Rubén Procopio
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Rubén Procopio (born November 21, 1961, Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an American animation and comic book artist. Long affiliated with Walt Disney Feature Animation as an animator and sculptor, Rubén is credited with restoring the maquette process to feature animation film production in the early 1980’s. He is the founder of Masked Avenger Studios, whose clients include Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros. Studios, New Line Cinema, Cartoon Network, Electric Tiki and DC Comics. He is known for his versatile sculpting and illustration style in both cartoony and realistic characters, with an emphasis on Disney characters, superheroes, and the masked heroes of yesteryear.
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[edit] Early life
Procopio’s parents, émigrés of Italian origin, came to Los Angeles when Ruben was 4 years old and his father Adolfo Procopio began an acclaimed 35 year career as a Walt Disney Imagineering sculptor whose works can be seen in Disney theme parks worldwide.
A seminal moment in Procopio's childhood was when he read Alex Toth’s Super Friends DC Treasury process of TV Animation. Later in life, Toth became one of Procopio’s mentors and close friends, and Procopio now owns the original artwork of that comic book that inspired him.[citation needed]
Procopio's artistic development was guided through daily drawing assignments from his father. His early dedication and discipline earned him scholarships to Cal Arts and Art Center College of Design, followed by the opportunity to join Walt Disney Feature Animation at age 18.
[edit] Career
At Disney Feature Animation, Procopio trained under Eric Larson, one of Disney’s legendary “Nine Old Men,” and other Disney veterans. Procopio recalls, “It was such an honor to work with the artists who created this industry. I never thought it was possible to make a living doing what I really enjoyed – drawing cartoons.”[citation needed]
From the 1980’s through the early 2000’s, Procopio contributed his varied 2D and 3D talents to more than 25 feature films produced in Disney’s California and Florida studios, several of which received Academy Award nominations.
Over this time Procopio worked as an animator, artistic supervisor, head of department, character designer, story-board artist, video game supervisor, and maquette sculptor, in addition to being credited with restoring the maquette art form to the film production process. Rubén also served as an international ambassador for Disney promoting its films, and was dispatched by Roy Disney to oversee construction of the Walt Disney Monument in Madrid, Spain. His Ursula maquette from The Little Mermaid holds a place in the Smithsonian Institution permanent collection.
In 2003, inspired by his lifelong admiration of the masked heroes of yesteryear, Procopio founded Masked Avenger Studios,[1][2] specializing in sculpture, animation and design. Procopio’s father Adolfo and sister Vivian also participate in Masked Avenger Studios to offer its clients more than 60 years of combined artistic experience and talent to numerous major motion picture, animation and television studios, comic book publishers, and manufacturers and designers of toys and collectible statues.
Procopio is a key contributor to the award winning Walt Disney Classics Collection, bringing Disney characters to life through three dimensional porcelain sculptures and promoting the products through gallery appearances. His works include Elastigirl and Edna Mode from The Incredibles, Ursula from Disney's The Little Mermaid, Genie from Disney's Aladdin, Chernabog and the 2006 Signature Series Magical Maelstrom from Fantasia (for which Procopio animated the brooms and pails of water before sculpting them), and several pieces in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
Procopio also developed, with Electric Tiki Design, the Classic Heroes line of collectible statues, which includes such characters as The Phantom, The Green Hornet and Kato, Dick Tracy, The Lone Ranger, Zorro, Flash Gordon, The Tick, Mandrake the Magician, Prince Valiant, Tarzan and Lassie, in their Teeny Weeny line he has sculpted such memorable characters as Mighty Mouse, Woody Woodpecker, Popeye, Mr. Magoo, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Andy Panda and Chilly Willy, and in 2006 sculpted the new “Sergio” award for the Comic Art Professional Society, named for its founder Sergio Argones. When Rubén steps from his sculpting table to his drawing board, he illustrates comic books and graphic novels, including works featuring his original characters Chameleonman and Goliath. Rubén’s father Adolfo and sister Vivian are the inspiration for the characters in the Chameleonman comic series.
Procopio is fluent in Spanish and Italian, and enjoys international correspondence with artist community colleagues and fans. His sister Vivian Procopio, who contributes her design and project management talents, also enjoyed a long career as a Research Administrator in the Walt Disney Feature Animation Research Library.
[edit] Awards
- Sergio Award, Comic Art Professionals Society
[edit] Filmography
- Robin Hood[citation needed]
- The Fox and The Hound
- The Black Cauldron
- The Great Mouse Detective
- Oliver & Company
- The Rescuers Down Under
- The Prince and the Pauper
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit
- Cranium Command
- Disney's The Little Mermaid
- Beauty and the Beast
- Disney's Aladdin
- Trail Mix up
- The Lion King
- Disney's Pocahontas
- Hunchback of Notre Dame
- Mulan
- Disney's Tarzan
- Atlantis: The Lost Empire
- Home on the Range
- Lorenzo
[edit] Other work
- "Name's Hades, Lord of the Dead" Hades, Walt Disney Classics Collection 2007;
- Ursula at Vanity: Devilish Diva, Ursula, Walt Disney Classics Collection 2007;
- "Drink Up, Me 'earties!" Pirate With Pigs, Walt Disney Classics Collection 2007;
- "A Pirate's Life For Me" Pirate on Archway, Walt Disney Classics Collection 2007;
- Lockjaw, Marvel/Bowen;
- Hellboy Classic Hereoes-Electric Tiki;
- Shazam DC Direct;
- Phantom Classic Heroes - Electric Tiki;
- The Lone Ranger, Classic Heroes;
- Lassie, Classic Heroes-Electric Tiki;
- Zorro, Classic Heroes-Electric Tiki;
- Mighty Mouse – Teeny Weeny Series -Electric Tiki;
- Comic Art Professionals Society “Sergio” Award, 2006;
- Cover, Alter Ego FCA [Alex edition December 2006];
- Cover and story with Ron Marz, First American Phantom Annual, Moonstone Comics 2006;
- Illustrator, The Phantom Chronicles, Moonstone Books 2007;
- Author, The Phantom Chronicles Artist's Annex, Moonstone Books and Masked Avenger Studios 2007;
- Interior Illustrator, Tales of Zorro, Moonstone Books 2008
[edit] Appearances
- Artist Signing, Walt Disney World: Pirates of The Caribbean Adventure on the 7 Seas Lagoon, Walt Disney Classics Collection, May 2007;
- Artist Signing, Walt Disney World: The Art of Disney Gallery, Chernabog, Walt *Disney Classics Collection, February 2007;
- Artist Signing, Enchanted Garden, Stockbridge, Georgia Walt Disney Classics Collection, December 2006;
- Academy of Art, San Francisco, CA, June 2006 student recruitment event;
- Artist Signing, Gallery of the Lakes, Rock Hill, New York, Walt Disney Classics Collection, July 2006;
- Artist Signing, Enchanted Garden, Stockbridge, GA, Walt Disney Classics Collection, December 2006
