May 12, 2023

  I was chosen by Assemblymember Chris Holden to receive his Unsung Hero 2023 award in the state capital building in Sacramento, CA last month.

Assemblymember Holden could not attend this event, he was out of the country (Pakistan) on business.

He wanted to personally present the award to me and will do so at Mt San Antonio College located in Walnut, Ca on the 12th of this month (below).

                                                                    

 I did get to meet Assemblymember Holden a few weeks after I received the award. The church I attend (Second Baptist, Monrovia) was celebrating the 121st anniversary of it's founding and he was in attendance. It was my turn to help in the Children's Church in another building. There, as always, I illustrated a Bible story to the kids delight:-). That Sunday the lesson focused on the first chapter of Genesis, the creation (below).

                                                                 

After the service, driving through the parking lot I spot a familiar face, that of Assemblymember Holden. Though we had never met, I had seen enough images on campaign literature to recognize him.

I pulled over, got out of the car and introduced myself. We chatted like old friends and  ended by taking  a picture in front of the plaque I designed for the city of Monrovia of the first pastor of Second Baptist Church, Colonel Allen Allensworth. (below)

                                                                   

(Assemblymember Holden and I )

My roots go deep at Mt San Antonio College.
I taught a class on Humorous Illustration there back in the 1980's for one semester.
I conduct a workshop there once a year starting in the 2000's based on a word I made up 'Quicksketchillustrationanimation'. Quick sketching, illustration and animation, the correlation of these three art disciplines.
About 2016 the art department contacted me to inquire if I had interest in teaching a class on Fundamental Drawing. "Yes" was my reply and I've been there since.
Long ago, running track at Monrovia High we competed in invitational track meets there (MtSAC Relays) and while at Citrus Junior College not too far from here my Citrus Owls team played the MtSAC Mounties (below). We lost by a point:- (

                                                                                      

until next time...

Recognition in Sacramento

  

 In the California state capitol building in Sacramento , I was one of the people  honored by their district Assemblypersons as Unsung Heroes 2023.

The other honorees...

(Me second from left)

   In Assemblyperson Chris R. Holden's absence (in Pakistan on business) Assemblyperson Dr. Corey A. Jackson ( top photo, grey suit) escorted me down the aisle as my biography was read over the  podium.

The program...

Prior to the ceremony we got to witness the legislature in session as Assemblypersons Weber and Bradford (program 1 below right) presented a resolution for the state of California to recognize February as Black History Month.

(Program Cover)

                                                                              

(Inside program 1)

(Inside program 2)

(Inside program 3)

The fine print...

The road that led to this award.

  I was accepted into the Walt Disney Animation trainee program and started learning the craft on February 10, 1975, my first day at the Walt Disney Studio lot. 

   1976 I had started my journey by doing 'inbetweens' for animator Frank Thomas on The Rescuers. Frank let me animate 51 feet of rough animation scenes under his supervision. 

  In those days you had to animate 100 feet on the production you were working on to be promoted to an animator. Not only a promotion, you no longer had to 'clock in', you got a screen credit and the union minimum salary. At around fifty feet, I wasn't even close. Frank got credit for the footage:- ).

 Next up in 1977 I was doing inbetweens and rough animation for animator Gary Goldman on Pete's Dragon. Another 50 or so feet as animation production came to a close. Again, footage was credited to the Gary as I had not reached the magic number.

 Following was The Small One in1979, Disney created a in-house category, animating assistant. No such category exists in the union.

 The union categories are inbetweener, an inbetweener with more experience becomes a breakdown, more experience bumps you up to an assistant animator and finally animator. Any of those categories could be a career. I had advanced to assistant animator by this time.

  Entering into The Small One, a number of us who had come through the trainee program were deemed animating assistants. We now had all the responsibilities of an animator. Which include being issued scenes, talking directly with the sequence director, animating full time and having our own inbetweener.

Animating on The Small One  (below).

 
As I gained on my 100 feet, the publicity department sent out this photo (above) and information about 'A Disney First Black  Animators' referring to Mike McKinney and myself. At this time Mike was in clean-up and I was an assistant.

  In reality they jumped the gun. I had not officially reached the required footage to be an animator.

 I suppose animator sounds more important and gets your attention as the article (above right) refers to us as "The black animators" and The Hero From Otherwhere never got the green light to go into production.

The publicity went out to cities who had a primarily African American news source,(newspaper, magazine).

 At this juncture, animation was not the 800 pound gorilla in the room.

Disney was one of the only if not the only kid on the block producing animated features on a regular basis and that only once every 3 years release date. There were smaller studios and Hanna-Barbara television series but nothing like todays super saturation animation machines. Interest in me making history was small news to some but big news in my community.

From 1937 to 1979 there had been no Black names listed in the screen credits under Animator on a Disney Animated Feature.

 1979  The promotion plus 

 Ed Hanson, Department Head of animation called my home to give me the news that I had been promoted to animator.  I had achieved the quota of 100 feet and more on the production. The week before I had  turned in the scene of the boy climbing up the wall and waving good bye to the man, his wife and The Small One (Joseph with Mary riding the donkey on their way to Bethlehem).

In the 'old days' a scene would be rough animated, sent to the camera department where the individual drawings were to be shot (photographed), reviewed by the director(s) and if it got approval, be inserted in the story reel in place of workbook images. This process could take several days or more.

The week I turned in the scene I decided to take that next week off as vacation time and rest up. I felt tired and run down, very little energy. I had lost weight, my equilibrium was off, slurred speech and nausea also plagued me.

 Weeks earlier my general practice doctor, after examining me said " I'm not giving you a note to get off work". If he didn't take my condition seriously, why should I. So I continued to go to the studio, using one lane on the freeway because looking left or right made me dizzy.

 Another doctor prescribed pills to combat my nausea but the pills made me drowsy. I could barely keep from falling asleep at my desk. 

 I had started tapping the wall as I walked the hallways to keep my balance. President of the studio at the time, the late Ron Miller saw me in this condition, inquired  about it and took action. He had his secretary make specialist doctor appointments for me.  She would telephone from the third floor having made an appointment for me. 

Ear, nose and throat doctor, nope, nothing wrong there...on to another appointment. Several doctors later she arranged for me to see a neurosurgeon, Dr George Gruner. He almost jumped out of his skin upon examining me. His office was across the street to the north from St. Joseph's Hospital. The studio was across the street to the east of the hospital.

"Don't go home, check yourself into the hospital". Day's later Dr. Gruner performed an eight hour surgery on the back of my neck where the spine meets the cranium (still have the scar).

 He told my wife LaVonne, "he's probably going to die on the operating table or if the operation is a success, he'll be paralyzed from the neck or waist down". He said this not to be pessimistic but to prepare her for what he thought the foreseeable outcome would be.

He performed a successful surgery, About three months later I was back on the lot half days.

Other hurdles along the way...

  A few months after I passed the trainee period and doing the job of inbetweening I got called up to the third floor of the old animation building. (First floor was where feature animation was done. Second floor was dedicated to trainees and Eric Larson's spacious office (Eric headed the trainee training) and the library. Management was on the third level.

 There I was told "you will never animate here, Filmation, Hanna-Barbara or someplace else, but not here". This was not a studio wide attitude but it was this person's. I left his office and went back down to the first floor to finish Frank's inbetweens.

 A few years later I was told "Ron, you can't draw, it says right here on paper". Ironic, earlier that week I had talked with the person who was cleaning up (taking roughly drawn characters and removing the construction lines and putting the character on model if needed) my  ruff drawings and he told me the information in the drawings made them easy to clean-up and follow. (example below)

(Ruff animation drawing by Frank Thomas)

(Clean-Up animation drawing-unknown)

  For about seven years I animated crowd and secondary character scenes. I asked if I could get a 'personality/dialogue' scene once in a while. "If I make a mistake, I'll do the scene over", I pleaded my case. I had seen animators re-do scenes before, a common occurrence in the business. "Animators  don't make mistakes" was the answer. A polite way of saying , no.

My journey to February 27, 2023 has not been paved with roses (and there is more to tell) but perhaps for another time.

 For now, I'll enjoy my Sacramento experience.

'Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,'...

                                                                                                                          Eph. 3:20

Until next time...

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Politics...

  The news outlets broadcast politics and politicians daily, you can't help but give it and them some thought. Politicians have a tremendous responsibility representing us. With all they are concerned with, it seems almost incredible that they take an interest in the lives of individuals they represent. Some politicians take such an interest in their constituents that they go above and beyond by reaching out and making contact with those in their districts.

I happen to be one of the few who have had first hand experience of being recognized by a politician, my California State Representative.

1968...

 The first time, some fifty-five years ago as a senior at Monrovia High School.

 Assemblyman Peter F. Schabarum (1929-2021), known as the 'Father of California Term Limits Law', reading the town newspaper (Daily News Post) seeing a picture with captions about me, sent me the  article taped to an official state brochure (below).

 I had never met him, knew anything about him or politics and it would be three years before I  would be able to vote (July1, 1971 Amendment XXV lowered the age from 21 to 18).

 He took an interest in me and I'm sure other individuals he represented.

    

1970...

 The second time Assemblyman Schabarum took notice of me was three years later.  

After he graduated from the University of California Berkely and before entering into politics, he played in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers in the early 1950s. We had a football connection.

Again, taping an article to a brochure (below) letting me know he read the newspaper and was aware of the activities of those in his district.

 Regardless of the activities and rhetoric that comes out of politicians, they are there to do their best and some go above and beyond to encourage, Assemblyman Peter F. Schabarum was one.

2023...

Another of the encouraging politicians is Assemblyman Chris R. Holden.

In a few days California State Assemblyman Chris Holden will have an impact and encourage my life. Not by brochure but in a personal appearance, by me at the state capitol in Sacramento (below). Though he will not be there in person (he will be in Pakistan) a representative from his office will stand in for him.

 

Dear Mr. Husband,

 

It was my pleasure on behalf of Assemblymember Chris R. Holden, to notify you this afternoon of your selection as his Unsung Hero, 2023.  

 

Each year, members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) select a constituent whose accomplishments are a substantive yet unrecognized contribution to society. Assemblymember Holden learned of your long and  successful  career at Walt Disney Studios as the first African American Animator.  He is impressed by your accomplishments and wants to honor you, an example of Black excellence.

 

For the first time since the pandemic, the recognition will be  in a Floor Ceremony at the State Capitol, Monday, February 27.

Our representatives do take a personal interest in all of us:- ).

until next  time...

Hey, that's Dad...

 Recently son Jai on business as usual. Head of the art department and lead designer at Light Up Toys on one of his many visits to theme parks across the continent, to take orders for his company's product, this time Disney World in Orlando, FL. spots his Dad on a poster.

 

Sharing this photo with the family his baby sister wrote "They meant to say Ron Husband was THE FIRST African American to achieve the title Animator AND later SUPERVISING Animator at the Walt Disney Studios".

I was "one of the first", my history has the first African American to work at Disney Feature Animation was Frank Braxton who worked there a few months, then Floyd Norman followed by Mike McKinney and me coming fourth on the list working in animation at Disney and number one doing the work of an animator:- ).

until next time...

Knockout 1930 an inside look Part 3 Inking

 

1/18/21...11:00AM Knockout 1930 finished on my drawing desk.

I'll discuss in detail this 3rd and final installment, the inking process.

  I've been working in pen and ink since since about the fifth or sixth grade. Crow Quill pen and nibs of various sizes dipped in a bottle of black India ink is how I got started.

 These are the various pens and nibs I used (below left) and the mechanical pen I use now (right). 

1964...

I was invited to contribute these drawings to my middle school year book. Here is what I drew for the Sports pages in Clifton Junior High (Monrovia, CA) annual (below).

1967...

Of the many techniques of pen and ink, cross hatching is what I gravitated to. One line at a time with the buildup of linework to create various gradations, textures and shadows. Ink straight out of the bottle to cover large areas works for comic and coloring books but for this type of inking it would produce an out of place 'hole' look (see black circle below right).

 As a junior at Monrovia High (CA) this piece titled 'Skid row' won regional (Los Angeles) and national (New York) awards in pen and ink (below).

 I inked with Quill pens until the early 1990's. The problems I encountered were that the nibs would wear from a sharp point to a rounded edge over the time it took to finish a piece (months to a year) and the dreaded ink splatter. My work was becoming more detailed, requiring finer line work. In order to pick up the lines I changed over from hand inked and pulled prints to giclee (French for spray or squirt, pronounced zhee-klay).

2/4/20...

The first ink lines over pencil drawing (below) were the ring posts and lower right side hat wearers and photographers.

2/8/20...

Next, upper and lower left side got the ink treatment (below).

2/19/20...

Added to the ink progression was the upper right corner.

 The ink outline was finished about a month later on 3/2/2020...

 All images inked except for the ring card females hair. 

Another trip to the printer to document this stage of the journey (below).

3/15/20...

Close up of upper left as cross hatching starts (below).

 Far upper left, caricature of a friend Johnny McLaurin, is the first to receive the cross hatching treatment.

4/8/20...

Light and shadows start to bring out the forms of the people around the ring (below).

4/17/20...

Lower left corner gets fleshed out with ink (right).

5/11/20...

Two major sections start to take form (below). 

5/20/20...

Lower right corner starts to take form with ink (below).

6/5/20...

Darkness brings out the overhead lighting that will help draw attention to the action in the ring (below). 

Upper left and right corners bracket the action (below).

 The most challenging four characters are saved for last.

 Number four on the list is the referee (below).

 Numbers two and three are the fighters. The first lines are started as I carve out their bodies. 

From this C.U. you can see I had not started to soften the camera flashes at this point. That would come as I fine tuned the illustration towards the end of the inking process.

 Being anatomically correct was a priority for the boxers (below). Physically, both are evenly matched. The rounds card informs us that we are witnessing the latter (14) rounds. The ropes of the ring get some ink as attention goes to how they reflect the flash of the cameras and the lights above.

 The lady at the edge of the ring is last person to taste my ink. I realized she could be transformed from beauty to grotesque in the width of a line. From a three quarters rear view, her stature was carefully  massaged from the end of my pen, . The rough and rowdy surrounding environment is contrasted with her feminine lines.  Her hair was purposely left in pencil to this point to capture the more natural 'hot pressing comb' look that was popular at the time.

 The canvas flooring is the final section to be inked. 

 Final thoughts...

This and my other pen and ink pieces are designed to function from a distance, mid-range and up close.

I have seen people with their nose to the glass eyeing every line. There are viewers standing at arms length taking in the whole, various emotions washing over their faces. From this span the viewer can scrutinize each face as it reacts to the punch and observe the universal lean towards the action. In case the viewer misses all that, there are numerous arms and cameras pointed in the direction of interest. 

  From a distance or squinting your eyes, the light above draws immediate attention to the main attraction, the boxers. The upper left corner grouping triangles to a point aimed at our fighters. The referees stance, which at first recoiled from the action, now bends forward leading the eye in the direction of his sight. Lower left corner triangle shape leads to the ring post up the boxer's leg, through his upper torso to the right arm delivering the punch. Lower right side triangular shape does the same. All in an attempt to get the eye to focus attention on the two in the ring.

(About Final thoughts...- It was always funny to me that my art history teachers, some five hundred or so years after the fact, were analyzing what the artist had in mind when he/she did this or that in their artwork. Maybe the instructors were correct in their assessment or maybe passing on an educated guess, if the artist did not say as much. My intentions you got "from the horse's mouth":- )

In all that is happening in this wall to wall action bonanza there are> 7 Wedding rings, 9 Women, 13 Smokers, 6 Bottles of beer, 12 Cameras, 12 Without hats, 4 Bowties, 2 Hotdogs, 4 Wearing eyeglasses, 4 Military, 1 Gun and about 160 people, I kept coming up with a different count so after four tries-about).

    Until next time...

Knockout 1930...an inside look Part 2 Pencil

11/11/2019... Official start date.

  The H pencil on Strathmore 500, 2-ply, 23" by 29" illustration board. Sounds a little technical but it is what I find works best for the technique of pen and ink, cross hatching. I'll talk more about pen and ink next time.

11/23/19...

 The boxing ring size, angle and format is set (below). This would be the environment which the individual actors would perform. Sounds like I'm making a movie and in a way I am. Think about how important the layout/background is in anchoring the setting and giving the actors the proper setting to convey the story points. My thinking goes like this...in a quick sketch or  an illustration you are telling a story in a single sketch/drawing. In a movie (animated or live action) your story is told in a series of images run through a projector at 24 frames per second.

 My background in animation has me thinking not only about a strong, storytelling pose (extreme) but how the character got into the pose and how the character is going to get out of that pose. Thus, the character drawn has a feeling of movement, even in a stationary pose.

 Everything that describes that particular character is explained in that one drawing. Body language and facial expression must say it all about him or her at that moment in time. 

 

 12/21/19... 

 First in importance is the placement of the ring posts (above). Foreground, left and far corner. To include the whole four corners of the ring I would have to draw the individuals smaller. What I wanted to say about each individual was not only in their body language but also in their faces. What was more important in telling this story, the ring or the size of the attendees? No contest.

  Next was to position the catalyst of all the commotion, the boxers. Rather than drawing and re-working the main characters on the illustration board which meant much erasing and wearing down the surface of the paper, I worked it out on tracing paper...

12/16/19...

 then (below) penciled the images in.

.
12/17/19....

 With the two main characters in place I begin to add the people. Beginning with the referee. The overall theme is to have all the people reacting to the knockout punch, the referee (below) is no exception as he recoils from the vicious blow. But as more people are added, the ref will help bring out another aspect of how this story is told.

 12/18/19...

 The people (right) were added in small groups around the boxing ring. This way I had a feel for perspective, proportion and scale from all angles.

 Everybody is engaged and doing something based on their mutual interest in the boxing match.

1/6/20...

 At the early stage keeping silhouettes was easy, making sure everyone stood out would be more challenging as the population (below) on paper increased. 

 1/19/20...

 There are a number of servicemen depicted. The excited sailor  (above, left) is my son-in-law Johann. He is presently active duty Navy (C.U. below) and helped me by researching navy uniforms of that era.

 As more people were added I wanted to convey the  feeling that everything was being motivated by this one act, the knockout punch. All eyes and bodies, for the most part, were focused in that direction.

 The referee (below) is not in the same body position he was in at the beginning. I saw an opportunity to get the referee to bend his body toward the action and further lead the eye into the action. From the beginning planning stages it was my intent to lead the eye toward the action by using the boxing ring pole nearest to the viewer. Follow the pole to the boxer's right foot, up to his body, through his right arm into the impact of the blow that ignites the emotions of the crowd. This will be further emphasized during the inking process.

 1/23/20...

All penciling done (below)  the illustration goes to the printer to get a scanned image at this stage.

Finally in part 3 I'll discuss the inking process.

Until next time...