ArtsMagic Ltd.

Credits

Descriptions by
Logoarto

Editions by
Henrynguye5

Video captures courtesy of
BOURAS Animation, Digital media resources and Dan VHS

1st Logo (1989-2002)

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Visuals: On a black background, rays of white light zoom from the bottom of the screen, expanding as they ascend. during this time the background fades from black to sky blue, revealing that some of the rays are black. the rays finish ascending and form into the Arts Magic logo, which looks like a joker card but with "Arts" and "MagiC" written on the top left and bottom right of the card.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: An ascending sparkle/twinkle tune is heard while the black and white rays ascend from the bottom of the screen, and a strange Roland TB-303-styled bass note is held down as the Arts Magic logo is formed.

Availability: Seen on VHS releases of Titans of Steam, Classic Trains, A Feast of Steam and Strange Trains, among other specialty movies.

2nd Logo (Late 1990s-2000s)

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Visuals: On a black background, we see an array of different colours taking up the bottom half of the screen. This array of colours begins to shrink into a portrait shape and reveals itself to be the symbol from the first logo. Whilst this is going on, the word "ARTSMAGIC" in a medieval font zooms in from the centre of the screen and spins around before coming to a rest near the top of the screen. The Artsmagic symbol turns upwards to face the viewer.

Variants:

• On some tapes, the company's web address fades in at the bottom of the screen after the logo's form-up.
• An odd variant was used at the end of a promo for the Artsmagic website. It begins with the logo already fully formed, before spinning round to reveal a drawing of a cartoon jester wagging his finger. Above the image reads "THE JOKER IS WILD" in a blue serif font, and below is the company's web address in the same colour and typeface.

Technique: 2D animation.

Audio: A bombastic fake orchestral fanfare. The variant lacks music and instead features a male voiceover yelling "Artsmagic! The joker is wild!"

Availability: Was seen on Artsmagic's prints of A Lineside Look at Model Railways and Another Lineside Look at Model Railways. The variant was seen on Artsmagic's release of Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance.

3rd Logo (2000s-2012)

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Visuals: On a green background, we see six playing cards flying in from the left hand side of the screen. These are the Jack of Clubs, Two of Hearts, Queen of Hearts, Ace of Spades, King of Clubs and finally a card with the Artsmagic logo on it, similar to the previous two logos but now with "ARTS" and "MAGIC" written in black all-caps and slightly curved. The cards behind the logo rotate as the camera pans to look more closely at the logo. The background then fades to an animated ocean backdrop, and the angle of the background rotates, but the Artsmagic symbol remains stationary. it then glows, and the ocean background stops animating.

Variant: On some releases, the Artmagic logo card has a slighty different design, with "ARTSMAGIC" written on the top of the card and "DVD" written on the bottom.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: an ambient tune plays throughout the ident. A descending synthesised noise plays as the cards rotate, and the synthesized sound of ocean waves and seagulls (the "Absynth Beach" preset off of Native Instruments' Absynth synthesizer) play when the background changes.

Availability: Seen on Artsmagic DVD releases from the time period, such as The Restoration of the British Motorcycle Museum.

4th Logo (2012-)

Visuals: On a black background, we see the Artsmagic symbol once again, but in black and white and to the left of the screen. Inside the symbol are the words "ARTSMAGIC DVD". To the right of the symbol are the words "An ArtsmagicDVD presentation" with a copyright stamp below. At the top of the screen is a rainbow with "www.artsmagicdvd.net" written inside.

Technique: None.

Audio: The end theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on documentary DVDs released by the company.