Disney+ Presents One-Of-A-Kind Drawing Experience, 'Sketchbook,' Streaming In April

From Supper Club, the Creators of the Emmy®-nominated Chef's Table, and award-winning Walt Disney Animation Studios, six-part series follows Disney Animation artists as they teach viewers how to draw their favorite iconic Disney characters.

Disney+ invites you to a one-of-a-kind drawing experience in the all-new, six-part Original Series SKETCHBOOK with Walt Disney Animation Studios streaming April 27. From Supper Club and in partnership with Walt Disney Animation Studios, audiences will be given an insider’s look into the animation process as some of the Studios’ talented artists teach them how to draw beloved Disney characters, including Kuzco from Emperor’s New Groove, Olaf from Frozen, Genie from Aladdin, Captain Hook from Peter Pan, Mirabel from Encanto, and young Simba from The Lion King.

An intimate instructional documentary series, SKETCHBOOK with Walt Disney Animation Studios takes us onto the desks and into the lives of talented artists and animators as they teach us how to draw a single iconic character from a Walt Disney Animation Studios film. Each episode focuses on a single artist illustrating a character that either they helped create or inspired them to want to be an artist at the Studio. As we learn the steps to drawing these characters, we also discover that the artists each have a unique story to tell about how they made their way to Disney and their chosen character. From the creators of Chef's Table, this exclusive experience will give viewers of all ages a new understanding of how these beloved characters come to life on-screen while introducing them to a new cast of real-life characters along the way.

“This series is an unprecedented look at what it takes to bring these beloved characters to life,” says Jason Sterman, director and executive producer, Supper Club. “We are honored to feature this incredible group of artists who trusted us not only with presenting their skillset, but with sharing their personal, and often emotional, stories with the world. We’re looking forward to audiences becoming inspired to hopefully pick up a pencil and put it to paper themselves.”

"Think back to your favorite films from Walt Disney Animation Studios, whether from our earliest days, the films of our 1990s renaissance or the award-winning films of today like Encanto and Frozen, every film starts with an idea, a pencil and an artist. And within the thousands of artists who have created our 60 films over the last century, every person has a unique and special story," says series executive producer Amy Astley, senior vice president, Publicity/Communications, Creative Legacy, and Brand Strategy for Walt Disney Animation Studios. "It was an honor to partner with Supper Club, whose projects such as Chef's Table create beautifully captured, intimate portraits of talented people. With SKETCHBOOK, our hope is to demystify the art of drawing, making it accessible for anyone who wants to pick up a pencil and paper while deepening an appreciation for the individuals who contribute to our films."

SKETCHBOOK with Walt Disney Animation Studios is produced by Supper Club in partnership with Disney Animation. For Supper Club, Jason Sterman, David Gelb and Brian McGinn are executive producers. For Walt Disney Animation Studios, Amy Astley is executive producer. Sterman, Leanne Dare and Andrew McAllister serve as directors.

The characters and artists featured in the series include the following:

Emperor’s New Groove “Kuzco”

Gabby Capili’s path to Disney Animation began at a young age when she saw her first Disney film in a theater with her father, The Emperor’s New Groove. As Gabby teaches us how to draw her favorite character from the film, “Kuzco,” she also shares the importance of following your instincts and being free to let life guide you where you belong.

Frozen “Olaf”

While teaching us to draw one of Disney Animation’s most beloved characters, Olaf from the worldwide hit Frozen films, Hyun Min Lee shares the joyful wonder of the character, and how she channeled personal loss into being a guiding light in her career in animation.

Aladdin “The Genie”

Legendary Disney animator Eric Goldberg guides us through the steps of drawing his most iconic character creation, “The Genie” from Aladdin, while learning along the way the levels to which Robin Williams impacted the character and its animation.

Peter Pan “Captain Hook”

Growing up in South Korea, Disney animator and character designer Jin Kim was always fascinated by the villains of Disney’s films. As Jin teaches us to draw Peter Pan’s “Captain Hook” we learn that his journey to America and working at Disney almost didn’t happen because of his colorblindness.

Encanto “Mirabel”

Disney Animation story artist Samantha Vilfort teaches us how to draw one of the Studio’s newest characters, “Mirabel Madrigal,” from the award-winning hit film Encanto. Through her story we learn that her connection to Mirabel’s struggle of being different from everyone else in her family hits close to home.

The Lion King “Simba”

Storied Disney animator Mark Henn teaches us how to draw one of his favorite character designs, “Young Simba” from The Lion King. Through Mark’s story, we learn the importance of never giving up on your dreams, even in the face of rejection.

Images c/o Disney+

About Disney+:

Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The Simpsons and much more. In select international markets, it also includes the new general entertainment content brand, Star. The flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ is part of the Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution segment. The service offers commercial-free streaming alongside an ever-growing collection of exclusive originals, including feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series, and short-form content. With unprecedented access to Disney’s long history of incredible film and television entertainment, Disney+ is also the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as a standalone streaming service or as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected TV devices.

About Supper Club:

Supper Club is the independent production company founded by award-winning filmmakers Jason Sterman, David Gelb and Brian McGinn. Specializing in the development and production of original non-scripted and scripted entertainment, Supper Club is dedicated to elevated storytelling across all platforms and formats. Supper Club founders have garnered 9 Emmy® nominations, and two wins, including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special. Supper Club continues to produce non-fiction programming through their development and production deal with The Walt Disney Company.

About Walt Disney Animation Studios:

Combining masterful artistry and storytelling with groundbreaking technology, Walt Disney Animation Studios is a filmmaker-driven animation studio responsible for creating some of the most beloved films ever made. WDAS continues to build on its rich legacy of innovation and creativity, from the first fully-animated feature film, 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to 2019’s Frozen 2, the biggest animated film of all time, to our 60th animated feature, Encanto. Among the studio's timeless creations are Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Frozen, Big Hero 6, and Zootopia.