Disney Animator Tyrus Wong Passes Away at 106
Artist Tyrus Wong who did spec drawings for the Walt Disney classic Bambi has passed away.
According to the Walt Disney Family Museum blog. Wong emigrated from China in 1919. Wong arrived in San Francisco, and later on received a full scholarship from the Otis Art Institute.
Wong was hired by the Walt Disney Studios in 1938, primarily doing sketches of Mickey Mouse. According to the museum, once Wong found out about the Bambi project, he immediately began work.
“When he heard that the studio was in pre-production on the feature film Bambi, he went home and painted several pictures of a deer in a forest. The small, but evocative sketches captured the attention of Walt Disney and became the basis for the film’s visual style. Walt Disney saw that Tyrus was able to produce exquisite artwork that did not necessarily look like the forest — but rather, felt like the forest. Walt’s vision for Bambi and use of Tyrus’ work still influences films today.”
Tyrus Wong worked at Disney from 1938-1941. Wong was influential in the creation of Bambi. May he rest in peace.
Source: Deadline
