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Background as a Protagonist: The Evolution of Fabled Worlds in Soviet Cartoons

This project is a student project at the School of Design or a research project at the School of Design. This project is not commercial and serves educational purposes

Navigation

  1. Navigation;
  2. Concept;
  3. 1940s: The Genesis of Fairy Tales;
  4. 1950s: The Peak of Storybook Backgrounds;
  5. 1960s: The Shift Toward Stylization;
  6. 1970s: Atmospheric Minimalism;
  7. 1980s: Experimental Backgrounds;
  8. Conclusion;
  9. Bibliography;
  10. Image Sources.

Concept

1940s: The Genesis of Fairy Tales

1950s: Peak of Fairy Tale Backgrounds

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The contrast of the «native shore»

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1960s: Shift toward stylization

1970s: atmospheric minimalism

1980s: experimental backgrounds

Conclusion

Bibliography
1.

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Image sources
Show
1.

Animated film «Konёk-Gorbunok, ” directed by Ivan Ivanov-Vano, 1947, USSR. — URL: (Date accessed: 10/06/26);

2.

Animated film «Gusi-Lebedi, ” directed by Ivan Ivanov-Vano and Alexandra Snezhko-Blotskaya, 1949, USSR. — URL: (Date accessed: 10/06/26);

3.

Animated film «Alyenky Tsvetochek,» directed by Lev Atamanov, 1952, USSR. — URL: https://youtu.be/FVFpgJLS-nM (Date accessed: 10/06/26);

4.

Animated film «The Snow Queen, ” directed by Lev Atamanov, 1957, USSR. — URL: (Date accessed: 10/06/26);

5.

Animated film «Thumbelina, ” directed by Leonid Amalrik, 1964, USSR. — URL: (Date accessed: 10/06/26);

6.

Animated film «Vovka in the Nine Realms, ” directed by Boris Stepantsev, 1965, USSR. — URL: (Date accessed: 10/06/26);

7.

Animated film «Hedgehog in the Fog, ” directed by Yuri Norstein, 1975, USSR. — URL: (Date accessed: 10/06/26);

8.

Animated film «The Flying Ship, ” directed by Garry Bardin, 1979, USSR. — URL: (Date accessed: 10/06/26);

9.

Animated film «The Flying Ship, ” directed by Garry Bardin, 1979, USSR. — URL: (Date accessed: 10/06/26);

10.

Animated film «Tale of Tsar Saltan, ” directed by Ivan Ivanov-Vano and Lev Milchin, 1984, USSR. — URL: (Date accessed: 10/06/26);

Background as a Protagonist: The Evolution of Fabled Worlds in Soviet Cartoons
Project created at 08.11.2026