IN Short:Traditional Cel Animation

In traditional cel animation every frame is drawn by hand. Video clips are play 24 frames per second (fps). That means a one minute video clip read 1440 pictures.

– Artistic vision has to be converted into a sequence of still frames
– Not enough to get the stills right--must look right at full speed
» Hard to “see” the motion given the stills
» Hard to “see” the motion at the wrong frame rate

Story board
– Sequence of drawings with descriptions
– Story-based description

• Voice Recording
– Preliminary soundtrack or "scratch track" is recorded
– To synchronize animation later

• Animatic or Story Reel
– Pictures of the storyboard synchronized with the soundtrack
– To work out timing issues

• Design
– Design and draw characters from different angles
– Statues and maquettes can be produced




• Animation
– Story board
– Animatic
– Final Animation

• Key Frames
–Draw a few important frames in pencil
» beginning of jump, end of jump and a frame in the air

• Inbetweens
–Draw the rest of the frames

• Painting
–Redraw onto clear sheet of plastic called a cel, color them in
Use one layer for background, one for object
- Can have multiple animators working simultaneously
on different layers, avoid re-drawing and flickering

- Draw each separately
- Stack them together on a copy stand
- Transfer onto film by taking a photograph of the stack