The Artist

Christophe Vacher is a French artist who has provided backgrounds, visual development and art direction for Walt Disney Feature Animation and the animation industry since 1989. He worked in
different animation studios before joining
Disney's Paris-based animation unit for three years, where he painted backgrounds for such animated films as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", "Runaway Brain" and served as head of background for the 1995 feature, "A Goofy Movie".
Relocating to California in 1996, he continued his association with Disney, where his credits have included painting backgrounds and concept artwork for "Dinosaur", "Hercules," "Tarzan", the Stravinsky Firebird finale for "Fantasia 2000" and "Treasure Planet".
He also worked on Dreamworks' "Shark Tale" doing concept Artwork and paintings.


Christophe Vacher is a French artist who has provided backgrounds, visual development and art direction for Walt Disney Feature Animation and the animation industry since 1989. He worked in different animation studios before joining Disney's Paris-based animation unit for three years, where he painted backgrounds for such animated films as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", "Runaway Brain" and served as head of background for the 1995 feature, "A Goofy Movie". Relocating to California in 1996, he continued his association with Disney, where his credits have included painting backgrounds and concept artwork for "Dinosaur", "Hercules," "Tarzan", the Stravinsky Firebird finale for "Fantasia 2000" and "Treasure Planet". He also worked on Dreamworks' "Shark Tale" doing concept Artwork and paintings.
He shares his time between personal artwork for galleries, covers for books, cds and video game, and movie studios work. In 2004, he got into Art Direction, first on a CG animated short movie for Studio Arts in Los Angeles, then for the animated segment of Disney's live action movie "Enchanted", and is curently Art directing the CG feature film "9", produced by Tim Burton and directed by Shane Acker On his work: "It is hard for me to discuss my own work; like your own handwriting, it is something that, at this point, is simply a part of me. People often ask me: "What inspires you to paint?" or "What's the meaning of your paintings?" Well, my work is mostly inspired by music, travel and personal experiences. Each painting can either put you in another world, in the middle of a story or simply be the expression in symbols of my inner feelings. "The Messengers", for instance, was painted after my first trip to Ireland in 1995. "The Rebirth" was partly inspired by my moving to the USA in 1996. Pieces like "The Canyon", "The Legacy" or "Mount of the Immortals" are more abstract in their meaning and express more personal reflections. In terms of technique, I generally work on canvas prepared with two coats of gesso. I do a pencil sketch on paper, then on the canvas before painting with oils and alkyds or acrylic. Even though animation has helped me a lot in practicing my skills, my actual style is influenced by old schools like the Hudson River, The Romantics and the European Symbolists for their grandiose, theatrical scenery; my style has also been shaped by contemporary artists like Sandorfi, Beksinski, Ugarte and The Visionaries (Les Visionnaires) in France. All of these I credit for their striking visions."