Leticia Teresa Pontoni: PIXOTE HUNT,fantasy in his hands

He worked in Disney. He is working in Warner Brothers now. He is Maurice Hunt, a director, an artist and animator.

--How was your job illustrating "Telegrams to Heaven", the new book of the author René Colato Laínez?

I very much enjoyed the process working with René on this book. We discussed the feel of the book and how this story needs to be from a child's point of view.

I wanted the illustrations to share that same child like charm using designed shapes and warm colors.

--You worked in "Fantasia" movie and "The Pagemaster". Did you work as a director?

On “Fantasia” 2000 and “The Pagemaster” I was an art director and animation director.

--How do you begin an illustration on your mind? First reading the play, or the story, I am sure. And after that?

I began to work on the illustration by researching the life of Father Oscar Romero. I feel if you are going to illustrate a part of a person's life it is important to find out as much as you can about that person.

We looked everywhere to find photos and writings and even film on Father Romero. Then I had to imagine what a young Oscar Romero would be like. I wanted to find a way to illustrate his youth and innocence.

I wanted to capture the moment that a young child feels he has a calling in his life. I wanted to illustrate that his calling or his dream to serve was the greatest blessing to everyone.

In animation it is so important for the animator to become that character and to try as much as possible to express what ever the character was feeling through our own experiences in life.

In these illustration I hope the readers can feel a child like sense of joy.

--How is your work as a visual development? With mood, tone, and color palette.

I wanted the tone of the illustrations to feel warm and safe for the young views to experience. I chose the backgrounds to be muted and the characters to have more color. This story was not so much about the buildings as much as it was about a story of faith.

--How many times did you take to make a movie?

I have been working in the animation industry for more than thirty years. I started working for the Walt Disney Studios' in December 1979.

The process of making an 2D animated film from start to finish can take years to complete.

--Your job is an essential part of an animation. You give life to characters.

I feel 2D and 3D animation is still a fairly young medium. I personally feel it is the greatest art form of this century because it can use any of the other arts to express a thought or a story.

What we try to do as an animator or a Director in animation is to bring a character to life. In these illustrations what I tried to do is spark the readers imagination.

If the story and the art connect to the reader they will bring the characters to life in their imagination.

--Do you have new projects in this 2017?

I do plan to continue illustrating children's books and making animated films in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to share with you the process of illustrating this wonderful story of Father Oscar Romero.

Sincerely.

Pixote Hunt.

His blog is:

http://www.pixoteh.blogspot.com