Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Disney Ranch.

Last Friday, we went to the "Disney Ranch" in the Placerita Canyon, for a
nice day of outdoor painting, along with some Artists from Disney
Imagineering.
The Disney Ranch is located on few hundred acres of breathtaking land,
bought by Disney in the 50's, that was used and is still used to shoot
movies. Amongst many, the only one I remember that I've been told are,
"Pete's Dragon" and "Big Top Pee Wee".
There's also one of many of Walt Disney's properties on site, a beautiful
house that he used as a weekend retreat.

I chose oil pastels for my painting as I never really used it, and had a lot
of fun. This red barn was used in Big Top Pee Wee, and there was a guy doing
some location photos for the "My Name is Earl" show as I was painting it.
(this is the last painting I've done of the day)



There was also and old Western Town, used in many movies I guess, falling
apart; a street with a Saloon, Bank...but I chose to paint the mess at the
back, revealing all the fake of a movie set, big beams of wood supporting
the facades, more abstract and interesting to me.
(This is the second painting I've done, the first one was just a muddy mix of oil pastels on a board)



My tools for the day.



Beautiful scenery, all the houses are fake, the stones are made out of foams and plastics, empty inside.




The water is real though.




Inside Walt Disney's home, his 2 leather seats that are apparently originals.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Jimmy's!

One fine restaurant down the road, where you can try some American delicacies. The only problem is that if you decide to eat there, you have to sit right next to the main road (Flower Street), it's a bit like having lunch next to the freeway. But the food is good. It's been there for a long time I've been told.



And a nice Chevrolet Caprice, I love those 70's American cars, it's like being in a Columbo, I don't even know if that one is from the 70's, but I like it.