Become Donald Duck's Official Portrait Artist

[Sue Kruse]

CALLING ALL ARTISTS …

DISNEY’S D23 MEMBERS INVITED TO BECOME
DONALD DUCK’S OFFICIAL PORTRAIT ARTIST

First-Ever Disney Fan Portrait Competition Celebrates
Donald’s 75th Birthday

Finalists to Be Displayed at Inaugural D23 Expo This Fall in Anaheim;
Winner to Receive Rare, Original ‘Duckster’ Award


BURBANK, Calif. – May 26, 2009 – Irascible, cranky, mischievous, outrageous – Donald Duck has a seemingly limitless personality, and in honor of his birthday on June 9, Disney’s D23 is commissioning an official portrait from those who know Donald best: his fans.

For the first time ever, Disney is turning to fans to create an official portrait of one of its biggest stars. Finalists in the Donald Duck 75th Anniversary Portrait Contest will have their work unveiled and displayed at the inaugural D23 Expo, which will be held September 10-13 at the Anaheim Convention Center, adjacent to Disneyland.

The contest is hosted by D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans, and is open to all D23 Members who are 18 or older. Full-length oil, acrylic or watercolor canvas portraits of Donald Duck, no larger than 24” W x 36” H, are eligible. Artists must first submit an original sketch, in any medium or size, of the planned artwork. The submission form, as well as full contest rules and additional details, can be found at the official D23 website, D23 | The Official Community for Disney Fans. All finalists selected to have their works displayed will be eligible for two complimentary, four-day admission passes to the D23 Expo.

The creator of the winning portrait will receive an authentic “Duckster” – an award that Walt Disney personally commissioned in 1960 and which has been presented fewer than two dozen times to people who made significant contributions to the Walt Disney Studios. The last time a “Duckster” was awarded was nearly 20 years ago, and only a few of these rare, bronze statuettes of Donald Duck remain in the Walt Disney Archives. Among the past recipients of the “Duckster” are Clarence Nash, the original voice of Donald Duck, and famed Donald illustrator Carl Barks.

“What do you give a duck that has everything on his 75th birthday? You let the ones who love him most offer this most sincere form of flattery, of course,” said Steven Clark, head of D23. “Disney fans are some of the most passionate and creative people anywhere, and we can’t wait to see their fun and imaginative depictions of our feisty, yet lovable, leading duck!”

Since his first appearance in 1934’s Silly Symphony The Wise Little Hen, Donald Duck has been one of Walt Disney’s most popular creations, starring in more cartoons than Mickey Mouse himself. Donald’s a 21st-century icon, as well, starring in not one but two theme-park attractions: Mickey’s PhilharMagic at the Magic Kingdom and the Gran Fiesta Tour starring The Three Caballeros at Epcot. He’s been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, his webbed feet have been immortalized in front of the famed Grauman’s Chinese Theater, and he’s even a videogame star, having been featured prominently in Kingdom Hearts and its popular sequel.

Donald has appeared in more than 170 cartoons, movies and TV shows, and a celebrity of his magnitude has fans around the world. Whether they know him as Anders And (Danish), Donal Bebek (Indonesian), Paperino (Italian) or any other language, fans who are also members of D23 are invited to submit portraits that capture Donald’s unique, multi-faceted personality as part of the Donald Duck 75th Anniversary Portrait Contest.

Sketches of proposed portraits, which should be fun interpretations of our favorite duck and his complex personality, must be physically mailed or shipped to The Walt Disney Archives no later than Monday, June 15 (e-mail submissions cannot be accepted). Sketches will be reviewed and judged by a panel of Disney creative executives. Artists whose work has been accepted will be notified by Disney, and must complete and deliver their finished canvas portrait (in oil, acrylic or watercolor) no later than August 15, 2009.

The winning portrait will be announced during a special event at the D23 Expo on Saturday, September 12. The Donald Duck 75th Anniversary Portrait Contest is open to members in good standing of D23.

To become a member of D23, and to obtain more information on the only official community for Disney fans, visit D23 | The Official Community for Disney Fans.

[Dustysage]

Thank you Sue! I was just coming here to post the same thing. I'm delighted that you beat me to it.

Interesting contest. I'm not much of an artist, so I won't bother entering. But I'd LOVE it if any MiceChatter who are planning to enter also post a copy of their entry here.

Sounds like fun.

-Dusty

[Sue Kruse]

Originally Posted by Dustysage

Thank you Sue! I was just coming here to post the same thing. I'm delighted that you beat me to it.

-Dusty

A pleasure Dusty! I look forward to seeing what people come up with. We have some very talented Micechatters ... how fantastic it would be if one of them won!

[Dustysage]

I'm going to PM Fishy right now and see if he can come up with something.

Actually, I'm just happy to see the duck getting a little respect I've always loved Donald.

[BlueSkyDriveBy]

All finalists selected to have their works displayed will be eligible for two complimentary, four-day admission passes to the D23 Expo.

The creator of the winning portrait will receive an authentic “Duckster” – an award that Walt Disney personally commissioned in 1960 and which has been presented fewer than two dozen times to people who made significant contributions to the Walt Disney Studios. The last time a “Duckster” was awarded was nearly 20 years ago, and only a few of these rare, bronze statuettes of Donald Duck remain in the Walt Disney Archives. Among the past recipients of the “Duckster” are Clarence Nash, the original voice of Donald Duck, and famed Donald illustrator Carl Barks.

The winning portrait will be announced during a special event at the D23 Expo on Saturday, September 12. The Donald Duck 75th Anniversary Portrait Contest is open to members in good standing of D23.

To become a member of D23, and to obtain more information on the only official community for Disney fans, visit D23 | The Official Community for Disney Fans.

At first this sounded like a good idea. But after reading the press release a second time, this smells more like a cheap promotion and membership drive for D23.

First, you have to be a member of D23 to enter the contest. Typical.

Second, if your portrait is one of the many selected to be displayed at the Expo, then you're "eligible" to receive free comps to the Expo. Nothing about comps for the hotel room or transportation or even park hoppers. Just free tickets to the Expo itself. *yawn*

And if you're the winner? You get one of a few remaining bronze Duckster statuettes collecting dust and taking up space in the Disney Archives. No free vacation to WDW, no royalty or licensing fees for using your art work to promote the Duck. Just some leftover long-forgotten award which hasn't been bestowed upon anyone for almost two decades. *more yawn*

Sure, it's a way cool one-of-a-kind collectible. No doubt about that. And many Disneyana dweebs would obviously love to have one. However... at it's central core, this is nothing but freakin' housecleaning for Burbank!

Awarding this statuette doesn't cost them one penny since the thing already exists. And giving it an artistic D23 member helps to clear out some space and create more room for other items to archive. It's a big win-win for Disney for very little capital expenditure.

I'm glad to see Dusty and Sue enthusiastic about the contest. But D23 still feels like a gimmick and a scam on the fanboys. And the inherent cheapness of this contest does nothing to assuage that feeling.

I was so hoping to be proven wrong by now. I guess I have to wait a bit longer.

[FantasticDuck]

I'm SO HAPPY my fave little Duckling is getting his due!

But I'd like to see the contest open to more mediums, like photography or images or just something creatively put on the canvas. I'd love to enter the contest but I'm horrid at drawing without LOTS of time.

[EC82]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyDriveBy

At first this sounded like a good idea. But after reading the press release a second time, this smells more like a cheap promotion and membership drive for D23.

Given that it's been years since Disney did ANYTHING to mark Donald's birthday.... and given that they don't actually NEED to do this.... and given that it's actually a nice thing to have something ONLY for D23 members.... I guess there will be no pleasing you.

Will every perk, every opportunity, every special thing done for D23 members be "a cheap promotion and membership drive"? Please. This is for a very specific kind of person, who is likely to be a D23 member. Why open it up to everyone, since that would just mean that people who don't have any interest in Disney or Donald could enter (ie, professional artists) just to try to "win" the thing.

It's likely only D23 members have even heard of a "Duckster" (I hadn't, I looked it up online -- it's pretty cool), much less are likely to appreciate it, I think it makes a lot of sense and is a GOOD move for Disney and D23 to do this.

Sure, I'd love to see them do a big birthday cake at Disneyland, or give out those old-style Donald "beak caps" (do they still make those?) to every park guest. But that's probably not going to happen. So, at least they're marking the birthday SOMEHOW!

Stop looking a gift duck in the mouth!

[DisneyFan28]

I would love to join if it werent the fact its D23 only.

[denice25]

sounds like fun.. thanks for the info mate!

[BlueSkyDriveBy]

Originally Posted by EC82

Given that it's been years since Disney did ANYTHING to mark Donald's birthday.... and given that they don't actually NEED to do this.... and given that it's actually a nice thing to have something ONLY for D23 members.... I guess there will be no pleasing you.

Not true at all. Disney could please me if the prize had more significant monetary value.

Sure, bestow the dust laden Duckster statuette upon the winner. But what's wrong with also bestowing a ton of free hoppers and hundreds in meal comps? Chef's Table at Victoria and Albert's? Not to mention a night in Cinderella's castle suite? What about putting the winning portrait on the cover of D23 magazine with an accompanying article/interview of the artist and his/her love for Donald? These are quite easy to do and cost little to Disney's bottom line, while adding real measureable value to the prize winnings.

I see this contest more about saving Disney cash by not commissioning a professional artist to paint Donald's portrait a la Carl Barks or Charles Boyer. If Disney was serious about honoring the Duck and the D23 members entering the contest, they would also be hiring a notable artist to paint the official portrait, and award much greater booty than just free Expo passes for the finalists and the dusty bronze statuette to the winner.

[FantasticDuck]

I think the contest and award is a great idea. It lets everyone see how different artists interpret Donald. Granted, I'm a HUGE Donald fan and have an entire room and a bathroom dedicated to him, so one could say I'm biased to honoring the Duck I can't really draw to save my life but I've still spent a bit of time this evening trying to come up with something.

Would it be nice to get free passes to WDW or DL? Sure it would! But at the same time, at least personally, I wouldn't mind having a statue like Carl Barks and Ducky Nash had sitting on the shelf in my duck room either.

I know other conventions do art contests and the prize is only like $25 or some money to spend on the dealer floor (Botcon just gives out vouchers that the winners can spend like cash in the dealer room and then the dealers later redeem that for cash).

[EC82]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyDriveBy

Not true at all. Disney could please me if the prize had more significant monetary value. ...
I see this contest more about saving Disney cash by not commissioning a professional artist to paint Donald's portrait a la Carl Barks or Charles Boyer.

You can please some of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time.

That's how you see it. Others see it as a terrific way to get fans involved and FINALLY honor the fact that Disney fans are creative. (Has Disney EVER invited its fans to do ANYTHING creative? Usually it just results in a terse letter from the legal department!)

I'm sure the Academy has a bunch of dusty Oscars in its closets, too ... wouldn't want one of those, right? (BTW, the Oscars themselves aren't actually worth all that much money -- I think I read about 500 bucks.)

Disney just went through the "portrait" thing with Mickey and got a lot of grief from D23 members saying they didn't like it and the litho was cheap, so, like I said ... you can please some of the people some of the time.

[Coheteboy]

I think this is a great idea. Get the people who are members involved. I can't paint worth crap but wow, I wish i knew how now!

If it drives up subscribers, great. If it doesn't, whatever. Limiting to D23 has its virtues as well. They won't be bombarded with duck paintings from everyone and their mothers. They make some money in the process. I don't see what's wrong with that as long as people are enjoying themselves.

I know I said I can't paint but I often times see paintings hanging for sale at Disneyanna and say "i can do better than that". Well... now's a chance for people to prove it.

Who cares if the prize isn't worth any money? For a disney nutjob like me, the honor would be entirely in being an official donald duck portrait artist.

[gurgi]

Yeah, I really can't see a downside to this. Sure, I guess they aren't lavishing money and rewards on the winner, but it's not really about that. If you're only in it for the money, how is that any better than D23 supposedly doing the same?

I know it got me interested in coming up with my own portrait. I can draw, but I know that there are thousands out there better than me. Still, it makes me want to try. Not to mention I love Donald, so I really don't care that the prize seems lackluster to some people. Oh well.

[BlueSkyDriveBy]

Originally Posted by EC82

You can please some of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time.

That's how you see it. Others see it as a terrific way to get fans involved and FINALLY honor the fact that Disney fans are creative.

But Disney is getting "fans involved" on our dime, not theirs. D23 is not free, and you have to be a member to enter the contest.

So given the entry requirements, how exactly does this contest truly "honor" the lifelong fans that have made Disney the multinational corporate leviathan they are today? Truth is, it doesn't. It's just another inexpensive charge to Disney's operational/marketing costs in order to extract more money from the fanboys' wallets.

If you find value in that extraction process, good for you. Personally, I'm done with handing over my disposable income to the Mouse with such minimal return. Other Disney fan organizations such as NFFC and Carolwood Pacific give far more bang for the buck.