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I'm Allison Smith, an illustrator/cartoonist, based in Richmond, Virginia. I enjoy pop culture and visual storytelling...feel free to ask me anything!

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October 13, 2011
in phantom tollbooth allison smith character design
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Taking a break from my current projects, I decided to watch the Phantom Tollbooth film from the late sixties. The book was one of my all-time favorites from my childhood. I love the art from the book, and seeing Chuck Jones’s interpretation in the film was just as entertaining (I prefer the book more, though). I hadn’t seen the book art and the film in years, and I’m always compelled to reinterpret a story I love. So I was inspired to do my own take of my favorite character, Tock! I love his stocky build in the book illustrations, and I wanted to stay true to that. I looked at a lot of pyrenean mastiffs and smaller bears for references, haha. Normally I would have a pencil sketch done then scanned into Photoshop. Sometimes (like in this drawing), I would draw straight into Photoshop. I start with the silhouette (that gray mass). Then I draw a lightly done sketch of what I want. Then over that, I draw the final lines and details. And there you have it!

Taking a break from my current projects, I decided to watch the Phantom Tollbooth film from the late sixties. The book was one of my all-time favorites from my childhood. I love the art from the book, and seeing Chuck Jones’s interpretation in the film was just as entertaining (I prefer the book more, though).

I hadn’t seen the book art and the film in years, and I’m always compelled to reinterpret a story I love. So I was inspired to do my own take of my favorite character, Tock! I love his stocky build in the book illustrations, and I wanted to stay true to that. I looked at a lot of pyrenean mastiffs and smaller bears for references, haha.

Normally I would have a pencil sketch done then scanned into Photoshop. Sometimes (like in this drawing), I would draw straight into Photoshop. I start with the silhouette (that gray mass). Then I draw a lightly done sketch of what I want. Then over that, I draw the final lines and details.

And there you have it!

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