Why I love Fridays part 1

So, on Friday, I did what I'd been dying to do since Nuit Blanche. I went and saw the original drawings from Studio Ghibli. I took a new metro line and went further across Paris then I ever had. I was nervous at first, since it was just me, but the metro line I went on was actually really cool because it was above ground, unlike the other metros. I got all tingly as sped at 4 story building level. It was very cool.

Technically I took this photo when I was headed out, but this is what I saw when I came in.

This was the view from the end the platform once I arrived. I actually checked my camera to make sure there was no filter on the photo once I took it since I don't use filters. Nope. 100% reality. I was ok with that. After that, I found my way to the museum where the exhibit was located. It wasn't hard to find, though since it wasn't the only art related thing in the vicinity, I did have to narrow things down though. 

The view though, was gorgeous. It was absolutely perfect day. 

Still, I was nearly bouncing in excitement, so I quickly went inside and bought a ticket. I had trouble with the door both on the way in and on the way out though, so the security guard was laughing at me. I didn't blame him. I was laughing too. And the words push were written in french on the door too. I am so smart with these every day things. . . .

Still, thrilled is an understatement when I got my ticket. It was so gorgeous too. 

I felt a little like Charlie Bucket and his golden ticket. I tried to contain my glee as I walked past the security guard. I'm pretty sure I failed, because he was grinning at me.

Once inside the exhibit, I found myself in a dark room with lots of information -- both in English and in French -- about the animation process and scans of some of the Studio Ghibli drawings. There was also information on the materials the artists used and a display case. 

I have posted the scans of the drawings here, because where the real drawings were framed, no photos were allowed, for fear of damaging the drawings. I totally stand by that, so the only photos I took inside the exhibit were the things that would not be damaged by camera exposure. Here are the scans of the drawings: 

 The next room had one drawing framed for each of the Studio Ghibli movies, starting from Nausicaa, Valley of the Wind, and Castle in the Sky and going to the Wind Rises and another one that I cannot recall the title of. My favorite were the drawings of Castle in the Sky and Nausicaa Valley of the Wind, because they seemed to capture the single most important moment and make it come along. But at the same time, the drawings were rough, raw, and full of emotion. Not to sound big headed or anything, but they reminded me of my own drawings. Where I will be at in a few years if I study hard enough. After these first drawings, of course, the drawings became anything I can ever aspire too, but being able to see myself in those first few drawings was very inspiring. I even made a list of ways I can improve my work entitled: What Miyazaki has that I don't. For your amusement, I have posted it in part here:
Early Drawings: 
Dynamic Composition
Clean Lines
FLOW
Detail
Decent Backgrounds
He uses a little blue and shading to make points. Sometimes in yellow or red. Sometimes a rainbow.
Tells a story.
Caught in one moment.

Castle in the Sky
Cleaner, More precise.
Stronger use of color.
Hands are amazing.
Best drawings have elegant, clean lines and true focus, purpose.
Too many lines looks busy overwhelming to the eye.

Drawing Asides: 

How the eye moved was very important in the drawing.
There was a main point, followed by a secondary and then a third point.
First object is set off with space. Eye is drawn to white spaces or the un-symmetrical. It is drawn to what is unusual. If the drawing is very complex, it is drawn to the simple and vice versa.  

Princess Monokoke

Drawings are sharper, more dynamic, with harder lines. Stronger use of black and orange.
Drawings reflect the war-like, hostile nature of the film.

My Neighbor Toroto

More color (green and blue) used. More pen. Drawings displayed suggested they were from a later stage.


What I learned: Characters and backgrounds are often drawn separately. There was a huge background displayed for Kiki's Delivery Service.

When I first got into the exhibit, I thought there was only one or two rooms. It turned out, however that there was a room for nearly ever movie. In Toroto, there was a giant shadow of Toroto on the wall! It was really cool.
After the Monokoke room though, (complete with clips from the movie) there was the coolest thing in the entire exhibit.
The Spirited Away Exhibit. First there was soft music. And then . . .

This

It was full sized and walking towards this thing, (also a scan, so I could photograph it) was amazing. It was so magical. I felt like I walking towards another world, which was, I imagine, the point. 

when you turned the corner, there was a full room. And floor to ceiling was crammed with Spirited Away drawings. There was also a screen with an interview with Miyazaki on it. Very cool. But the coolest part when when I turned the next corner and ran into this:

Yup. Life-sized recreation of the scene from the film. With the mirrors added it felt like it went on forever.
Here's a close up of the detail of the vase:

I was happily impressed. After this, I went into the Howl's Moving Castle room. I wasn't as impressed, though the drawings were amazing, and moved on. It was a little sad, since Howl's Moving Castle is easily my favorite of the Studio Ghibli films. Still, they'd still impressed me out of my mind in the exhibit in general and blown away my highest expectations. After that, I was getting tired, having been there 2 hours and I began to skim a little, particularly since I wasn't as familiar with a lot of the newer works. I was most impressed with the drawings from Ponyo -- full color and huge -- and the drawings from The Secret World of Arrietty, which were pure magic. I haven't seen either film though, so it fell a little flat. I looked around the rest of the drawings, which were still really amazing, and headed out. Before I did though, I sat for this photo:

It was really unique and fun. I sat on a bench covered in green screen and the computer did the rest. It was a great way to end an amazing exhibit and an incredible experience.

And that was my visit to the Studio Ghibli Exhibit. But that wasn't the end of my day, not by a long shot. Stay tuned for why I love Fridays, part 2.