bart from the simpsons - traditional animation

What is Traditional Animation or Cel Animation?

Nathan Kondakis · December 21, 2022

Traditional animation, also known as cel animation or hand drawn animation. It is a technique used in the production of animated films or cartoons where each frame is created manually by an artist. This method, known as cel-based animation, has been a significant part of the animation industry for years. It has contributed to the timeless appeal of classic animated movies.

Cel Animation Process

To make a cel animation, start by drawing a series of pencil sketches called a storyboard. This helps plan out the character's movements and actions. The animator draws detailed lines on a clear sheet called a "cel" for each frame of the animation. These animation drawings are then hand-coloured using special paints or markers.

After the cel paintings are completed, they are placed on top of a background image. Typically, artists paint the background image on a separate sheet of paper.

The cel and background are then photographed frame by frame using a specialised camera. When these individual frames are played back in sequence, the illusion of motion is created. Music and sound effects are added to enhance the experience.

Storyboarding

Storyboards are visual storytelling commonly utilised in multimedia projects such as video games, films, and animation. They comprise a sequence of drawings or pictures that tell the story of a scene or project.

A storyboard is a series of pictures that show different scenes or shots. They often include notes or captions to explain the action, dialogue, camera angles, and other important details. During pre-production, filmmakers frequently use storyboards to plan the project. They also use them to visualise the project and convey the creative vision to other production team members.

Traditional Animation Backgrounds

Usually, background artists paint the environments that the animation is set behind. Although some animations have used watercolour or oil paint backgrounds, most are created with gouache or acrylic paint.

To create backgrounds that complement character designs, background artists closely collaborate with background layout artists and colour stylists.

The Techniques of Traditional Animation

Traditional animation uses many various techniques to make scenes and characters come to life. Animators use keyframes as a basic technique to draw important points in the animation first. They later add frames to create fluid motion, which they call in-betweens.

Additionally, animators give characters a sense of weight and flexibility by applying the squash and stretch principles. This method works well for conveying dynamic movements like stretching or jumping.

He Man animation sketch - rotoscoping

Rotoscoping

Max Fleischer developed the traditional cel animation technique known as "rotoscoping" in 1915. In this technique, animation is "traced" over real-world film footage of actors and scenery.

The live-action will typically be registered and printed out frame by frame. The artist covers the live-action printouts with another piece of paper, and uses a lightbox to trace the action frame by frame. Even though the final product is hand-drawn, the motion will be incredibly realistic.

Rotoscoping is commonly used to animate lifelike human characters in movies such as Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, and Snow White.

Limited Animation

Films with limited animation are those that don't need as many details. Not often realistic, usually a classic and expressive kind of animation.

This technique began as a low-cost way to make animated TV shows. It became popular for its funny characters, colorful designs, and unique style.

Legacy and Continued Use

Numerous animation experts say that traditional animation is still relevant today. There are several reasons why it might be back or, at the very least, experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Some people believe traditional animation has a special charm that computer-generated animation lacks. They also think that it is more "artistic" than CG animation.

Of course, traditional animation has its share of challenges. For example, it can be labour- and time consuming, expensive, and challenging to find skilled animators. But, many people think that traditional animation has more advantages than disadvantages.

Cel-based animation was the primary animation technique before the arrival of digital animation. It is still used in some productions for its unique hand-drawn aesthetic. Short films often utilise cel animation to bring nostalgia and artistic expression through the classic animation style.

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