Funny Face Backgrounds

Ub Iwerks may have come from the Disney studio, but he emulated the early Fleischer sound cartoons when it came to backgrounds. You’ll find warped buildings and streetscapes that have a ratty, seen-better-days look (while Disney increasingly went for the pretty illustration-wannabe look).

The effect isn’t as pronounced in “Fresh Face,” a 1933 Flip cartoon, but you can see it. Unfortunately, the versions the cartoons I have been are full of digital pixilation, so I can’t clip together a nice long street background. But you can see what I’m talking about from some of these shots.



And here’s about half of one background drawing of Dr. Skinnum’s office.



A shame it is the artists never got credit. I’d like to know who did the backgrounds for Ub around this time.