Art Inspiration Part 1: Glen Keane

If anyone were to ask me who my favorite artist is, it would have to be Glen Keane. Glen Keane has been one of my inspirations since I was a little kid. What I love most about Glen Keane is how lively his artwork is. 

Glen Keane is an American illustrator, animator, and author; he was mainly known for his animation work at Disney such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, Tangled, and many more. Glen Keane attended Cal Arts school and won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Short Film (animated).

As mentioned earlier, what I admire most about Keane's work is how lively his artwork is. The lines are super flowy — using force drawing — which makes the look of characters very expressive and energetic.

Let's take a look at an example: 

The Beast Concept Art (Beauty and the Beast)

In this picture here, we can see how expressive the eyes are, showcasing the beast's sorrow. In another example here, we can see how intense Tarzan's eyes are. 

Tarzan Concept Art (Tarzan)

In Keane's art, he focuses on traditional art. We can see from Keane's work, he primarily uses pencil or charcoal — this is illustrated through his rough rhythmic pencil sketch lines. Another feature I enjoy about Keane's work is the use of basic shapes. In this example here, we can see how simple Keane's work is using basic shapes while being able to achieve a complex character design. 

Beast's head sketches (Beauty and the Beast)

All in all, Glen Keane's work definitely inspires me as an artist, and some of my favorite works include Tangled and Pocahontas. One day, I hope to improve, so I can draw lively, dynamic characters just like him. 

Lastly, here is one of my favorite animations done by Glen Keane.

In the comments below, leave a comment about who your favorite animator is!