8. Stolen Dream 1915 Title Painting

The Title Card for the second Roach film "The Stolen Dream"

This is airbrush on thin board - this is believed to be 1915 given the more sophisticated art and because Hettinger later in 1915 is injured in a boating accident and months later dies of gangrene . It is possible this is later if it was done in late 1915 early 1916 as he was laid up with his injury and sickness.

Hettinger may well have learned airbrushing at a very young age at his father's photo-retouch studio. This skill may have made him more attractive to Smith as airbrush was not common in cartoons at this time and would have made the Old Doc Yak films stand out.

For illustration fans this is part of a larger gallery I have under my name on the Comic art side of the site where I use art to tell the story of early animation in Chicago.