on TV recently, then you've probably seen those ads for Coors Beer that put the spotlight on "original" sports legends such as Willie Mays and John Elway. In the world of animation, there is also such a thing as an "original" artist, and one of the most creative and truly original artists working in the field today is Michel Gagne.
Currently the 2D special effects supervisor on Warner Bros.' forthcoming feature OSMOSIS JONES, Michel's list of credits include six Don Bluth features, Warner Bros.' THE IRON GIANT and QUEST FOR CAMELOT, and visual effects on live-action films such as DEMOLITION MAN, MORTAL KOMBAT and VAMPIRE IN BROOKLYN. Where Michel's talent really shines though is in his own personal art, free from the committee- driven confines of feature animation. One of his independent projects, the visually explosive short PRELUDE TO EDEN, has rightfully taken its place as a cult classic of sorts among the animation crowd. Another of his self-produced projects is the artfully designed series of storybooks he has been publishing the past couple years.
His fourth and latest volume, THE BIRD, THE SPIDER AND THE OCTOPUS, is something of a departure that shows us an even more twisted, albeit lighter, side of Gagne's creativity. The 32-page volume, of which only 1,000 signed and numbered copies are available, recounts the fate of the three seemingly benign title characters, each of whom feels the need for self-destruction. When I first saw this book, what struck me most was the animals themselves. The bird in the first story has a beak, feathers, and all the accoutrements of your average bird, but it is unlike any bird I've ever seen. The same can be said for the other animals in the book whether it's a crab, bats, rats, or an octopus. Like another classic animal illustrator T.S. Sullivant, Michel interpets nature's creatures in his own distinct style. There is no precedent for the drawings of Michel Gagne; his intricate yet bold line quality is spectacular. It is truly one artist's raw vision transmitted directly to his readers.
There is nothing to fault in this book, other than that I wished it had been longer. Once I finished it, I was left with an appetite for more of his work. On the upside though, Michel's books are like any other great work of art -- one time just isn't enough. You'll definitely want to pick this book up every so often and marvel at his artistry. And with upcoming projects that include a full-color graphic novel and an ambitious half-hour animated film, fans of Michel Gagne's work have plenty more to look forward to.
To find out more about Michel Gagne, read this fine interview with him by Bob Miller at ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE, or check out his other books at Amazon.com:
A SEARCH FOR MEANING: THE STORY OF REX
THE GREAT SHADOW MIGRATION
THE MYSTERY OF HE
