The Animation Academy is a fantastic attractions that you actually have to seek out. There are no exterior signs or lights to draw you in. There are no "teasers" about what you may find inside. There are no squeals of delight as you walk by. And yet this 20-25 minute class is a fantastic little find.
The Animation Academy is located inside the Magic of Disney Animation building. As you enter the large room to the right you immediately notice the characters surrounded by the adoring masses. We saw Sorcerer Mickey, Lotso, Frozone, and Mr. Incredible. It is easy to become distracted by the Sunnyside Daycare set up and not even notice the small waiting area for the Animation Academy. The waiting area consists a few benches separated from the rest of the room with a movie theater style velvet rope. The classes are offered every 30 minutes or so through out the day. There are a limited number of seats available, so I would not arrive moments before a class is scheduled to begin and expect to find a seat.
Usually, our family plans a mid day break, but for our Studios day, we decided to try to push through.We planned to attend the class in the afternoon to give ourselves a little rest. It was a great idea, as the "tired" was starting to set in. Because of that, I was not nearly as diligent with picture taking as I normally am - my apologies.
In any event, we ended up waiting about 20 minutes for the class to begin. As they swept open the doors, we entered an upscale classroom. The instructor was seated at the front next to a large overhead projector. There were rows of Mickey themed desks and stools, along with paper firmly secured to the desk and some pencils. The room filled quickly and the instructor started the class by letting us choose which character we wanted to draw - an easy Mickey or a more complicated Stitch. The class must have been filled with other drawing impaired folks, as the overwhelming choice was Mickey. (I am sure it had nothing to do with it being, you know...Mickey!)
The instructor moved at a good pace. She kept everyone moving so the class would end on time. She gave great general drawing tips - For example, when you draw a circle you should move from your shoulder, not your wrist or elbow, as that is the natural movement of your shoulder. You know what? It worked! I started my Mickey face and ears with a much rounder circles than I had ever drawn before. Certainly not perfect, but passable.
The she moved on to explaining exactly where to draw a few simple guidelines. Once we had our guide lines we and used them to get the proportions of Mickey's features just right. Before I knew it I had a pretty good Mickey staring back at me - albeit a bit cross-eyed.
Quick Tip - In order to keep the class moving, there are no erasers in the Animation Academy. Keep your sketch lines very light until you are instructed to make them heavy - or just wait until the end of class and use the last minute to darken up the appropriate lines. If I had done a better job of that, my picture would have been even better.
So next time you visit Hollywood Studios, build in a little rest and drawing time at the Animation Academy. It is absolutely worth looking for. I must say that I was ridiculously proud of my work. You are encouraged to sign and keep the fruits of your labor. I wonder if Mom has any room left on her refrigerator?
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| My crossed-eyed mouse |
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| My 7 Year old's efforts - She was frustrated with no eraser, but now sketches much better Mickeys with ease. |
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| And the 4 year old...Have I mentioned that listening and following directions are not her strong suit? She now does great sketches of Mickey, but she still puts the guidelines on the face - even though she does not actually use them! |
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