Illustrator Peter de Sève, and Scrat from “Ice Age.” Photograph by Marty Umans. Sketch by Peter de Sève. Photo ©Marty Umans. All rights reserved. Scrat and “Ice Age” ™ & ©Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

5:30 p.m. during the months of July and August. Learn more about the art of visual storytelling and the contributions of noted illustrators, animators and filmmakers, who bring artistry and technology together to create new realities. All events are free for members, or with regular Museum admission.

On July 7, starting at 5:30 p.m., meet illustrator Peter de Sève, character designer for Blue Sky Studios’ “Ice Age” movie series. Mr. de Sève will talk about his process of bringing animated characters to life–from sketch to screen. In addition to his work for Blue Sky Studios, the artist has created humorous illustrations for such major publications as “The New Yorker,” “Time,” and “Newsweek;” popular children’s books, including “The Dutchess of Whimsy” with author/wife Randall de Sève; and character designs for such animated movies as “A Bug’s Life,” “Finding Nemo,” and “Tarzan.” A reception with the artist will follow. Free for members, or with regular Museum admission.

Upcoming Events:

Animation and Art Direction
An Evening with “Rio” Director Thomas Cardone
July 14, 5:30 p.m.

The Art of Animation:
Behind the Scenes of Blue Sky Studios
July 21, 5:30 p.m.

Movie Night!
Screening Under the Stars: “Robots”
July 28, 5:30 p.m.

Steampunk Night!
August 4, 5:30 p.m.

The Berkshires! Filmmaking & Special Effects in Our Backyard
August 11, 5:30 p.m.

Lights, Camera, Action! Lighting Design for Animated Films
August 18, 5:30 p.m.

Movie Night!
Screening Under the Stars: “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs”
August 25, 5:30 p.m.

“’Ice Age’ to the Digital Age: The 3D Animation Art of Blue Sky Studios”
On view June 11 through October 31, 2011

Go “behind the scenes” with a look at the world of digital animation with the artists of Blue Sky Studios, creators of the blockbuster films “Ice Age” (and its popular sequels), “Robots,” and the recently released hit, “Rio.”

This first-ever exhibition brings art and technology together to explore how visual concepts are transformed into believable worlds for the big screen. Rarely-seen original character drawings, storyboards, and background paintings reflect the conceptual process, and a recreated sculpture studio will bring you face-to-face with Blue Sky’s amazing sculptural maquettes. Interactive stations reveal how today’s stunning computer generated imagery is built, from initial concept to finished frame.

Blue Sky Studios is the Academy Award©-winning, feature CG animation studio behind the wildly successful Ice Age franchise. Using their propriety rendering software, CGI Studio©, Blue Sky creates photo-realistic, high-resolution, computer-generated character animation and rendering to create timeless stories for children of all ages. Blue Sky is the studio behind “Ice Age” (2002), “Robots” (2005), “Ice Age: The Meltdown” (2006), “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!” (2008), “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” (2009) and “Rio” (2011). Blue Sky Studios is wholly owned by Twentieth Century Fox.

“Ice Age” to the Digital Age: The 3D Animation Art of Blue Sky Studios is sponsored, in part, by Greylock Federal Credit Union, Wacom Technology Corporation, Pixologic, Inc., and Time Warner’s “Connect A Million Minds.”