Bambi Artist Tyrus Wong Passes Away

Disney Legend Tyrus Wong has passed away at the age of 106, Tyrus worked as an animator on Bambi, between 1938 and 1941. He originally worked on animated shorts, but quickly moved into feature films after submitting landscape paintings with deer as early concepts for Bambi, which was in pre-production.

Among his paintings was a stunning image of a stag fight filled with dynamic action, strong compositions, and dramatic lightning.

He left Disney before Bambi was released in 1942, where he joined Warner Brothers and for more than 25 years developed story boards and concept sketches for motion pictures, including the 1949 World War II saga Sands of Iwo Jima, starring John Wayne.

He was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2001 and Disney approached him about serving as inspirational sketch artist on The Legend of Mulan, set in ancient China. He declined, however, saying his work with animated films was no longer an important part of his artistic life.