Walt Disney knew that at the heart of every animated film is a well-told story. Join us on this School Experience as we investigate the basics of narrative structure, establishing interesting and dynamic plots, and creating internal and external challenges that can impact a character’s journey
The Ink and Paint Department was an invaluable part of the animation process, especially with the addition of color to animated films. In this School Experience, students will learn about the relationship between colors, and how color theory utilizes both art and science in color mixing to achieve a
When creating theme parks, designers and architects apply their creative minds and technical ingenuity to design ambitious and timeless projects. Students will plan their own innovative theme parks using creative thinking, problem solving, and teamwork. They will work together to create their theme
Create fun and unique art pieces with a painting technique involving small dots, patterns, and colored paints. Students will learn about impressionism and gain a basic understanding of color filling, shading, and tints to create a cohesive art piece.
How we travel around the world—in trains, cars, planes, and rockets—has evolved exponentially over the past century as new innovations have been developed. Join us as we explore various modes of transportation, and use colors and shapes to create and design our own scenes with two-dimensional trains
Walt Disney was a storyteller whose characters captivated audiences through their unique personalities and distinct designs. In this virtual School Experience, students gain an understanding of the fundamentals of character design. Learn more about the creative process and how to create unique and
Background design is an important part of the storytelling process as it helps give context to the narrative by showing the world in which the characters live. Although not the main focus, backgrounds can amplify and fully immerse a viewer. In this virtual School Experience, we will discuss industry
The Walt Disney Studios pioneered storyboarding—an innovative way of depicting an artist’s vision of the film’s story. Join us in this virtual School Experience as we delve into timing, camera angles and shots, and how to plan out a visual project in a sequential form. Students will then take on the
Join us as we take a look at how performers execute daring moves in classic live-action and animated films. Then through 2D hand-drawn animation, animate a character courageously leaping out of a window.
Animators often start their journey with a piece of paper, a pencil, and their own imagination. We will explore the traditional practices and principles of hand-drawn animation. With a few simple techniques, students will bring their drawings to life in the same way that animators in the 1930s did.
Discover how Walt Disney encouraged his staff to experiment with special effects technology to make animation more compelling and realistic, and how the resulting advancements inspired the industry as a whole. Students will experiment with a miniature multiplane set up—focusing on design elements
Before the use of cels, paper cut-out figures were a common form of animation. Join us as we create paper creations with simple shapes and designs using construction paper and glue, then animate our creations to make our own silent stop-motion short films.
Journey with us as we explore the ways in which a magical carpet moves and soars across the sky, then, using traditional hand-drawn techniques, we will animate an ordinary rug flying across the page.
Join us for an intimate talk between beloved actress and Disney Legend Hayley Mills and Director of the Walt Disney Archives Rebecca Cline as they explore Mills' new memoir—Forever Young—describing the start of her career as a child actress, memories from iconic lead roles in classic Disney films
Join us as we take a look at how performers execute daring moves in classic live-action and animated films. Then through 2D hand-drawn animation, animate a character courageously leaping out of a window.
Join as we examine the history of Magic Kingdom’s beloved Haunted Mansion attraction, its many ghostly inhabitants, and other famous spirits within the animated world. Then using 2D hand-drawn animation, create your own levitating ghost.
Join us as we delve into the captivating art of dance and how to translate it into animation, then explore how swooping lines and simple drawings capture the illusion of a performer using exquisite dance moves across the screen.
Join us for the long-awaited, in-person celebration of our newest special exhibition, The Walt Disney Studios and World War II, as Exhibition Curator Kent Ramsey gives an in-depth talk about this lesser known, yet crucial, time period at The Walt Disney Studios and shares the wealth of knowledge he
