Artwork Copyright Disney.
The Orange Bird is a classic character who was created as part of a partnership between Disney and the Florida Citrus Commission as part of a agreement they had to sponsor the "Tropical Serenade" attraction (aka Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room).
In the early days of Walt Disney World, Guests could take pictures with a walk-around version of the character and see him in his "Sunshine Tree" as they ordered their Citrus Swirl frozen treats. The character was retired at Walt Disney World in the 1980s, but remained strong as part of Japan's "Cute Culture" as a staple of Tokyo Disneyland. In 2012, the character made a return to the Magic Kingdom as the original figure was reinstalled at the Sunshine Tree Terrace.
In the early days of Walt Disney World, Guests could take pictures with a walk-around version of the character and see him in his "Sunshine Tree" as they ordered their Citrus Swirl frozen treats. The character was retired at Walt Disney World in the 1980s, but remained strong as part of Japan's "Cute Culture" as a staple of Tokyo Disneyland. In 2012, the character made a return to the Magic Kingdom as the original figure was reinstalled at the Sunshine Tree Terrace.
I was asked to create a digital wallpaper to coincide with the Disney Parks Blog's coverage of the unveiling. Since I had an enormous affinity for this character and for the Enchanted Tiki Room (my first "home" as a Cast Member at Walt Disney World), creating this artwork was a labor of love.
Here, we see the Orange Bird excitedly holding a Citrus Swirl just in front of the Sunshine Tree Terrace. In this piece, I learned how to work with finer details like those you see in the peaked roofline of the Sunshine Tree Terrace. You'll also see my first attempt at creating a more photorealistic gradient on the front of the peaked roofline. This would mark the start of my focus on working towards improved photorealism in my work.
Here, we see the Orange Bird excitedly holding a Citrus Swirl just in front of the Sunshine Tree Terrace. In this piece, I learned how to work with finer details like those you see in the peaked roofline of the Sunshine Tree Terrace. You'll also see my first attempt at creating a more photorealistic gradient on the front of the peaked roofline. This would mark the start of my focus on working towards improved photorealism in my work.