August 4, 2014

Plaza Swan Boats Concept Art

Once upon a time in a Magic Kingdom long ago, superior craftsmanship was important and objects of beauty were created for its own sake with commerce and profit being the byproduct of something extraordinary. The land was ruled by princes who followed King Walt's rule: Always give the guest more than they expect.

And such was the inclusion of the lovely Plaza Swan Boats

These beautiful craft used to ply the canal that surrounded the plaza, including a cruise past such kingdom landmarks as Main Street U.S.A.'s equally beautiful Crystal Palace Restaurant and the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. Boarding these delicate craft was an adventure in Victorian pleasure as they provided seldom seen views of Tomorrowland and Adventureland.

This piece of Imagineering artwork has been floating around in various forms for years. The "cleanest" copy I've seen is from Imaginerding.com, yet even that piece seemed to lack the intricate detail I expected from art for this building and the Swan Boats. (Thanks to the folks over at that wonderful blog for this piece!) 

Perhaps it was the size of the image or so I thought that hid so much. Thanks to a little investigative work and some photoshop, the viewer can now see a bit more of what makes the building so lovely. The original muted colors graciously communicated the feel but did not reveal the architectural elements. All said, here's another piece to add to your files.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)


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