Expert strokes: Keane giving a live drawing demonstration of the Beast. — WILLIAM GARY/The Star
ADOPTING a beginner’s mindset and embracing change are key to navigating the vast possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI) in the creative arts.
This approach, said Oscar-winning and legendary Disney animator Glen Keane, is how any aspiring talent can discover the intrinsic connection between creativity and innovation, which fuels each other in the world of animation.
He added that by staying curious and open to learning, talents can foster continuous growth and development, both personally and professionally.
“This mindset allows us to consistently adapt our approach to animation, ensuring the authenticity and relevance of our work in a rapidly changing world,” said Keane, who was at The One Academy in Selangor recently to give his international masterclass presentation.
The event, held on Jan 13, drew a crowd of 700 attendees, including the academy’s students, alumni members, industry professionals, and secondary school students.
With nearly 40 years of experience in the animation industry under his belt, Keane was one of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ longest-serving lead character animators.
He began his career in the 1970s by bringing films like Pete’s Dragon and The Fox and the Hound to life.
In the late 80s and 90s, he was a primary creative force in the Disney renaissance, animating starring characters in blockbusters that included The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin.
Following his retirement from Disney in 2012, Keane established his own production company where he not only explores the artistic realms of animation, design and film, but also imparts knowledge and inspiration to emerging artists.
Tech vs hand-drawn
Noting that his career had spanned a period of rapid transformation in the animation industry, Keane said it shifted from a focus on conventional hand-drawn techniques to digital animation and virtual reality.
Rather than resisting these changes, he emphasised the importance of embracing them by adapting skills and expertise to stay ahead of the curve, while also recognising the value of staying grounded in foundational principles.
“We have encountered the concept of AI many times in history. The basic idea is that technology often emerges, giving the impression that it might replace things we hold dear.
“But every time technology crosses my path, I feel like it forces me to draw better,” said Keane, who was on his first trip to Malaysia.
Asserting that AI does not diminish one’s capabilities, he said it instead provides options for one to select and work with, making AI a helpful tool rather than a commanding force.
According to Keane, Disney was at one time split into halves: one that was excited about computer animation and another that was fearful of it.
“I embraced where we could go with a computer because I had worked on Tangled using it but there is nothing like the unique simplicity of using a pencil on paper,” he said.
Emphasising that drawing will always be the foundation, he said it is important to communicate that to aspiring artists.
“I encourage people to look at the foundation that they’ve got going. Don’t give that up.
“There is immense potential in mastering the art of hand-drawn animation with the help of advanced technologies,” he said.
Finding inspiration
Keane firmly believes that drawing inspiration from people one knows demonstrates sincerity in connecting with others through art.
Encouraging young, aspiring talents to “draw what you know”, Keane, who is the son of the late cartoonist Bil Keane, said this was his father’s advice to him.
“I used my wife Linda as the inspiration for Ariel in The Little Mermaid when I was supposed to animate Ursula, but when I heard Jodi Benson sang Part of Your World, I told the directors that I had to do Ariel.
“They asked, ‘Can you draw a pretty girl?’ And I said, ‘Of course! I’ve been drawing my wife for years now,’” he said, adding that his family was his source of inspiration for popular Disney characters like Tarzan and Rapunzel.
Another tip he has for aspiring animators is the need to discover something within themselves that resonates with what they are animating.
“In my case, animating the Beast in Beauty and the Beast was familiar because I had a temper as a kid – it embodied who the beast was.
“You have to live in the skin of the character that you’re animating, so you draw with that kind of energy and emotion and it reflects on the character you’ve drawn,” he said while doing a live drawing demonstration of the Beast.
Keane also said that growth, contrary to popular belief, does not happen steadily over time, but is an experience that artists go through when they hit a wall with no way forward.
He recalled hitting a block years ago until he found a book in the Disney library on Italian painter and sculptor Amedeo Modigliani, whose style was distinct from Disney animation.
“He made African sculptures which fascinated me so much that I started to do drawings of them too.
“Before I knew it, I found myself drawing differently, and I was no longer at the bottom of that wall; I was suddenly above it,” he said.
He also advised aspiring animators seeking to make their mark independently that the journey towards success in the creative field is not confined to a specific phase in their career but is accessible at any juncture.
“At any point in your career, you can always take that step and do something independently.
“It may happen at the beginning or towards the end, but what’s important is that you follow up on that. Spend your time having a sketchbook and developing an idea.
“Tangled was an idea that took 25 years to come to life – some ideas are like oak trees and some are like bamboos; bamboos sprout immediately and oak trees take centuries to grow.
“So, find the right time, don’t stop and wait, start working on it now,” he said.
