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the following recreated backgrounds, painted by PAUL JULIAN, are from the 1951 released TWEETY & SILVESTER WB short – TWEET TWEET TWEETY.

© WB

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warner brothers, sept.22, 1951 – release date for the short TWEETY’S S.O.S. directed by FRIZ FRELENG, the beautiful backgrounds painted by PAUL JULIAN. following some captured scenes and recreated BG’s.

© WB

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whenever you watch a warner brothers short from the forties and fifties you can spot backgrounds painted by PAUL JULIAN immediately. they stand out because of the choice of colors and their unique style. JULIAN was a fine artist with exhibitions in art galleries. I quote from the book THE ART OF FRIZ FRELENG – …according to julian ‘backgrounds are used both to stage the character and stay behind the character’…and ‘I did a great deal of special design stuff that I kept hidden and various kinds of staging, taking liberties with perspective, and doing what I could to keep the audience’s attention directed toward the main animation with as much elaboration as I could put behind it. I tried deliberately to build the space around the characters so they were, in effect, working in a kind of tunnel…’ further …when the actual painting commenced, julian concentrated on colors, coordinating his efforts with those of the ink-and-painters…he had two six foot tables and could get the whole six minute picture laid out on the table to make sure everything went together smoothly…
the following 5 recreated pan BG’s are painted by JULIAN, they are from the 1949 WB-short BAD OL PUTTY TAT with tweety and sylvester.
later julian left WB and designed at UPA – THE TELL TALE HEART, another stylistic masterpiece.

© warner brothers