Generations of moviegoers have been intrigued by the imaginary worlds in which memorable Disney characters are found. For the first time, these unforgettable film settings have been captured in this unique collection of fine animation art sculptures introduced in Summer 1995. The master sculptures are designed, and painted at the Walt Disney Studios to ensure replication of every detail of the original, magical film settings.

backgrounds are very important

Walt Disney felt the use of backgrounds was key to the story-telling process. Artists were challenged to develop film settings that would enhance the dramatic quality of the film To fully capture the rich detail found in these style-setting backgrounds, artists study original layout drawings, paintings and the films themselves. They must also envision unseen angles and viewpoints such as the rear of the Seven Dwarfs´ Cottage to enable the transformation from the two-dimensional masterpieces to the three-dimensional works of art. The Enchanted places scenes are not always produced to scale in order to capture the true details and enhance the beauty and believability of the piece. For example, the tree in Alice in Wonderland´s cottage is smaller in the sculpture than on the screen because its overwhelming size on screen would detract from the exceptional beauty of the cottage.
 

Sculpting

Each Enchanted Place sculpture is originally sculpted in clay, then cast in a special “artists” blend of alabaster and resin, which is specially formulated to best capture even the most minute detail. Small props are cast individually in fine pewter then carefully hand painted to give each sculpture that extra Disney touch. The master sculpture from the Walt Disney Studios is replicated at production facilities in China.
 

Painting

Artists treat each sculpture as a three-dimensional painting, using both oil and water colors and blending and shading to create the illusion of light, shadow, and special textures such as weathered wood or brick. This unique, entirely hand-painted process results in no two sculptures being exactly alike, which is why each piece s hand-numbered as a matchless work of art.
 

Base and Nameplate

Many of the exquisitely hand-crafted sculptures come with a separate wood base featuring a delicately etched bronze nameplate.
 

Backstamp and Serial Number

Many sculptures have regal felted bottoms containing a bronze backstamp etched with the Enchanted Places logo, name of the sculpture, and individual hand-engraved serial number. This serial number identifies each unique work of art, can be used for quality control, and is used to register each piece. (No yearly production mark, e.g. wheel, trowel is used.)
 

Certificate of Authenticity

Each sculpture is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity imprinted with the signature of Roy E. Disney, currently Emeritus Director and consultant of the Walt Disney Company.
 

Miniatures

Also available from WDCC is a line of intricately hand-crafted bronze miniatures, sculpted by the renowned artist Robert Olszewski. Each piece, created using the “lost wax” process, convincingly conveys each character’s likeness and personality while complementing a specific Enchanted Places sculpture.
Lost Wax Process: Used to create WDCC bronze miniatures, this process begins with a wax carving, which is the encased in a solid material mold. The mold is then heated, melting the wax, which is allowed to run out of the mold. The molten bronze is then poured into the mold. The final figurine is then painted using the color palette from the film.
 

Source: Product Education Program