ME; You have the job that most people only dream of having. Was it always a mission of yours to work for Disney?
BB; Yes, it has always been a goal of mine to work as a Disney artist in some way. As a freelancer I have the benefit of working with many different studios and companies as well as the seperate branches of The Walt Disney Company. I have my dream job.
ME; You are obviously very talented both in your freelance and Disney work, has it always been a natural talent/skill or have you had to learn the art of paper cutting/sculpting?
BB; Thank you. Although some of it's talent or skill, most is from hard work and dedication to learning my craft. I study traditional, hand-drawn animation techniques such as anatomy, strong silhouette, layout, etc. The more I study the great masters before me, the better I become as an artist.
ME; You must love going to work each day with your job? Does it feel like work or a privilege to be doing what you love?
BB; I love my job, and I feel very privileged. I work from home, so it's the best of both worlds-creating artwork for an industry I love AND being there for my family when I am needed most.
ME; With the growing number of paper artist's out there, what keep's you at the top of the pile?
BB; I don't know if I would say I am one of the top paper artists. I can say I do know who is, and I work very hard to move up that ladder daily.
ME; What are your tools of the trade? I have tried so many different knives, paper, card etc, but I just can't seem to settle with one type. Did you, or do you have the same problem? If so could you share some trade secrets please?
BB; Jeff Nishinaka, a professional paper artist for over 30 years, uses an X-acto knife and Elmer's glue. Calvin Nicholls, another professional paper artist, prefers a scalpel. I personally use an X-acto knife for most projects, but I may try a scalpel in the future.
I would say that finding the right glue is the most difficult problem for paper artists. I own many types of glue and each project calls for something different. I am constantly buying and trying acid-free glues. I would like a company to make an acid-free glue for the hot glue gun.
ME; Obviously with Disney's standards, do you get to have much input into the display you work on or is the decision making left to somebody else?
BB; I am not sure about the question, but I will answer the best way I can.
Disney has very high standards. All of the artists' work must go through an approval process to make sure the artwork is "on model". Once the concept is approved and the final product is made, the piece goes through approval again. The final artwork is then delivered to the printer and framing company, and then it is sent to the store. I use custom acrylic cases, so my process is a little different.ME; Do you have many people working under/for you or do you work completely alone?
BB; No, I work alone. I like working on a creative team, and would prefer to. but working freelance is best for me and my family right now.
ME; Have you ever created a character in your own work that Disney have ever used in an animation/film?
BB; No, I haven't. For Disney, I create paper sculptures of their copyrighted characters designed by their previous Disney animators. I have made backgrounds, characters and scenes, but they were not for any animated features. I am currently working on character designs and paper sculptures for other studios and clients.
I enjoy going back and forth between nostalgic characters and scenes I remember, and creating designs I conceptualize from scratch.
ME; I have followed your work with great delight and I was just wondering how long a piece like lets say the tree for Mary Poppins piece you did a little while back, takes in hours? would you attack this tree in one go or bits at a time?
BB; It takes more time when I create a new piece. The tree took 3 weeks or more.
It had an entire scene built behind it to hold Bert and Milt Kahl fox, which was technically difficult to achieve.
I try to stick to a 9-to-5 work schedule, but some projects I get excited about, and I don't eat or sleep until I am finished.
For a client, I start with making a white maquette. Once that is approved, I re-create the piece using colored cardstock. Depending on the size of the artwork, the entire process can take a week to 6 months or longer.
ME; Have you ever gotten towards the end of a big piece of paper art and then made a huge mistake? (I have), if this has happened, what did you do?
BB; Yes and no. For my style, I am not cutting into one large piece of paper, so I don't have to worry about mistakes like that. There have been many, many times that I have spent 40 or more hours on a piece that ends up in the trash. At first, I would fight to make something work that I have spent so many hours on. I am quicker now to see when something isn't working, and I just get rid of it and move on, despite the time I have put into that piece of artwork. I have come to realize it's just part of the process. The painful part.
ME; Who or what has been or is your biggest inspiration that keeps you doing what you do to such high standards?
BB; I would have to say the other artists before me. The ones I read books about, the ones who write books, and whom I have had the pleasure get to know. I am critical of my own artwork, and sometimes I thirst for the constructive criticism of those mentors.
ME; Most influential artists like yourself usually have a phrase, quote or motto that they like to work by, do you have one?
BB; I have many. The one that I live by, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life" (Confucius). Each of us is given some passion or gift to live our life in such a way that brings us the most joy. I have found mine, and I only hope others will do the same.
ME; Who has been the most famous person you have met within the art world?
BB; From the rest of the worlds standards, I have met many famous people within the entertainment and art industry. But for me, it meant the most to meet John Musker. He is the writer and director of The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, Treasure Planet, Princess and the Frog and Moana (2016). Without writers and directors like John, the animators I admire most would not be able to work and create.
I have met Andreas Deja, The Bancroft Brothers (Tony and Tom), Nik Ranieri, Rick Farmiloe, Ron Husband, Floyd Norman and many more animation legends. Buy their books, take their classes and annoy these men and women for their autographs and advice. In this world of technology, we have direct access to the wisdom of these giants of industry.
ME; Now that you have an established style to your work which obviously is fantastic, do you continue to try other methods/styles to maybe add to your style?
BB; Paper is my main medium. As an artist, I do have some weird quirks and creative inclinations to use different mediums at different times. I think these attempts will contribute to my work in some way. I try everything from painting to acid-etching on mirrors. I draw with a pencil quite often; but only for my personal sketchbooks or concept designs before sculpting.
As far as different paper sculpting methods, I do try many.
ME; Finally, for a student like myself who strives to be as good as yourself, what three most important pieces of advice can you give?
BB; I don't think I am qualified yet to give such feedback. I can tell you what has worked for me, and you can take it from there.
Like most people in the entertainment industry would tell you, it's more about who you know. Talent and hard work has to be there, but I think networking is as important-if not more so.
At this point in my career, the best advice I can give is to be professional. Answer emails on time, be dependable and don't be late on projects. It seems simple, but it's harder than you think.
Well there you have it, some great replies and some fantastic advice. I can't thank you enough Britni for taking time out of your busy schedule for me but wow. I wish you and your family all the best for the future, thanks so kindly, Leigh
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