Tom Bancroft wows crowds at Sharjah Animation Conference

“Every great character begins with a great personality. So, before you even put pencil to paper, you need to understand who your character truly is,” the animator behind iconic characters from Mulan, The Lion King, and Aladdin told the packed hall, as he walked them through the process of building characters that are not only visually appealing but emotionally resonant. 

“Ask yourself: what role do they play in the story — are they the hero, the sidekick, the comic relief? What drives them emotionally? Even plot twists should shape how a character is designed. That’s when your drawing becomes storytelling.”

Using the example of a real cricket, Bancroft explained how shape-based character design helps animators move from “okay” to “better” to “best.” “Simple shapes create strong, readable characters,” said the American, who served as a supervising animator at Disney before taking over as the CEO of Pencilish Animation Studios. 
The 57-year-old then walked the audience through how classic characters like Aladdin were designed with simple, powerful shapes. “Take Aladdin’s triangular torso – it instantly gives him a youthful energy and a sense of motion,” said Bancroft. “Try it sometime – find your favourite character and break them down into basic shapes. You’ll see the design logic behind their appeal.”

He then encouraged participants to focus on dimensionality by “drawing through the shapes,” ensuring their ellipses “feel correct and believable”. “Use perspective to create depth, and always check your silhouette for clarity – if the pose is readable in black and white, it’s strong.”

Bancroft wrapped up the masterclass with a live sketch, creating Dillon, and as  the “tall, lanky cowboy teen with a lazy streak,” emerged stroke by stroke under his pencil, the audience saw decades of animation mastery unfold, one line at a time.

The session was particularly well-received, with attendees praising the hands-on approach and the valuable insights shared. Eva Ivanova, a 22-year-old animation student from Russia, said the workshop shifted her perspective on character design. “I usually try to make my characters more realistic, but after today I realise it’s better to stylise. Using more unrealistic shapes actually makes them more expressive and memorable,” she said.

Indian Wynona Barua, a 24-year-old freelance illustrator and hobbyist, called it a rare opportunity. “I’ve followed Tom Bancroft’s work for years—seeing his process and how he builds characters from basic shapes was incredible. It reinforced how important simplicity is in design, and I also appreciated his candid thoughts on AI and creativity,” said the fresh graduate from New York.

For Nourane Owais, a 35-year-old Egyptian digital illustrator and content creator, the session delivered a blend of nostalgia and inspiration. “There was something magical about watching a Disney veteran deconstruct his art live. It reminded me why I fell in love with illustration in the first place.”