Thanks kindly, Tony! Hadn't watched in a long while, and played it a couple weeks back for my MCAD Comics Character Development class - thought it held up pretty well :D
Toth did amazing short hand in design and 3 dimensional depth with a dash of a line and placement of blacks! I have the 3 HC Genius books and originally I only had the animation volume ,some time later I course corrected and got the other 2! When Covid started to ramp up I binge watched Space Ghost! Also my first exposure to the Fantastic Four was the cartoon and Toth designs totally compliment Kirby! The cartoon animated is crude especially by today’s standards but the Kirby/Toth foundation is striking! The Genius books are absolute plethora of the skill/work ethic of Toth!❤🎯⚡️😎
Toth's work on the FF cartoon isn't my fave of his, tho I love his designs on Skrulls and other villains. I'd also recommend you pick up the 4th book, adding to the Genius series, Treasures Retold.
@@comixcrush Thanks! I didn’t know there was a 4th book!💎👍 I know exactly what you saying the FF! Hanna Barbera was churning cartoons for 3 networks and eventually was their downfall! Toth design sense is amazing to look at! Great content &very informative!🎯
Do we know much about Toth’s process? Blue pencilling? Lightboxing? Reference material? Granted he was a master draftsman who could jump to a finish rather quickly, but what info is there about his layout and roughing approaches?
Not many pencils exist, but there are some here and there, many of which I've posted on ATID IG. A good amount of unfinished pencil work was included in the Bravo For Adventure Artist's Edition, which provide insights to his process and thoughts. His pencils, to me, look different from most artists. He was thinking in terms of outline and overlap, rather than anatomical/structural underdrawing. He used reference, but would usually study it, set it aside, then draw, he said. Most of what he did was from his head. I see little evidence he used a lightbox, though he may have at times, and likely did on some character design/concept work for Hanna-Barbera. He wrote about these topics, but I'd have to revisit, collate and unpack.
Toth's design work is nearly 'anti-animation' design. You can see from his earliest model sheets, they are far too detailed for animation. Later he was more like Iwao Takamoto- but they are both too detailed and irregular with most of their designs. Typically, you want simple, easy to figure out/draw characters in animation. And Toth's character work is always deceptively simple- mean, it's really not. His tech and prop design is much better for animation. Simple and elegant. By the sheer will of his imagination, drawing skill and speed, kept him in animation, where a less artists doing designs like him would have been shown the door.
I getcha that sometimes Toth's models sheets have too many lines for animation or aren't streamlined enough - Toth himself would say this, and did say this, especially about his early design work. But that doesn't explain why so many currently working designers and animators I know and have read/heard anecdotally laud/follow/emulate his design work. And your comments here seem at odds with your take on Toth in your "Superfriends Season 1: Why it's Great!" episode. Near every time I see animators follow more closely his designs and boards, the end product is elevated/enhanced. You illustrate it well in your video. I understand constructive criticism, but "anti-animation" and "shown the door" seem harsh and contrarian.
@@comixcrush I'm talking about his character models. Per my Superfriends video, the part you are talking about is about his boards and layouts, not his character design. And yeah, if you are not fluent in animation design, no supervising director is going to hire you to do character models (unless the show calls for it, like say King of the Hill). Alex Toth is a superior illustrator who understands storytelling. But he's not well verse in animation design (there's more to it than 'less detailed' drawing). Most of the storyboard artists I've worked with (who like myself, love Toth's work) look at Toth's work to be inspired. Not as a guide to do their work, because he comes from a comicbook background. And beautiful illustrations don't always meet the needs of motion. Most strive to get Toth's depth, while keeping it in line with what works in animation. Look at James Tucker's Space Ghost designs for Batman: The Brave and the Bold. And even Mike Mignola and Kevin Nolan's Batman the Animated Series work. Or Gerald Scarfe's Hercules designs. All great designs, but not as easy to work with in animation. So their worked was modified. Toth was always employed because he was Toth! His artistry was more important than his animation sense. Which I don't think is a bad thing- more power to him!
@@superheropow1 I was also referring to the parts in the vids you showed about character design. I'm glad we both love Toth's work, we probably just disagree a bit on this particular issue. Perhaps I'll try to have an animation friend or two on as guests to speak to it - they may come down on your end, we'll see. :D
This was an excellent analysis of Toth's timeless designs.
Thanks kindly, Tony! Hadn't watched in a long while, and played it a couple weeks back for my MCAD Comics Character Development class - thought it held up pretty well :D
Great analysis, great examples. ❤
Thanks, glad you found this episode useful.
Love that I learn something new every show!
Me, too.
Toth did amazing short hand in design and 3 dimensional depth with a dash of a line and placement of blacks! I have the 3 HC Genius books and originally I only had the animation volume ,some time later I course corrected and got the other 2! When Covid started to ramp up I binge watched Space Ghost! Also my first exposure to the Fantastic Four was the cartoon and Toth designs totally compliment Kirby! The cartoon animated is crude especially by today’s standards but the Kirby/Toth foundation is striking! The Genius books are absolute plethora of the skill/work ethic of Toth!❤🎯⚡️😎
Toth's work on the FF cartoon isn't my fave of his, tho I love his designs on Skrulls and other villains.
I'd also recommend you pick up the 4th book, adding to the Genius series, Treasures Retold.
@@comixcrush Thanks! I didn’t know there was a 4th book!💎👍 I know exactly what you saying the FF! Hanna Barbera was churning cartoons for 3 networks and eventually was their downfall! Toth design sense is amazing to look at! Great content &very informative!🎯
Toth's FF was my introduction to the characters. His work was quite literally fantastic.
Do we know much about Toth’s process? Blue pencilling? Lightboxing? Reference material? Granted he was a master draftsman who could jump to a finish rather quickly, but what info is there about his layout and roughing approaches?
Not many pencils exist, but there are some here and there, many of which I've posted on ATID IG. A good amount of unfinished pencil work was included in the Bravo For Adventure Artist's Edition, which provide insights to his process and thoughts.
His pencils, to me, look different from most artists. He was thinking in terms of outline and overlap, rather than anatomical/structural underdrawing.
He used reference, but would usually study it, set it aside, then draw, he said. Most of what he did was from his head.
I see little evidence he used a lightbox, though he may have at times, and likely did on some character design/concept work for Hanna-Barbera.
He wrote about these topics, but I'd have to revisit, collate and unpack.
Great insight & analysis of Toth’s designs Mr. Fricke!
Pleased you liked it, Hugo, and thanks for saying so!
Well look who you run into when you watch a great analysis on an artistic genius. Hi @hugogiraudjr.8457 . “VIVA LA TOTH.”
Hi @@KB_Art! Toth is King!
Cool analysis. Waiting on my Alex Toth cartoon art reissue in October.
Thanks much. Countdown to Genius, Animated...!
Thank u Alex, I appreciate, my first time in your channel.
I found you on Instagram 🙋🙂
Alex Toth passed in 2006. This channel and the instagram account are dedicated to the excellence of his work.
@@comixcrush oh wow 😐😔 my condolence, RIP Legend.
Thanks 4 this channel fella
Great video and great learning experience of character designing 👍
Thanks, Scott!
Excellent AND useful. Thank you so much!
My pleasure. Glad you found it so.
great analysis!
Thanks, glad you liked it.
can you do a video on the bionic six designs?
That's great stuff, among my faves of his stuff. I'll put the topic on the list...
Very helpful breakdown of the work of a master!! Thank you!!
Thank YOU - glad you found it helpful.
Toth is the Jack Kirby of superhero cartoons
Is there an art book based on these basic shapes ?
There are a bunch of character design books available, but mileage may vary.
Toth's design work is nearly 'anti-animation' design. You can see from his earliest model sheets, they are far too detailed for animation. Later he was more like Iwao Takamoto- but they are both too detailed and irregular with most of their designs. Typically, you want simple, easy to figure out/draw characters in animation. And Toth's character work is always deceptively simple- mean, it's really not. His tech and prop design is much better for animation. Simple and elegant. By the sheer will of his imagination, drawing skill and speed, kept him in animation, where a less artists doing designs like him would have been shown the door.
I getcha that sometimes Toth's models sheets have too many lines for animation or aren't streamlined enough - Toth himself would say this, and did say this, especially about his early design work. But that doesn't explain why so many currently working designers and animators I know and have read/heard anecdotally laud/follow/emulate his design work. And your comments here seem at odds with your take on Toth in your "Superfriends Season 1: Why it's Great!" episode. Near every time I see animators follow more closely his designs and boards, the end product is elevated/enhanced. You illustrate it well in your video. I understand constructive criticism, but "anti-animation" and "shown the door" seem harsh and contrarian.
@@comixcrush
I'm talking about his character models. Per my Superfriends video, the part you are talking about is about his boards and layouts, not his character design.
And yeah, if you are not fluent in animation design, no supervising director is going to hire you to do character models (unless the show calls for it, like say King of the Hill).
Alex Toth is a superior illustrator who understands storytelling. But he's not well verse in animation design (there's more to it than 'less detailed' drawing).
Most of the storyboard artists I've worked with (who like myself, love Toth's work) look at Toth's work to be inspired. Not as a guide to do their work, because he comes from a comicbook background. And beautiful illustrations don't always meet the needs of motion. Most strive to get Toth's depth, while keeping it in line with what works in animation. Look at James Tucker's Space Ghost designs for Batman: The Brave and the Bold. And even Mike Mignola and Kevin Nolan's Batman the Animated Series work. Or Gerald Scarfe's Hercules designs. All great designs, but not as easy to work with in animation. So their worked was modified.
Toth was always employed because he was Toth! His artistry was more important than his animation sense. Which I don't think is a bad thing- more power to him!
@@superheropow1 I was also referring to the parts in the vids you showed about character design. I'm glad we both love Toth's work, we probably just disagree a bit on this particular issue. Perhaps I'll try to have an animation friend or two on as guests to speak to it - they may come down on your end, we'll see. :D