during the production time of WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT I met WALT STANCHFIELD for the first time in london. it must have been 1987, don hahn had brought him over from los angeles to conduct drawing classes for the animators, better – ‘gesture drawing classes’. the poses were very short and you were supposed only to draw the most important ‘gesture’ of the pose, no details at all. that was something my german art teachers had never taught me. walts explanations and the classes were pure gold and I learned more than during all my life drawing classes. a bit later in 1989 when I worked on BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, I joined walt’s classes in L.A, and continued that for many years. he prepared handout notes for every class, with useful instructions and drawing samples from the previous class. apparently walt collected that way about 800 pages of notes. I guess I have most of them, he was so kind and gave me the missing ones when I showed him a thick bound volume. walt died 2000, he was 81 years old. now don hahn is helping walt’s widow dee stanchfield with the publication of all the 800 pages in a book. it should be out later this year or in spring 2009. can’t wait! following are some memories from one class during roger rabbit. the model was more beautiful than walt, but he was the better model!
my name is hans bacher, – I work as production designer in the animation film industry. for the last 45 years I lived and worked in exciting places around the world. after 7 years of teaching in singapore I am back at my homebase in manila, working on a few more books.
One1more2time3's Weblog 
absolutely awesome,could you please pose some notes about walt definition of good drawing.
im looking for the book!
Awesome pictures! thanks for posting!
The Classes and the book sounds great. I am so jealous of the way animators draw. I would love to find some good life drawing classes/tuitionin London. As much as its good practice just to do life drawing a little guidance can go a long way.
Oh that is good news -an official publication of the Stanfield notes-they’re GOLD! You were very lucky to study under this man.
I had the great oppotunity to work with Stan Green, Milt’s long time assistant and he told me when he started as an inbetweener back in 1950 on Alice in wonderland. Walt Stanchfield was the breakdown artist; and Art Stevens was the assistant. Unfortunately he didn’t say who the animator was, but I suppose just working in the Bull Pen he wouldn’t have known the animator. It’s a shame that the assistants of the 9 old men weren’t given the chance to animate and carry on after the 9 retired.