Lessons from peanuts

Hello. Today I would like to write about lessons Schulz and characters of peanuts give us. Though Schulz described ordinary everyday happnings, I think it has very important thoughtful meaning.

1 Keep on Trying,Charlie Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnnyGSRedYg

This is a song by the Peanuts character titled "Keep on Trying". If you're a reader of the Peanuts series, you notice that Charlie Brown is often described to be a loser. But the great thing about him is that he never stops trying. This is exactly what we should keep in mind when faced with a hardship.

2 Snoopy the Musical: "if Just One Person Believes in You..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_Rfjl6tGW4
This is a song from Snoopy: The Musical about the magic of having friends and the importance of their bond. Having one person believe in you can be enough to encourage you to believe in yourself too.

3 Happiness (from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iK9PLdVXK4

The most well-known of Peanuts song, happiness is a beautiful song from the musical "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and talks about finding happiness in any small or ordinary thing that makes you smile. As the Peanuts characters realize, Happiness is anything or anyone that's loved by you.

Peanuts comic strips

Hello.Today I want to write about some peanuts comic strips.We know about some characters but many don't know about the content of peanuts comic well.

This is the first daily Peanuts strip and the first time Charlie Brown is called "Good Ol' Charlie Brown."A little boy with a girl greets Charlie Brown but he doesn't notice at all.Then last frame the boy said "How I hate him!"in spite of himself due to embarrassment and annoyance.This is just ordinary happning in our lives and makes us laugh.


This is a strip that has only pictures and finally Snoopy murmurs the last frame.But It discribes the situation enough.

These are characteristic strips in peanuts comic.Do you know Schulz has strong Christian beliefs? This fact affected his cartoons.He sometimes used theology for his subject matter.

Then,This is the last strip today I introduce to you. If you know Charlie Brown is a lovable loser and a child with hope,you think this comic very interesting!

Peanuts in Japan

Hello. Today I talk about two activities or events of Peanuts in Japan.The Peanuts characters have been licenced to Universal Studios Japan. Peanuts products in Japan has been licensed by Sanrio, best known for Hello Kitty.

Snoopy Studios in Universal Studios Japan      

 Snoopy Studios have Snoopy's Great Race,Peppermint Patty's Stunt Slide,The Flying Snoopy. Americans, especially  who came from Southern California would most likely be surprised, since Snoopy is associated with another theme park near Disneyland, but not Universal Studio Hollywood. Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Lucy can be seen walking the streets as kids and adults rush to them to have their pictures taken.

Tokyo Fashion Weekand Snoopy's 60th Birthday year

Snoopy will celebrate its 60th anniversary next year, 2010, and as a event to celebrate the anniversary, original costume designs for Snoopy by Japan Fashion Week participating designer, G.V.G.V. and global brands such as Chanel, Hermes, and Chloé were exhibited at Time & Style, Galleria 3F in Tokyo Midtown from October 22nd to 29th. The event was cosponsored by the Design Association NPO, United Media K.K.

                                                                                      

Through those kinds of events or themepark,we got more and more interested in Snoopy or Peanuts and they became very popular also in Japan. 

Growth of snoopy

Hello. Today I want to write about growth of snoopy. The peanuts comic started in1950s,and the touch and  the way of drawing have been changing.

They are all Snoopy!  Can you believe it?

1950s


In 1950s, the comic strip started.Snoopy was like a real dog.He walked  on four legs!
On June 28, 1957, Snoopy walked on his two hind legs like a human for the first time.

1960s

In 1960s, snoopy came to have expressive face.(smile, surprising,and sadness)

 

 

1970s

In 1970s, he acted like a human.(go skating or picnic)

1980s~

This is a familiar snoopy to us, isn't it? The face and style of his is about like that of now.

Some people(esprcially young generation) would feel strange the figure of Snoopy of early stage because of the difference from that of now.But Snoopy is now over 50 years old and many of us  know about  the only current figure.

Awards Peanuts and Charles.M.Schulz got

Hello.Today I want to write about awards Charles.M.schulz got and his works peanuts got. You might be surprised how much they got prizes.


1955 —Schulz won his first Reuben Award from the National Cartoonists Society.

1958 — Yale University named Schulz "Cartoonist of the Year."  1962 — Happiness is a Warm Puppy reaching No. 2. Peanuts was named "Best Humor Strip of the Year" by the National Cartoonists Society.

1964 — Schulz became the first cartoonist to be awarded two Reubens by the National Cartoonists Society.

 December 9, 1965 — The first animated special, A Charlie Brown Christmas, debuted on television and later won a Peabody Award and an Emmy for Outstanding Children's Programming.

March 7, 1967 — The stage musical, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, won two Tony awards.

1973 — Schulz received an Emmy Award for writing his 10th television special, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.

1975 — Peanuts celebrated its 25th anniversary.  The 14th television special, You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown, aired in October and later won an Emmy for Outstanding Children's Special.

1978 — The International Pavilion of Humor in Montreal named Schulz "Cartoonist of the Year.

1980— Schulz got the Society's Elzie Segar Award.
May 30, 1983 — The 26th animated television special, What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown?, debuted on television. It later received a Peabody Award for excellence in television programming.

1984 — Peanuts qualified for a place in the Guinness Book of World Records after being sold to the 2,000th newspaper.


February 7, 2000 — California lawmakers declared Sunday, February 13th, as "Charles M. Schulz Day" to coincide with the final Peanuts Sunday strip.


May 2000 — The National Cartoonists Society posthumously awarded the Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award to Schulz.


Charles.M.schulz and his work won the praise of many critics and were loved all over the world.

Charles.M.Schulz

Hello.Today I will tell you about Charles.M.schulz.He is an American cartoonist who wrote the peanuts comic.

Early Life

Charles Monroe Schulz was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 26, 1922.  Charles loved to read the comics section of the newspaper with his father. He began to draw pictures of his favorite cartoon characters at age six. At school in St. Paul, he was bright and was the smallest in his class. Seeing his interest in drawing, his mother encouraged him to take a course from Art Instructionin.
 


Create Peanuts

    In 1950, Schulz's new comic was published,which was named Peanuts by the company. In 1950 the cartoon began appearing with the characters Charlie Brown and Snoopy. By 1956, the strip　appeared  over a hundred papers. Adults were never seen, and its content was about everyday happenings. But the odd elements and humanity were reflected by Schulz's gentle humor, which made the cartoon appealing to the public.


Later years    

Schulz was diagnosed with cancer in November 1999. He announced in December 1999 that he would retire in the year 2000, the day after the final Peanuts strip. Schulz died on February 12, 2000。It was one day before his farewell strip was to be in newspapers. Schulz was twice married, to Joyce Halverson in 1949 (divorced 1972) and to Jean Clyde in 1973. He had five children by his first marriage.
   

         

Tom Everhart

Hello. Today I want to tell you about Tom Everhart.Do you know him? He is an only painter in the world allowed to draw the peanuts character. His works are dynamic and beautiful.

I’m interested in light as a property of color, not as an illusion. Instead of trying to paint the illusion of light, I’m actually working with these transparent layers of light in themselves. The light is inherently part of the color. -Tom everhart


 

 Tom Everhart makes the impressive Peanuts & Snoopy paintings, which include lithographs  and lithography posters, prints and original artwork.  As the only artist given permission by Charles Schulz, Everhart draws characters to express a new way of seeing. He explains“I want people to see the attraction in it, and be lured in.”

 
Tom Everhart and Charle.M.Schulz are close friends and colleagues. Schulz was so impressed with Everhart's painterly brush stroke and his strong depictions of the characters that he gave Everhart permission to do work his Peanuts characters.

※Lithoglaphy:printing from a smooth surface,for example a metal plate. 
  Lithograph:a picture printed by lithograph.