Why Is ANNIE Blonde?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 2:30pm

In all the years I've looked at this poster, I never noticed it until yesterday.

Anyone know why she's a blonde in the original artwork?

[broadway guy]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 2:32pm

It looks better. The yellow hair compliments the printing. Simple as that.

[logan2]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 2:43pm

They wanted the carpet to match the drapes.

[all that jazz]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 2:50pm

I've been wondering about that too, thanks for bringing it up.

She still looks blondish on the current revival.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 2:52pm

It was cheaper to only use three colors of ink -- red, yellow and black.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 3:05pm

Then why not make the redheads hair red if the color was already being used?

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 3:15pm

I actually never noticed that until you brought it to my attention.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 3:52pm

If Annie tries to put in contacts does her finger just go through to the back of her skull?

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 3:56pm

Is that logo beloved in the states or something? I was surprised they didnt come up with something new and less dated for the new revival. Maybe its just me but I hate that logo, its so dated and dull

[eperkins]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 3:58pm

Rose tried to make her one of the Hollywood Blondes

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 3:59pm

The 3 color explanation is probably correct. It always comes down to money.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:01pm

Hilarious observation and a good question!

[trentsketch]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:02pm

From a design standpoint, you'd lose the clear image of Annie in the corner of the log if her hair was the same red as the text and dress. She'd be a pink blob over the I.

There are four colors on the design, which would be the limit for standard screen printing. The black, red, yellow, and pink are printed on white stock to give the five color impression. Adding in an orange or a different shade of red would go into a much more complicated printing process.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:03pm

Well, she looks like a cheap dead whore with that blonde wig and those holes for eyes.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:07pm

I also noticed she has trunk like thighs, what's up with that?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:09pm

THAT is an excellent question, Carlos. Really unattractive for a girl that age.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:22pm

That girl must suffer from image issues. She doesn't have pupils, the carpet does not match the drapes...and that's some kinky hair for a white girl if you ask me and to top it all off she's got trunk like thighs. Not a pretty sight.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:31pm

To be fair, she's not going to be white for very long.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:31pm

Well, since everyone else has already gone there, would a girl Annie's age even have the carpet installed yet? Aren't we still dealing with bare floors at that point?

[eperkins]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:32pm

There are four colors on the design, which would be the limit for standard screen printing. The black, red, yellow, and pink are printed on white stock to give the five color impression. Adding in an orange or a different shade of red would go into a much more complicated printing process.

I don't see pink in the original poster, only the red, black, and yellow. So there are just 3 colors in use. Even if there was pink, it would have been achieved with a screen of the red (looks like tiny red dots up very close, but pink from a distance). Frankly, 3 color printing probably isn't any cheaper that 4 color process printing. Certainly not these days, and probably not at the time the original was done as well.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:37pm

To be fair, she's not going to be white for very long.

Bwahahahaha! This is so true!

I think they should change the title from ANNIE to ANQUISHA.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:37pm

^ The pink is in Annie's skin tones.

I think we need to lay all the blame for the poor girl's look at the feet of Harold Gray, who seemed to hate little girls as much as he hated Democrats and all those other anti-American groups he always he railed against.

Imagine the posts he would have placed here had BWW been around in the 30's.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:43pm

There are four colors on the design, which would be the limit for standard screen printing. The black, red, yellow, and pink are printed on white stock to give the five color impression. Adding in an orange or a different shade of red would go into a much more complicated printing process.

Wouldn't red and yellow make orange?

[eperkins]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:51pm

The pink is in Annie's skin tones.

Ah yes. Still, that would have been achieved with a screen of the red, not with a fourth pink color if they were trying to save a little money. If it is NOT a screen of the red and they really were using 4 colors, they could have achieved any colors they wanted, as that is the standard 4/C process in use today to print "full" color. Also known as CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). Mixing those four inks you can get virtually any color you want.

One thing of note: by not using screens and blending colors, and using just the pure ink colors, you do get a more vibrant look, which may have been the intention. And it probably would have cost more to do it that way, not less.
/end printing lesson.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/19/13 at 4:54pm

Even if it was a money issue, I still don't understand it. She's famous for being a redhead. It's like printing windowcards of REDHEAD and making Gwen Verdon a brunette because its cheaper.