First Contact: How Disney Art can Transport You

“To all who come to this happy place, Welcome!” This was the opening statements Walt made on July 17, 1955. Tied into this statement are the posters throughout the Kingdoms of Disney.

Back in the day at Disneyland, the one of the first artistic contacts with guests were the two tunnels or the gateways to Main Street. Within these arched segues you were presented with huge posters of what was to come. The poster creation process was detailed, difficult and highly creative. Fans worldwide gaze in awe of what is to come. This tradition has been protected and carried through all the Kingdoms around the globe.

Silk screening or screen printing is the process by which Disney takes an idea and transforms it into a poster that widens eyes and taps into our anticipation of what is to come. Back in the day, technology was not digital, and transferring these images required a calculated application of the colors on such a large scale. Using a squeegee process, one could apply the many colors, to a 36×54 inch poster, systematically to create those resonating images that have children pointing and parents goose necking at what is to come.

Many of the artists are names one probably doesn’t recognize. Rudy Lord, Greg Paul, Eddie Soto, Debbie Lord. Others, well, they need no introduction, Herb Ryman, Marc Davis et. al. Probably one of the most famous posters is the hitchhiking ghosts by Marc Davis and Ken Chapman.

Or maybe, you’re a Buccaneer fan created by Collin Campbell.

As time passed, and discovery of new technologies were achieved, the detail and process of the posters have changed. That being said, the same rich presentation of what lies ahead has not changed. The response to these 4+ feet communications of what is to come is still the same. So whether you are ogling at Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant in Paris or the Disneyland Railroad in Anaheim California where it all began, soak in the story, the history, and be touched by what is to come.

Source:Poster Arts of the Disney Parks Copyright 2012 First Edition, Danny Handke and Vanessa Hunt Introduction by Tony Baxter

dngnb8 is one of our contributors to D-COT and helps provide some very interesting historical info as well as the latest official Disney news.

7 Comments

  1. Yessss! I love all of the Disney attraction posters….they are so awesome! :cool:

  2. We had Disney attraction posters on our tables at our wedding :heart:

  3. The posters are one of my favorite parts of a Disney trip

  4. The posters are also on the Walt Disney Imagineering book: Poster Art of Disney Parks.and they have different kinds of posters.

  5. In fact, I have the book! ;) It was the inspiration of the piece! ;)

  6. So do I.

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