Apr 27, 2022

Eric Goldberg and Jason Starman appeared in Disney's "Sketchbook" and the company returned to hand-drawn production.

Disney's new learn-to-draw series Sketchbook debuted globally on the company's streaming platform today.

In each episode of the show, a Disney artist will teach the audience how to draw famous Disney characters. More than that, each artist also opens up about their own animated stories, sharing behind-the-scenes anecdotes from their time in the studio.

Cartoon Brew talked to Sterman (top right) and Goldberg (top left) about how the series was formatted, the viewer's intentions, and the benefits offered by straight-to-streaming delivery. It also felt like the entire animation world was celebrating this week after Goldberg's viral co on Disney's interest in producing more hand-drawn 2d animations

you said you were watching Disney return to 2d animation. You and some other traditional animators have been with Disney for decades, so obviously 2d didn't really go anywhere, but what did you mean when you said it was coming back?-

Eric Goldberg: You're pointing out that hand-drawn 2d animation is still the currency in the studio. That's how we communicate. Over the past few years I've been involved in quite a number of hand-drawn projects for the park, so we've kept it alive this whole time. But I think what has changed recently is the attitude of the studio that this needs to be maintained in the training program. We realize that we're starting with just a handful of people, but they're a good handful. They are very talented and we really enjoy working with them. And yes, there are projects that come down the pipeline that absolutely require hand-drawn animation. While things like "Hand-drawn with 28 features" don't go down on record, there's a lot of interest in hand-drawn work in the studio.

Each episode begins with the premise of "learning to draw this famous Disney character.""But it soon becomes clear that the show is as much about artists as it is art. You can talk a bit about how you format the show and what people can expect to learn from it-

Jason Sterman: Ultimately, the idea that we are always a work-drawing show allows entry points that are very accessible, understandable, and attract a lot of people. But it is not necessary to draw anything to get rid of something from this series. In the world of animation, there is so much love for the movies we grew up watching, but many don't interact with the humans behind the movies. Sketchbooks are a way to spotlight the human aspect of animation.

Goldberg: I think the 2 aspects of the show are intertwined. It's a painting lesson, yes, but there's also a life lesson. We all started somewhere, most of us in the bottom rungs, and in each episode we all look very similar in terms of our desires and abilities

Jason, who did you imagine this show was for when you were developing a sketchbook?-

Starman: So when you're making a Disney+ show, you're really making a show for the whole world. I've tried all the time to keep that in mind; that this show had to be for each and every audience member. In my case, for example, I did not grow to draw. The figure of the stick was a great achievement. So I used myself as a standard for the show, it had to work for an audience like me who is not an everyday and everyday artist It had to keep my attention all the time and teach me something new.

And Eric who was thinking when you're talking to the camera-

Goldberg: I'm very comfortable talking and drawing at the same time. I've been doing it for a long time, so the camera just stood on my shoulder and watched me draw and at the same time thought like someone listening to me. Sometimes what I said was educational, other times anecdotal.

I feel that this show is made to order for streaming. As a child, I wore magnetic strips on many of my VHS tapes. I can imagine that the show that taught me how to draw faced a similar fate with constant stops, starts and unwinding. What advantages did you find in making this show for Disney+-

Starman: To get started the show understands the accessibility of streaming today, this whole show is released day by day. It allows the audience to come to the show the way they want. They can choose their favorite characters and watch them in any order and at their own pace. For artists, you don't have to pass a VHS tape and tell each other what parts to watch, you can send them a link and a timestamp to the part you want to share with anyone in the world. I think it will make all of us a little more connected and the world feel a little smaller.

The artists featured in the first season of the sketchbook include Gabby Capili (drawing Kuzco from the Emperor's New Groove), Hyun-min Lee (Olaf from Frozen), Eric Goldberg (Genie from Aladdin), Jin Kim (Captain Hook from Peter Pan), and Samantha Bee. They are Vilfort (Mirabell from Encant), and Mark Heng (Young Simba from the Lion King). The sketchbook is produced by Dinner Club, with episodes directed by Jason Starman, Leanne Der and Andrew McAllister. Starman is also executive producer alongside David Gelb, Brian McGinn and Amy Astley.