A to Z of Animation Studios: U Is for UPA
The studio that proved a cartoon could look like modern art.
(We told UPA's full rebel story in our post on the rebel studios. This one is the quick tour.)
U is for UPA
Founded: REAL: in the 1940s, by artists who left Disney after the 1941 strike. They wanted cartoons that looked nothing like Disney.
The look: Flat colors. Simple shapes. Backgrounds that are just a few lines and a splash of color. Instead of copying real life, UPA designed cartoons the way modern artists made paintings.
Greatest hits
Gerald McBoing-Boing (1950). A little boy who can't talk, only make sound effects. REAL: it won the Academy Award for Best Cartoon Short.
Mr. Magoo. A man who can barely see and never admits it. REAL: When Magoo Flew (1954) and Magoo's Puddle Jumper (1956) both won Oscars.
The Tell-Tale Heart (1953). An Edgar Allan Poe story told with spooky, painterly art. Better for older viewers, but a landmark: one of the first cartoons made to feel like serious art.
1001 Arabian Nights (1959). UPA's first feature, starring Mr. Magoo.
The UPA formula
Design first. Every frame looks like a poster.
Limited animation. Fewer drawings, used with style.
Ideas over realism. A cartoon doesn't have to look real to feel real.
The ripple effect: UPA's style spread everywhere. You can see it in 1950s Disney shorts, in Sleeping Beauty's backgrounds, and later in TV cartoons like The Flintstones. Modern shows like Samurai Jack and Dexter's Laboratory still owe it a debt.
Honorable mention: Universal Animation Studios
Universal's animation arm made many of the direct-to-video sequels that filled your family's shelf: The Land Before Time sequels and Curious George, plus the TV series The Land Before Time. Not all classics, but a lot of childhood memories.
The lesson
UPA proved that the best way to stand out is to stop copying the biggest name in the room. Find your own look.
Up next
V is for Van Beuren Studios.
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