Peter Chung's TMNT designs

[oldmanwinters]

These are some of my favorites, as there are some humorous differences between the concept and what became the final animation. "Leonardo Leads" is lampooned by the fact that the other three turtles appear to be running from a giant robot (Krang's Android?). And Michelangelo's "Party Dude" dance seems to show him in a padded asylum room rather than a Disco-Fever dance floor.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWCvRQ5rTJt/

Spoiler:

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

These are some of my favorites, as there are some humorous differences between the concept and what became the final animation. "Leonardo Leads" is lampooned by the fact that the other three turtles appear to be running from a giant robot (Krang's Android?). And Michelangelo's "Party Dude" dance seems to show him in a padded asylum room rather than a Disco-Fever dance floor.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWCvRQ5rTJt/

Spoiler:

http://i.imgur.com/WYCH5Se.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vTQ8BTq.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/YQVoHAc.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/63fvu8Q.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/6P89amg.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/PxcrRxE.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/F4pmvvi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eDI1jWm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/S6zvwoA.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0A3f0yr.jpg

I love this so much. Get this man back on TMNT.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by AquaParade

I love this so much. Get this man back on TMNT.

Heh, can you imagine a respectably-budgeted direct-to-video TMNT feature produced by Chung in an unashamedly "anime" style? That would be epic.

[AquaParade]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Heh, can you imagine a respectably-budgeted direct-to-video TMNT feature produced by Chung in an unashamedly "anime" style? That would be epic.

It'd be so cool. I can imagine Netflix wanting something like that. I think there is a ray of hope we may get something interesting there, seeing as they are working with Nickelodeon and have shown a strong interest in adult animation. Not holding my breath, but maybe they say "Rise of the TMNT didn't work out so well, but we've been having a lot of success with our animation aimed at teens/adults."

[Cowa]

Ok, I can't possibly be the only one thinking this looks bad... right? o.o

[Sumac]

Originally Posted by Cowa

Ok, I can't possibly be the only one thinking this looks bad... right? o.o

So far you are the only one.

Also, keep in mind - those are supposed to be rough draft, they are not supposed to look super good or polished.

And if anything, those storyboards remind me very much how Turtles looked in some Mirage comic books.

[AquaParade]

The beauty is in the storyboarding and the cinematic nature of it. The perspectives or the way the "camera" behaves. There is a great sense of motion in both the linework and the camera movement.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Cowa

Ok, I can't possibly be the only one thinking this looks bad... right? o.o

Originally Posted by Sumac

So far you are the only one.

Also, keep in mind - those are supposed to be rough draft, they are not supposed to look super good or polished.

And if anything, those storyboards remind me very much how Turtles looked in some Mirage comic books.

Originally Posted by AquaParade

The beauty is in the storyboarding and the cinematic nature of it. The perspectives or the way the "camera" behaves. There is a great sense of motion in both the linework and the camera movement.

Chung also wrote in a recent post (his post on the Rugrats intro) that when he was in charge of directing an animation sequence himself, he would usually do the storyboards way rougher (not "polished") than if he was handing the job off to another team.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by AquaParade

The beauty is in the storyboarding and the cinematic nature of it. The perspectives or the way the "camera" behaves. There is a great sense of motion in both the linework and the camera movement.

Right on. It's purposely rough, but very dynamic.

[oldmanwinters]

Some more TMNT development treasures shared on Instagram from Peter Chung!

Krang's Android:

Krang's robot body. Kevin Eastman complained about this design. Fred Wolf, who mostly did not want to cause delays that would cost money, stood firmly behind my work (I was truly surprised this went through, I expected to have to redo it) while agreeing to add robotic elements- the metallic suspenders and visor which are in the final version. My own view was that the robot was such an advanced machine, that it would not fit our own idea of what a robot looks like.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYdUv5DudLb/

Spoiler:

Additional comments:
Q cartoonistaaron: Did you design Krang too or was that pre-existing? Were there any toy designs you had to work from?

A: Krang was already designed. I can't remember if it came from the toy company or the Eastman and Laird. I adapted it for animation. The vehicles like the turtle van and flyer came from the toy company. Others like Krang's robot were drawn by me first, then turned into toys.

Q therealgrimbot: Plus the story has Krang be its designer so it gotta feel alien which the final reflects nicely.

BTW, ever seen Peter Laird's sketches for it? https://imgur.com/M9Es4It
Needless to say - YOU knocked it out of the park.

A: Thanks. No, I had not seen those. They look good. I'm surprised that he didn't get to have his way. I'm sure if the cartoon was made using his design, that version would be considered a classic and mine would be seen as deserving rejection.

[oldmanwinters]

April O'Neil Exploration
"All these are from 1987"
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYdaSonOXDp/

Spoiler:

[Sumac]

Thanks for posting it here.
I can see rational behind Android's design, even if its still look goofy. Suspenders and visor certainly add to his image, he'd be looking rather plain without them.

Other variants though are better, IMO. Especially one from a 3rd sketch.

Laird's versions, IMO, look pretty goofy as well.

[IndigoErth]

Neat! Thanks for sharing.

Though I can't unsee the Shrekdroid, even if the concept art is many years older...

[oldmanwinters]

Hooray for early Turtle Van designs (alongside some of Chung's early Turtle art too):
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYqQKyqL6bW/

Spoiler:

[oldmanwinters]

Chung posted some more Neutrinos concept artwork last week. And then he posted some more storyboards from his work on the Rugrats opening sequence, and now I can't help but think the Rugrats and Neutrinos are cousins due to the stylistic similarity!

Zak
https://www.instagram.com/p/CY3HEzPLfOm/

Spoiler:

Kala
https://www.instagram.com/p/CY3HUfXL_uU/

Spoiler:

[oldmanwinters]

Dask
https://www.instagram.com/p/CY3IY4_rt2x/

Spoiler:

Presumably a keychain figure, which were sold in Japan with trading cards (but I don't recall any neutrino packs, off the top of my head)

Q: "Did you do all the designs of The Neutrinos by yourself or the writers came up with it?"
Chung: "I don't remember the descriptions of the characters in the script. Visually I had free reign."

[oldmanwinters]

All these months later and we finally get a "news" article on the social media posts:
https://www.cbr.com/animator-peter-c...a-turtles-art/

Better late than never, I guess?