Animating facial expressions, whether realistic or exaggerated, is a difficult skill to master. To enhance believability, animators often use themselves as a model for their own poses and expressions. Many classic animators even kept a small mirror by their desks so they could use their reflections
Animation often involves long hours of work hunched over a light table or computer, which is not always good for an artist’s posture. After spending a long time working on a piece of animation while bent over in an uncomfortable pose, the artist’s back might start to hurt. In this installment of our
Join us on International Podcast Day as we feature some of The Walt Disney Family Museum’s favorite Disney podcasters to discuss fascinating stories and facts centered on Walt Disney and the people who knew him best. Hear from familiar Disney voices—The Bancroft Brothers and Leonard Maltin—and also
Join Academy Award®-winning Visual Effects Supervisor Dennis Muren for curated film clips and behind-the-scenes stories from his work at Industrial Light & Magic, including the original Star Wars trilogy (1977–83), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), and Jurassic Park (1993).
Traditional hand-drawn animation requires an incredibly high number of individual drawings for each piece of movement. It has been estimated that classic animators like Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men were able to complete from 14–24 seconds of animation per week. If each second of animation requires 24
At The Walt Disney Family Museum, we have a dedicated team of Preparators that utilize creative ways to display artwork in our galleries and special exhibitions. Preparator Ryan Mortensen works primarily with 2D objects, creating custom displays for the public to enjoy our collection of animation artwork.
Before cel animation came to prominence as the most popular style for cartoons in the 1920s, some early animators experimented with clay. Since then, animators have used clay to animate everything from films and television shows to video games. Join us and get creative with clay as you learn how to
In the early days of animation, artists struggled to make characters move in an interesting way while also keeping them simple enough to draw quickly and repeatedly. As a solution, Walt and other animators in the 1920s and 30s adopted a drawing style which gave the characters “rubber hose” limbs
Animation can be hard and tiring work. After many hours, even days, of working away at a light table or computer, few animators can resist the urge to let out a long yawn. In this workshop, use facial expressions and exaggeration to create an animation of a sleepy animator yawning.
We invite you and your family to join our latest Virtual Storytime, I Am Walt Disney with Author Brad Meltzer, as he reads aloud the story of Walt Disney—highlighting Walt’s childhood in Marceline, his move to Hollywood, and the creation of Disneyland Park.
After many long hours spent drawing, tired animators might start to find themselves nodding off. In this workshop, use anticipation and timing to create a short animation of a drowsy animator who gradually falls asleep.
In October of 1966, Walt Disney was declared “Showman of the World” by the National Association of Theatre Owners. His creative legacy was so diverse, spanning so many realms of entertainment and outdoor recreation, it’s remarkable to think that before 1955 he was “merely” a producer of motion pictures...
While he did not live to see it completed, many Disney fans know that, at the time of his passing in 1966, Walt Disney was working on plans for what would later become Walt Disney World in Florida. What is not so well known is that he was concurrently planning a year round family resort in the Sierras known as Mineral King.
Hide in plain sight.
As a student of Disney history I have come to embrace that particular cliché. Simple and almost always overlooked details in Disney entertainment can often lead to very enjoyable and enlightening journeys of historical discovery. I recently embarked on such a journey after watching the Goofy cartoon The Art of Skiing...
For the December Look Closer, we’ve chosen to focus on an artifact that doesn’t relate directly to Walt’s artistic or technological achievements, but has to do more with the man: Walt’s pair of downhill skis found in Gallery 3. These skis, made of metal on wood from the Swiss manufacturer Attenhofer and worn by Walt during winter vacations with his family, are a wonderful reminder of his love of sports...
The Walt Disney Family Museum presents Animate Your Night—a new Museum-wide monthly after-hours party. Experience the galleries in a whole new light and illuminate your imagination with music, performance, film screenings, and hands-on art activities!
Successful animators have a comprehensive understanding of basic animation techniques and principles. This eight-week course focuses on one of these concepts each class by working traditionally with pencil and paper. Students will develop a strong foundation, continue to build their knowledge of art