Weekly Online Lesson Online Lesson Archive Grade Level: 3-8 Subject: Art

Remembering Chuck Jones

Chuck Jones, legendary animation director and artist best known for his work on the classic Looney Tunes cartoon series, died Friday at the age of 89. In a career spanning over 60 years, Jones made more than 300 animated films, winning three Oscars as director and in 1996 an honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement.

During the Golden Age of animation Jones helped bring to life many of Warner Bros.' most famous characters: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd and Porky Pig. The list of characters he created himself includes Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Marvin Martian, Pepé le Pew, Michigan J. Frog and many others. He also produced, directed and wrote the screenplays for “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” a television classic, as well as the feature-length film “The Phantom Tollbooth.”

Jones often recalled a small child who, when told that Jones drew Bugs Bunny, replied: “He doesn’t draw Bugs Bunny. He draws pictures of Bugs Bunny.” His point was that the child thought of the character as being alive and believable, which was, in Jones’ belief, the key to true character animation.

For this week's online lesson you will learn about the art of animation and pay a virtual visit to several of the memorable cartoon characters created by Chuck Jones.

The Art of Chuck Jones

Begin your animation discovery this week by visiting the official Chuck Jones website, maintained by members of his family. Read the introduction, and then click Enter Official Site of Chuck Jones. From here click About Chuck Jones and then History and Profile of Chuck Jones. Read this short biography of the "Master of Animation". What is 'Full' or character animation? Where did Jones learn animation? What was his first job as an animator, and what was the title of the first animated film he directed? Summarize his lifetime awards and achievements.

Looney Tunes

The legacy of Chuck Jones lives on at the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes site (requires Flash 5). You'll find a lot of fun waiting here, especially if you like cartoons. For now start by clicking Stars of the Show. This link points to in-depth information about the most famous Looney Tunes characters. Choose one in the blue boxes on the right. Start with Bugs Bunny, "arguably the most popular and recognizable cartoon character of all time". Move your mouse over the down arrows to scroll down the page and read. If you come across a link in the text, click it to see sketches or videos (including interviews with Chuck Jones).

Click Wile E. Coyote. What are the twelve strict rules governing all Road Runner and Wile E. cartoons?

Click Pepé Le Pew. Which Pepé Le Pew short won an Oscar for best cartoon?

Click Elmer Fudd. Why does the character of Elmer Fudd work so well against Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck?

Return to the Looney Tunes Home and click Looney Library. From this page click Learn to Draw. In this activity you will learn how to draw your favorite Chuck Jones (and Looney Tunes) characters step-by-step. Choose a character, draw what you see, and then click Next to see the next part of the drawing. Use the Print button to print out the drawings at any stage. Try drawing as many characters as you like.

For one final activity at this site, view an episode or two of Timber Wolf, a web-based Flash animation series by Chuck Jones. Choose an episode and click Play. How is Timber Wolf similar to other Chuck Jones characters you've learned about?

Cartoon Corner

To learn more about the art of animation and cartoon drawing, visit Emmett Scott's Cartoon Corner. You have several options to explore, but for now start with Art Studio. Learn how to be a cartoonist by clicking How to Draw Cartoons. Like the Looney Tunes activity, this lesson series takes you step-by-step through the drawing process. But this time you get more hints on how to show emotion and characterization. Draw ten or twelve cartoon characters based on what you discover.

Go back to the Art Studio page and click What Cartoonists Do. Click and learn about each of the four links you see. What is a caricature? What is a spot drawing used for? What makes editorial cartoons different than other types of drawings? Why does animation take such a long time?

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