festivals and drawing comic books.  While he attended film school at the University of California in Santa Barbara, he found he was drawn to animation rather than low budget live action films. 

Hertzfeldt has never held a job other than his animation, even when he was in school. His 16mm student films found festival exposure from the beginning. These included Lily and Jim and Billy's Balloon. His short films include an array of slapstick humor, trajicomedy and black humor. His videos feature hand drawn stick figures with tradition media for the effects. He uses very little technological aid. He uses 16mm or 35mm film cameras and techniques such as multiple exposures, in camera mattes, and experimental photography. 

Intro & Billy's Balloon

Hertzfeldt often single-handedly creates his entire films. This means he alone he writes, directs, produces, animates, edits, voices, and makes the sound for the entire film. At times, this process takes years. I single film may require tens of thousands of drawings. He will often include classical music in his movies. Music of Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and Strauss have appeared in films. He has also composed some of his own music. 

His film, Everything Will be OK, has been acclaimed as his greatest feature to date. It has gotten the best critical reviews and the Boston Globe called it a "masterpiece." The film is based off of one of his early characters, Bill, and follows his mundane life until it begins to grow dark as we learn Bill may be suffering from a deadly disease. This is the first film in a trilogy telling Bill's story. The other two are I Am So Proud of You and It's Such a Beautiful Day. The trilogy is a moving event, something very cardiac; in your chest. It may be odd that a stick figure can cause these emotions, but when a man really knows how to tell a story, it doesn't matter what the figures look like. 

Everything Will be OK

Hertzfeldt has won many, many awards for his animations, even being the youngest to win them in the history of the award. He resides in Santa Barbara and has produces all his videos from there. Although many bootleg versions of his films have been put on the internet, he is not going to hassle his fans. He feels that a true film should be seen in a dark room with the viewers undivided attention.

"I like paper and pens and paint...I need to angle real lights on my artwork and work with my hands and build props. Computers just take all that fun out of it."

                                                                                                                         -Don Hertzfeldt

**I do NOT own any of these images or videos**

Adolf Hitler: Monster or Misunderstood?

Sadness in his eyes; he just wanted to paint.

 Are you surprised to see Hitler in an art blog? He was actually a very talented artist. (crazy, right?)

Adolf Hitler was born at an Inn in Austrai on April 20, 1889. He was the fourth of six children, all four of which died by five years old. His younger sister, Paula, and he lived to adulthood. His father was a strict, ruthless man who sometimes beat Adolf. His mother was a hardworking, kinder woman. Needless to say, he was much closer to his mother than to his father.

Baby Adolf

His father, Alois, wanted him to follow in his footsteps and work in the Austria customs, but Adolf pleaded to attend classical high school to become an artist. Despite his sons desires, Alois sent him to a technical school. He and his friend often attended operas. He spent four years there before leaving for Vienna with his dreams of becoming a painter.

When Adolf was only 13 years old, in 1908, his mother passed to breast cancer, which was a tragic blow to the adolescent boy.

White Orchids; Adolf Hitler

 While living in Vienna, he struggled every day for food. He lived as a vagabond, often created art for postcards and magazines, he even sold some to the general public, to afford to eat. He loved many media of art, including painting, sculpture, concerts, theater, and opera. Even with meager income, he only bought high quality paints, brushes, and canvases.

He was turned down by the Viennese Academy of Fine Arts twice for "unsatisfactory" skills, after which began to shape his hatred towards Jews, Marxists, and the cosmopolitan Habsburg monarchy. After this turning point in his life, he began dreaming of  a Greater Germany.

"For hours, I could stand in front of the Opera, for hours I could gaze at the parliament; 

the whole Ring Boulevard seemed to me like an enchantment out of the 

'Thousand and One nights.' "

-Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf

The Munich Opera House

Hitler was a soldier in World War I and ranked as high as Lance Corporal. He also received the Iron Cross for bravery. He was badly gassed near the end of the war an spend three months recuperating. He was temporarily blinded and went into an impotent rage. Once healthy, he convinced himself that fate had chosen him to rescue the nation from the Versailles Treaty, from the Bolsheviks and Jews. In 1919, he entered the German Workers' party, who changed their name to National Socialist German Workers' Party soon after and was chairman by July of 1921.

Castle Battlements

Hitler was arrested and tried on February, 1924, after the failure of the Beer Hall Putsch. Although he was sentenced to five years, he was released after nine months. He dedicated his writings, titled Mein Kampf, to Rudolf Hess, his loyal follower and cell mate. This book became a structure for the Nazi Party to stand on. Using what he'd learned, he decided that a political approach would suit him better than one bullet-riddled. The Nazi Party began to inflate in popularity and due to the depression in Germany at the time, his persuasive speeches and promised of a Greater Germany were well-received.

Smoking Tank

By June of 1934, it was undisputed that Adolf Hitler was the dictator of the Third Reich, and with the death of President von Hindenburg, he controlled all the powers of the State. He quickly became the leader of the country and lead his people to prosperity. Those he considered NOT his people were not treated as well. He looked down and tried to eliminate the Jews, as well many others, including the physically and mentally handicapped. He felt they were impurities to the Aryans, the "Master Race."

Still Life With Bottle and Fruit

Hitler had a greatly shaping influence on art, music, and architecture under his rule. He declared most modern art "degenerate" and those artists suffered striking consequences. Many fled the country, while others were prohibited from teaching or painting. He allowed classical methods of art to be proclaimed. He oversaw two shows in Munich at the same time. One, Degenerate Art, the other, The Great German Art Exhibition. Degenerate Art contained artwork, un-cared for and degraded, by modern artists. While The Great German Art Exhibition contained artwork he allowed, those that portrayed Germany in a heroic sense. The latter gained less than half the attendees as the former.

Germania 

Hitler allowed painters and sculptors to produce nudes of males and females. Males must be depicted as strong, powerful, and heroic while females were sleek and clean with full breasts and a flat belly. These were often Nordic, but brunettes were apparent. Hitler continued to create his artwork throughout his reign and his life. He even gave the present world the first design for the Volkswagon Beetle, as well as other ideas. 

First design of the Volkswagon Beetle

In April of 1945, Hitler and a group of men, along with Eva had been hiding in a bomb-proof bunker, the Fuhrerbunker, as the war raged overhead. There were talks of surrender, and that is thought to be Hitler's last straw. Adolf Hitler committed suicide by shooting himself through the mouth. His wife of the previous day, Eva Braun took a cyanide capsule. Hitler had ordered both bodies to be burned. There are rumors that Hitler had not committed suicide, but had sneaked away to live in hiding. Hitler and a group of men, along with Eva had been hiding in a bomb-proof bunker, the Fuhrerbunker, as the war raged overhead. There were talks of surrender, and that is thought to be Hitler's last straw. 

Hitler and Blondi

Hitler also had a deep love for animals, especially his German Shepard, Blondi. He even ordered cyanide pills be given to Blondi and her puppies the same day of his suicide. 

A uniquely interesting character, Hitler also went slightly obsessed and paranoid towards his end. Many rumors are floating around, including his army of literate canines and time travel. But I will leave you with this thought: What if Hitler had been accepted into the art academy?

** I do NOT own any of the images **

"Entartete Kunst" (Art Nazis Hated)

“This art is the sick production of crazy people. Pity the people who are no longer

 able to control this sickness”

                                                                 -Adolf Hitler, on modern art; Mein Kampf

Adolf Hitler felt that he was knowledgeable with regards to art. It is commonly known that art, architecture, music, and films in Germany were heavily influenced by the Nazi ideology of the time. Hitler had decided that there were two forms of art; classical realistic art that portrayed all that was good about Nazi Germany; and the un-German or Jewish Bolshevist, degenerate art, which was basically all modern art.

L'Ange du Foyer; 1937 by Max Ernst

July 19, 1937 on the streets of Munich, Nazi Germany, there was an art exhibition held titled "Entartete Kunst," translated to Degenerate Art. This show featured famous artists such as Max Ernst, Paul Klee, and Wassily Kandinsky alongside less popular artists such as William Wauer, Ernst Nay, and Ewald Matare

Two Women in the Street; 1914 by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

The show was put on by Adolf Ziegler and Joseph Goebbels, after the idea came to them from Hitler's critique of modern art. The show was held in the Institute of Archeology in the Hofgarten. Hitler has declared a war in cultural disintegration, which included the artwork that insulted German feeling, distorted the natural form, or revealed an absence of artistic skill.

Flyer cover for Degenerate Art

This particular show was set up by the Nazis to show the world the detriment this artwork had on the ideal Germany. The first three rooms of the show were themed demeaning of religion, Jewish artists, and insulting to women, soldiers, and farmers of Germany. The rest of the show was not arranged in a theme. The venue had dark, narrow rooms, and many of the paintings were hung without frames and partially covered with derogatory themes. Many paintings had text beside them deriding the artwork.

Hitler and Ziegler at the show

The show exhibited over 650 paintings, sculptures, prints, and books that were taken from 32 German museums to be put in the show. The show ran until November 30 in Munich, at which time it traveled to eleven other cities in Germany and Austria. During the four months the show was up, 2,009,899 visitors attended, making an average of 20,000 people a day.

White Tree Trunks 1908 by Emil Nolde

Over 5,000 works, at least 1,000 of them just by Emil Nolde, were seized by the Nazi party and deemed 'degenerate'. These works showed qualities such as mental disease, racial impurity, and weakness of character. Hitler believed that a finished picture should ever portray anguish, distress, or pain. He preferred the romantic form of realism. He also felt that artists should use color that was different than perceived in nature.

Tower of the Blue Horses 1913 by Franz Marc

Near this show, in the Haus der Deutschen Kunst, the show titled Great German Art Exhibition was held. This contained more classical and racially pure art that was accepted by the Nazi Party. This show attracted roughly half the viewers as Degenerate Art. After the show went abroad to be seen by another million people or so, the artwork was sold off, many to U.S. collectors and the money was used to war expenses. Then on March 20, 1939 nearly 5,000 pieces were burned. 

photography by Herbert Bayer

Most of the artists that were considered degenerate were often subject to sanctions. This included being dismissed from teaching positions, being forbidden to exhibit or sell their art, and being forbidden to create art entirely, if they would not comply with Hitler's artistic ideals. Because of these sanctions, a large number of artists fled the country.

** I do NOT own any of the above images **

Tim Burton's Imagination

Enter into the fantastical horror filled mind of Tim Burton. He is probably the first artist to inspire me, besides my Mother. My brother and I used to rent A Nightmare Before Christmas (produced by Burton), over and over again from the local video rental store. There was a gap in time when I had forgotten about the movie, and when I re-watched it, I couldn't believe that I hadn't been scared of the characters. They were fabulously terrifying, yet welcoming.  Over the years, I've been enthralled with his artwork. Not only his movies and short films, but also his drawings and other personal art. 

Tim Burton

Timothy Walter Burton was born in Burbank, California on August 25, 1958. He grew up being inspired by horror films of Roger Corman, many featuring the well known on-screen villain Vincent Price. He enrolled in the California Institute of Arts, majoring in animation. He graduated in 1980. He worked for Walt Disney Studios for less than a year and stuck out on his own. In 1982 he released his award winning short, Vincent, which was a tribute to his childhood idol. Burton currently resides in London with Helena Bonham Carter and their two children.

Victor and Sparky

His second popular short was entitled Frankenweenie, a twist on the classic Frankenstein. Frankenweenie  is now a full length movie, released in 2012. After he left Disney, Warner Brothers Pictures decided to have him direct Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.  Burton went on to other well known films such as Beetlejuice (1988), Edward Scissorhands (1990), and Batman (1989). 

Beetlejuice with an upset stomach.

He's had a tremendous amount of success in many of his movies. He also tends to work with some of the same people in many of his works. Not because he is using favorites, but because their skills fit with Burton's works at the time. Danny Elfman, an American composer, has music in many of Burton's films. Helena Bonham Carter is also the chosen actress in several films. Probably the most associated actor in Burton's films is Johnny Depp. Although some people criticize him for the recurring actors and composer, I feel that it works well for his work.

Teenager: an awkward period of life.

His website  begins with his character, Stain Boy, in which you use the arrow keys to explore the site. He has a public gallery of works as well as a private gallery. To access the private gallery, one must enter an email address to receive updates.

Stain Boy

Throughout his artwork there is a deep sense of horror and fantasy. The sketchy quality of his works on paper makes them childlike. He was known to convey that people only stop being artists when they start expecting something. His instructors at the Institute told him that "if you like to draw, just draw." This is something I can relate to, since I've been drawing since I could hold a crayon. Even if your stuff doesn't turn out the way you wanted, or you hate it when it's done, the point is to do what you like to do.

Burton has also written a handful of poems, the most famous one entitled Victor, which is about a little boy named Victor Malloy whom wishes to be like Vincent Price. He has turned it into an animated short narrated by Vincent Price, himself. Be has also has several books published, one being

Time Burton married a German artist in 1989 named Lena Gieseke. They split shortly after the filming of Batman Returns. He was then left her for Lisa Marie whom he dated for a few years and placed in four of his films. During the production of Planet of the Apes, he met Helena Bonham Carter. Burton resides in London with Bonham Carter and their two children. They have been involved since 2001, and their son and daughter were born in 2003 and 2007, respectively.

Helena Bonham Carter, Nell Burton, Billy Raymond Burton, Tim Burton

To keep an updated tab on Tim Burton and his works. you can find most of it on the Tim Burton Collective.

*I do NOT own any of the above images*