The Art of Eric Tan

Whenever your path crosses with genuine people who respect and champion everything you’re about, enjoy every moment with them. It’s a rare and beautiful thing! You’ve inspired us forever!! 🙏❤️ Thanks @mondonews @postersandtoys @animalrummy @ericgarza1201 (at Austin Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqOFM7oJJ9p/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Earlier this week, I said goodbye to the 1st and only job I’ve ever had. It was my 4-year-old self’s dream to work at Disney and I still can’t believe it actually happened! In 1999, I started as a contract hire for Walt Disney Records where we designed CD and cassette packaging. Over the last 24 years, I’ve gotten to design more style guides, posters, packaging systems, retail environments, and toy concepts than my pea brain can even count. From working with Pixar, to Feature Animation, Disney Live Action films, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Walt Disney Imagineering, and finally Mickey - the reality of my Disney career was even better than the dream! I started as a Designer and somehow ended up as a Creative Director where I had the pleasure of mentoring some of the most talented designers and even better people. At a certain point, I had checked all the boxes I had ever wanted to at Disney and it felt like the time was right to go off and look for another adventure. One that takes me out of my comfort zone and helps me to grow as an artist and a person. While that can be a scary thing, having been on a very comfy Disney couch for so long, I do feel a huge sense of energy and excitement for whatever the future holds. A HUGE thanks to EVERYONE who has been a part of my Disney adventure! Whether we worked on a million projects together, said hi in the halls, or if you simply were a fan of the art, just know that it meant EVERYTHING to me! I feel like I’ve gained an amazing family of hundreds of people from this experience. I’m the worse at remembering what I’ve worked on but I do remember everyone I’ve ever crossed paths with. It was quite the memorable adventure because of you! Thanks for joining me and I’ll see you real soon - Eric ❤️ #disneycastlife #disneycastmember #disneycast #disneyart (at Disney Grand Central Creative Campus) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqL5U7BPxwY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Our Disney Design team had an amazing visit to Walt’s office on the studio lot. You can’t help but feel all of the creative energy flowing through each room. So many timeless stories, films, shows, songs, products, and theme park ideas were born within these walls. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in having been a tiny part of the ginormous Disney story. #disneycastlife #disneycast #waltdisneystudios #waltdisney (at Walt Disney Studios) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpjlBcwO96q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Poster 63, 2017. Happy birthday to one of my favorite National Parks, King’s Canyon, which was established on this day way back in 1940. It’s nearly impossible to explain the sheer size of the sequoias and the beauty of the valley and waterfalls. I attempted to capture that beauty in this screenprint created for @fiftynineparks . If I could be a bear who called Kings Canyon home, I’d be perfectly content! #kingscanyon #kingscanyonnationalpark #sequioa #nationalpark #nationalparks #posterart (at Kings Canyon National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpZT9QEOO2N/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Before calling it a day, I was able to tidy up my office a bit. Post-its and candy wrappers had littered the floor. Papers with bad sketches of things (I still use paper on occasion!) had piled up behind me. Empty Starbucks cups that were a few days old were cleared off the desk. After throwing everything into the recycling bins, it hit me that in a few weeks, I’ll be cleaning out my office for good. My 24-ish year career at Disney will come to an end soon enough and that’s perfectly ok. What i’ve learned and will keep from this experience is what matters. Those friendships and all of the memories will stay with me forever. I started at Disney Consumer Products as a junior in college who had no clue what “Consumer Products” even involved. OK, I’ll admit that I may not even have a full grasp of it yet after all those years BUT I have learned a lot and will take all of that knowledge with me to my next adventure, whatever that may be. I hope you’ll stick around for chapter 2 ❤️#disneycastlife #disneycastmember #disneyconsumerproducts (at Disney Grand Central Creative Campus) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoMZ9ZtO6JA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

How did Sleeping Beauty turn 64?? I saw it when I was 4 or 5 and it has remained the most influential animated film for me as far as visual development and character design. For something that’s been around for 64 years, it still inspires many of the posters I design to this day. I think I’ve purchased the majority of the Eyvind Earle books in existence. His personal aesthetic can be found all through the film. Check out his personal work if you haven’t already and prepare to wish you lived in all of his landscapes. A complete master of design and color. Here’s my take on Sleeping Beauty with a nod to Mr. Earle that was released as a limited edition giclee and as a Disney Movie Rewards poster many years ago. #disney #disneyart #sleepingbeauty #aurora #maleficent #eyvindearle https://www.instagram.com/p/CoEQjynLM0Q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

My very 1st visit to the EPCOT Festival of the Arts has come to an end and I can’t thank enough all of the AMAZING folks who came by to say hi!I loved all of your kind words, stories, and even recommendations on where to eat or what to ride next. It means the world to know the art and my fellow artists are appreciated. The Cast Members working the event were the best too! So helpful and very patient. Special shout out to Patrick @kingkosmos_ who just joined the CP program, is an aspiring animator, and reminded me of myself as I was just beginning my adventures at art school. This is the 1st time @bluemt23 have been to EPCOT since we completed the 40 posters for the 40th anniversary. I found myself connecting those posters with my days at the park. It was trippy to see the attractions in a whole new light and judge whether or not we captured the essence of each one. I recreated my Wednesday in poster form. I’m not getting specific on where I had to get a drink but maybe you can figure that out? BTW, and most importantly, I have heard the Parks series I created for the Festival will eventually be available after the show within the galleries at the Park and at Disney Springs. I don’t know the specific dates on those but I’m so glad there’s hope for all those who didn’t get them at the event (myself included!!) Hopefully, I’ll be back next year to sign those! #artfulepcot #epcot #epcotfestivalofthearts #fota #epcotinternationalfestivalofthearts #disney #disneyparks #disneysanimalkimgdom #magickingdom #disneyshollywoodstudios #waltdisneyworld (at EPCOT) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn68etJuSBJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Here’s a little update on the Parks series for the Festival of the Arts based on what I gathered from folks working the event. Apologies to everyone who has stopped by to say hi but weren’t able to find what they were looking for. They’ve assured me that they’ll restock matted prints and postcards end of week at the earliest (but I’ll post if they arrive any earlier while I’m there!). As far as canvases, even though the wall looks like I forgot that there are four Parks 🤦🏻‍♂️, more EPCOT canvases coming as well, most likely when they restock the prints and postcards. I’ve gotten questions about online sales and unfortunately the FOTA art isn’t available online, just at the event. I really am the Mr. Disappointment this morning, I know 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️. I empathize with folks who’d like to purchase these as I’m also trying to get a set of prints and postcards for myself and some teammates of mine but haven’t accomplished that yet 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️. As far as the signing, people who have stopped by have brought EPCOT 40 prints, Art of the Disney Parks books, D23 prints, Star Wars prints, and Indy prints. I’ll sign anything, even babies. I’ll definitely keep you updated if I hear anything more about the prints and postcards! Thanks for your patience ❤️ #artfulepcot #epcot #epcotinternationalfestivalofthearts #epcotfestivalofthearts #fota #wondergroundgallery #wonderground (at EPCOT) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnzEzrEuI3Y/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

In celebration of the Year if the Rabbit, here’s a little lucky guy you might recognize. Disney acquired (or should I say traded?) the trademark for beloved sportscaster Al Michaels way back in 2006. That very week, I was asked to design a figurine for Oswald that would celebrate his arrival at that year’s Licensing Show in Las Vegas. I took a more stylized approach to the character that was loosely based on a lot of vinyl toys I had at the time. I believe 200 resin statues of it were produced for the show and they unfortunately weren’t for sale. Well, that is until they produced pins of the design which you can still probably find at the Disney Parks. It’s your year Oswald! Go nuts!! #oswaldtheluckyrabbit #oswald #lunarnewyear #yearoftherabbit #yearoftgerabbit2023 #disneypins https://www.instagram.com/p/CnwpcMdutNC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I can’t thank everyone enough who stopped by yesterday to say hi! Hearing what the art means to you means everything to me. From meeting folks who have just discovered my art, to others who have followed it for 20 years, I can’t even put into words how amazing that feels as an artist. Many of us work alone behind a desk pretty much all of our lives and rarely see how folks like you perceive the art once we let it out into the world. Social media has definitely helped but seeing and hearing the emotion in your faces and voices in person as you talk about your love for the art can never be replaced. For those visiting the festival, I feel bad that prints and postcards have been difficult to come by. Thanks for being patient with the Cast Members & I’ve been told that they’ve restocked a couple of times through the week. I’ll be there 4 more more days and even if they don’t have what you’re looking for, stop by and say hi. If you like bad sketches or wanna talk favorite rides that no one else seems to like, I’m your guy!! #artfulepcot #epcot #epcotfestivalofthearts #fota #epcotinternationalfestivalofthearts #disney #disneyparks #disneysanimalkimgdom #magickingdom #disneyshollywoodstudios #waltdisneyworld (at EPCOT) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnuAlapu6CH/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Happy Winnie the Pooh Day everyone!! #winniethepooh #winniethepoohday #disneyart #disney (at Hundred Acre Woods) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnlXDD7LnYa/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is now in full swing and here’s the complete series of 4 new pieces that I contributed to the event. I’m a massive fan of the Park attraction posters from the mid-50’s through the 70’s and you can probably see that inspiration carried throughout the prints. Re-imagining the landmarks of each Park as graphic stylizations was the fun part! Making each one unique but adding elements that tied the series together (like the flying characters & layers of depth) was also a challenge that turned out to evolve a lot during the process. Now I just hope I get to do the rest of the Disney Parks!! The Walt Disney World series is now available as individual matted prints, canvases, and a postcard set at the Odyssey Pavilion. Unfortunately they’re not online at the moment but I’d LOVE to see a silkscreen release someday on shopDisney🤞. I’m excited to meet everyone at the Festival next week. I don’t get out much and I barely have any friends so say ‘hi!’ if you’re at the Park!! #artfulepcot #epcotfestivalofthearts #epcotinternationalfestivalofthearts #epcot #disneyparks #magickingdom #disneysanimalkingdom #disneyshollywoodstudios (at EPCOT) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnZ144XJaTr/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Here’s the 4th and final piece I got to create for this year’s EPCOT International Festival of the Arts which opens tomorrow. It was such a fun challenge to figure out all four Parks, keeping a consistent structure while making sure each one had its own unique flair. Whenever I think of the Disney castles, I always reference the art of Eyvind Earle and his amazing visual development on Sleeping Beauty. The castles he painted were always elegant and almost geometric in nature. I wanted those qualities to come through when rendering my own version of the amazing castle at Magic Kingdom. I tuned down the detail of the Main Street buildings to make them look as if they are the “village” that surrounds the medieval castle. In all four compositions, I snuck in a few resident characters to bring a sense of fantasy into each one. I’m glad I got to sneak Orange Bird into this one!! From what I’ve gathered, these prints will be available throughout the festival dates (depending on supply). If you happen to be there during the appearance dates, come by and say hi! It’s a complete honor to be a part of the Festival for the 1st time and I’m excited to see all of the amazing art!! #artfulepcot #epcotfestivalofthearts #epcotinternationalfestivalofthearts #magickingdom #disneyworld #epcot #wondergroundgallery #disneyparks (at EPCOT) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnV6Tv1r9Wn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Here’s the 3rd of 4 original prints debuting at the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts. I was most excited about tackling Hollywood Studios with all of the amazing Art Deco architecture and the organic contrast that the spires of Galaxies Edge would bring. The Tower of Terror looms large above everything at the Park so that became the focal point, similar to the Tree of Life and Spaceship Earth in the previous posts. Each of the 4 prints captures a specific time of day as well. While it’s impossible to represent every attraction at the Park, I had to give love to Toy Story Land with the tiny Buzz flying around. I had so much fun working on this series and I hope to see some of you at the Festival!!#artfulepcot #epcotfestivalofthearts #epcotinternationalfestivalofthearts #disneyshollywoodstudios #epcot #wondergroundgallery #disneyparks (at EPCOT) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnH1gUgp3xp/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Here’s the 2nd print of 4 making its debut at the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts. Continuing the theme of focusing on architecture and landmarks that define each Park, for Disney’s Animal Kingdom I focused on the Tree of Life. It’s such an iconic visual and has a wealth of storytelling the closer you look at all of the intricate carvings within. In order to not get too busy within the composition, I came up with a different approach to rendering the tree using multiple layers of transparent colors to ‘build’ the trunk. The tree has such a strong and unique silhouette at the Park and I wanted that to be the main read. With the color palette, I wanted to capture nature itself with greens, browns, blues, and yellows. In the distance, you can see the other major landmarks the Park, Expedition Everest. I have yet to ride it and and am very much excited to finally do so & scream my head off in a few weeks! #artfulepcot #epcotfestivalofthearts #epcotinternationalfestivalofthearts #disneysanimalkingdom #epcot #wondergroundgallery #figment #erictan #disneyparks (at EPCOT) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm9Z_61J9Zv/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

With the EPCOT Festival of the Arts right around the corner, here’s a look at the 1st of 4 new prints debuting at the event. I chose to go a different route on the series rather than focusing on a particular films, characters, or attractions. All of the Disney Parks have such a unique architectural aesthetic created by the geniuses at Imagineering. Each one features it’s own series of iconic landmarks that tell as much of a story as classic Disney films. From the shapes, to the colors, to the music - you truly feel as if you’re transported into a different world each time. I love just walking around each park and looking around at everything that defines each Park (and stuffing my face while doing so!). Anyhoo, Here’s my tribute to EPCOT! #artfulepcot #epcotfestivalofthearts #epcotinternationalfestivalofthearts #epcot #wondergroundgallery #figment #erictan #disneyparks (at EPCOT) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm1m0klrgAL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Super-excited to be a part of the Epcot International Festival of the Arts for the 1st time! I’ll be there along with 4 all-new pieces featuring 4 iconic Disney Parks. See if you can guess which ones?!? More info to come on signing times. I hope to see y’all there!! #artfulepcot #epcotfestivalofthearts #epcotinternationalfestivalofthearts #epcot #wondergroundgallery #erictan #disneyparks (at EPCOT) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmMXcgqLoLb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=