Cartoon Saloon (Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea) TOMM MOORE

      Cartoon Saloon is an animation studio in Kilkenny, Ireland founded by Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey, and Paul Young. The studio's first feature The Secret of Kells was released in 2009 and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2010. Aisling, the white-haired fairy, was an animated presenter on the Oscar broadcast. I read about the movie in the ASIFA-SF newsletter written by Karl Cohen. I traveled one hour to see the movie in San Francisco and loved it. The protagonist Brendan is a young monk who wants to learn how to illuminate a book. He goes into the forest to seek red berries for ink, but soon runs into danger. The fairy Aisling appears skeptical, but helps him in his efforts.
      When I looked up the Cartoon Saloon online shop one day in 2011, I found they were offering Tomm Moore watercolor commissions. In this first opportunity, they offered card-size pieces and I signed up for Brendan, Aisling, and the cat Pangur Ban. In the second opportunity, they offered larger pieces. I bought one for my niece and the other for myself. I was stunned by the very complete scene of Brendan at work under the guidance of Brother Aidan from Iona. In 2012, I placed a third order for two pieces and got the Aisling and wolves and a Song of the Sea painting.
      Leading up to SDCC 2014, my brother Stuart Ng said Tomm and Paul were going to do signing sessions for the new art book Designing the Secret of Kells at his SDCC booth and in Burbank after the con. Jamie Kezlarian Bolio is the US representative for Cartoon Saloon and escorted Tomm and Paul around San Diego and Los Angeles. She wrote this extensive piece on Cartoon Saloon hits SoCal with sneak peeks and book signings. Following the example of French artists, Tomm was doing nice drawings for everyone. After the Thursday session, Tomm came early on Friday and Saturday to get started on the drawings. It was one of the most exciting events ever at Stuart's booth.
      After the con, Stuart and I went to Woodbury University to see Tomm and Paul present their Song of the Sea preview. Cartoon Saloon's second feature is a five studio co-production including Studio 352 (Luxembourg), Noerlum (Denmark), Digital Graphics (Belgium). and Superprod (France). The supervisors all came to Kilkenny to meet and plan with Tomm. The studios use a common system so work can be reviewed in Kilkenny. New completed work was added to the animatic daily.
      Tomm was first inspired by a family vacation to the beach where they found many dead seals. A local woman said the fishermen killed them because fisheries were falling. There had been a historic respect for seals as folklore beliefs held seals were the reincarnation of lost sailors. Tomm named this movie's influences as the films My Neighbor Totoro, Into the West, The Jungle Book, and Irish storyteller Eddie Lenihan.
      Alameda County Library where I work offers the Irish Folklore Trilogy BluRay box set, Designing the Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea Artbook, and the Art of Wolfwalkers. From the Cartoon Saloon co-founder Nora Twomey, we have The Breadwinner DVD and The Art of My Father's Dragon.
Glen Keane and Tomm Moore with San Francisco students

Cartoon Saloon podcasts: Tomm Moore talks to the studio staff