What’s Opera, Doc? Color Model

The Official Chuck Jones Virtual Experience is pleased to offer LOONEY TUNES fans “What’s Opera, Doc? Color Model”, a limited-edition work by the legendary animation director-artist Chuck Jones.

The Academy Award–winning animation director-artist Chuck Jones (1912–2002) created some of the most enduring and influential animated films in history, shaping the visual language of Warner Bros. cartoons and defining the comedic and expressive potential of character animation. His legacy continues to stand as a benchmark for excellence in animation and fine art storytelling.

This limited edition artwork was created by Chuck Jones from his extensive portfolio of original and pre-production works, offering a rare glimpse into the creative development process behind one of animation’s most celebrated shorts.

The inspiration for this work of art comes from an original pre-production color model study by Chuck Jones, providing insight into the meticulous design decisions that guided the final animation. Featuring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, the study highlights the precision of character styling, palette development, and visual composition that helped define the film’s operatic tone and cinematic impact.

Originally released in 1957 and directed by Chuck Jones with story by Michael Maltese, What’s Opera, Doc? is widely regarded as one of the greatest animated shorts ever produced. The film features Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in a stylized operatic parody and holds the distinction of being the first animated short inducted into the National Film Registry of the Smithsonian Institution in 1992. It was also ranked the number one animated film in The 50 Greatest Cartoons, as voted by animation critics, artists, and historians.

The What’s Opera, Doc? Color Model Limited-Edition artwork is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.