Friday, June 19, 2009

Ode to Jessica Rabbit


"I'm not bad; I'm just drawn that way."

My life changed the day I saw Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Apart from being one of my favorite movies of my childhood, it introduced me to Jessica Rabbit. Jessica Rabbit, the one woman who has single handedly influenced my art more than any other woman.

I saw Roger Rabbit when I was 9 years old. I think I was in North Carolina for the summer, my Grandmother took me and my cousin Byron. I loved the movie of course; the mix of beautifully done 2d animation and live action was masterfully done; the Alan Silvestri score; seeing Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny on screen at the same time. It was all so perfect and bigger than life to me. I knew this movie was special.
I wanted to live in Toon Town. But the thing that put it over the edge, the thing that really, really stuck in mind. . . . .was Jessica Rabbit. Never had a line drawing created such a . . .stir in me. I was only 9 years years old, but I was in love. She just oozed sex appeal. The way she walked, the way she talked. I tried so hard to recreate her, and failed miserably every time. I didn't understand women and I couldn't capture what it was that made that figure so appealing, but I was determined to one day figure it out. And I've spent the next twenty years trying to do just that, haha.

I still don't think I have it down just yet.

But one day Jessica, one day. . .I'll figure it out. I promise.

P.S. Cool World gets an honorable mention. But I mean, let's face it: redheads are hotter than blondes.

4 comments:

Luis Antón said...

Just... woa. I was precisely talking about this movie to my girlfriend yesterday! And precisely about Jessica! But I was telling her about the second best line of Jessica:

Eddie: Seriously, what do you see in that guy?

Jessica: He makes me laugh.

Lauren said...

This is awesome. I too was very intrigued by how Jessica was drawn, but it was that other Disney redhead that influenced my art. And I still try to this day to fit my scrawny little body into kid sized Little Mermaid shirts.
But really, this piece of work is top notch. I especially like how you created the shimmer effect on her dress. I'm going to have to reference that in the future.

Diego Simone said...

Your artwork is incredibly amazing... so inspiring...

Kid Kalig said...

Thanx, kids!

L - you are more than welcome to reference my stuff anytime. A warning though -- 90% of the time I barely know what I'm doing.