Animation Cel Definition and Art Gallery Collection
Animation Cel, short for Animation Celluloid, is a transparent sheet on which objects are drawn or painted for traditional, hand-drawn animation. Actual celluloid (consisting of cellulose nitrate and camphor) was used during the first half of the 20th century, but since it was flammable and dimensionally unstable it was largely replaced by cellulose acetate. With the advent of computer-assisted animation production, the use of the Animation Cel has been all but abandoned in major productions. Disney studios stopped using cels in 1990 when Computer Animation Production System (CAPS) replaced this element in their animation process, and in the next decade and a half, the other major animation studios phased the Animation Cel out as well.
Generally, the characters are drawn on an Animation Cel and laid over a static background drawing. This reduces the number of times an image has to be redrawn and enables studios to split up the production process to different specialized teams. Using this assembly line way to animate has made it possible to produce films much more cost-effectively. The invention of the technique is generally attributed to Earl Hurd, who patented the process in 1914. The outline of the images are drawn on the front of the cel while colors are painted on the back to eliminate brushstrokes. Traditionally, the outlines were hand-inked but since the 1960's they are almost exclusively xerographed on. Another important breakthrough in cel animation was the development of the Animation Photo Transfer Process, first seen in The Black Cauldron, released in 1985.
Production Animation Cels were sometimes sold after the animation process was completed. More popular shows and movies demanded higher prices for the cels, with some selling for thousands of dollars. Some cels are not used for actual production work, but may be a "special" or "limited edition" version of the artwork, sometimes even printed ("lithographed") instead of hand-painted. These normally do not fetch as high a price as original "under-the-camera" cels, which are true collector's items. Some unique cels have fetched record prices at art auctions. For example, a large "pan" cel depicting numerous characters from the finale of Who Framed Roger Rabbit sold for $50,600 at Sotheby's in 1989, including its original background. Disney Stores sold production cels from The Little Mermaid (their last film to use cels) at prices from $2,500 to $3,500, without the original backgrounds. Lithographed "sericels" from the same film were $250, with edition sizes of 2,500–5,000 pieces
Scooby Doo (1985) by Hanna Barbera is a Hand Painted Production Animation Cel with it's Paired Full Color Lithograph Background, both of which were actually used to create the Animation for the popular Saturday Morning TV Series Scooby-Doo. This Production Cel was created to produce the 1985 Episode "The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo."...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Scooby Doo (1985) by Hanna Barbera is a Hand Painted Production Animation Cel with it's Paired Full Color Lithograph Background, both of which were actually used to create the Animation for the popular Saturday Morning TV Series Scooby-Doo. This Production Cel was created to produce the 1985 Episode "The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo."...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Scooby Doo (1985) by Hanna Barbera is a Hand Painted Production Animation Cel with it's Paired Full Color Lithograph Background, both of which were actually used to create the Animation for the popular Saturday Morning TV Series Scooby-Doo. This Production Cel was created to produce the 1985 Episode "The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo."...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Scooby Doo (1985) by Hanna Barbera is a Hand Painted Production Animation Cel with it's Paired Full Color Lithograph Background, both of which were actually used to create the Animation for the popular Saturday Morning TV Series Scooby-Doo. This Production Cel was created to produce the 1985 Episode "The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo."...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Sir Loin of Beef (1995) by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel from a Sold Out Edition with Hand Painted Coloring on a Sericel Outline Bearing the Official Holographic Seal of Linda Jones Enterprises, Numbered in Sequence at 491 out of a total Edition Size of only 500...
$ 1,200.00 $ 250.00
Snagglepuss is an Original Full Color Production Animation Cel by Hanna-Barbera Productions was actually used in the August 1995 TV Commercial "Purina Bowl Sweepstakes", along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Comes Matted ready to Frame and includes a Certificate of Authenticity. Each piece...
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
Sound Please (1997) by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel from a Sold Out Edition with Hand Painted Coloring on a Sericel Outline, Bears the Official Holographic Seal of Linda Jones Enterprises, Numbered in Sequence out of a total Edition Size of only 500 and is Hand Signed...
$ 1,125.00 $ 225.00
Spirit of America (2002) is a Limited Edition Official Walt Disney Classic Sericel, no longer in production and completely Sold Out, and comes with a Full Color Offset Lithograph Background. This Collectors Sericel bears the Disney Studios Official Seal that notes it is out of an Edition Size of 2500....
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Suspended Animation (1991) by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel from a Sold Out Edition with Hand Painted Coloring on a Sericel Outline that is Bearing the Official Holographic Seal of Linda Jones Enterprises, Numbered in Sequence at 633 out of a total Edition Size of only...
$ 1,450.00 $ 300.00
Tales of the Sea (2002) by Myron Waldman (1908-2006) is a Limited Edition Hand Painted Animation Cel Numbered at 420 out of a total Edition Size of only 500 and is Hand Signed by the Artist. Includes a Full Color Lithograph Background and a Certificate of Authenticity. Measures approx. 14" x 12"...
$ 1,295.00 $ 250.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures approx. 14" x 11" (Cel...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Due to the age of this...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Due to the age of this piece there may...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures approx. 14" x 11" (Cel...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures approx. 14" x 11" (Cel...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures approx. 14" x 11" (Cel...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures approx. 14" x 11" (Cel...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures approx. 14" x 11" (Cel...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures approx. 14" x 11" (Cel...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Bears the Studio Stamp and includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures approx. 14" x 11" (Cel...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures approx. 14" x 11" (Cel...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel with Two Paired Pencil Sketches and a Full Color Lithograph Background which were actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures approx. 14"...
$ 600.00 $ 120.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures approx. 14" x 11" (Cel...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios is a Hand Painted Animation Production Cel which was actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Measures approx. 14" x 11" (Cel...
$ 500.00 $ 100.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Studios are Two Hand Painted Animation Production Cels which were actually used to Create the Animation for the Popular Saturday Morning TV Series, with two Full Color Lithograph Backgrounds. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity from Classic Moments. Due to the age of this piece there...
$ 1,000.00 $ 200.00
The Big One (2002) by Myron Waldman (1908-2006) is a Limited Edition Hand Painted Animation Cel Numbered in Sequence out of a total Edition Size of only 500, and is Hand Signed by Myron Waldman. Includes a Full Color Lithograph Background and a Certificate of Authenticity. Measures approx. 14" x 12" (Background)...
$ 1,295.00 $ 233.00
The Neurotic Coyote (1995) by Chuck Jones (1912-2002) is a Limited Edition Animation Cel from a Sold Out Edition with Hand Painted Coloring on a Sericel Outline Bearing the Official Holographic Seal of Linda Jones Enterprises, Numbered in Sequence out of a total Edition Size of only 500 and Hand Signed...
$ 1,050.00 $ 225.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 11" x 12.5" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Two Paired Original Production Pencil Sketches and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 12.5" x 11"...
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series The Pink Panther Show, along with the Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Comes Framed, using acid free and archival materials, and...
$ 450.00 $ 125.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series The Pink Panther Show, along with the Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Comes Framed, using acid free and archival materials, and includes a Letter...
$ 550.00 $ 125.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Paired Production Pencil Sketch, and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Comes Framed, using acid free and archival materials, and includes a Letter of Authenticity. Measures...
$ 550.00 $ 125.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Paired Production Pencil Sketch, and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Comes Framed using acid free and archival materials, and includes a Certificate of Authenticity. Measures...
$ 550.00 $ 125.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, The Pink Panther Show, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch (Not Shown) and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each...
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch (Not Shown) and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch (Not Shown) and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5"...
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 13" x 11" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch, and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 13" x 11" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch, and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 13" x 11" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch, and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 13" x 11" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 12.5" x 11" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 12.5" x 11" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 12.5" x 11" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 12.5" x 10.5" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 12.5" x 11" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 12.5" x 11" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 12.5" x 11" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00
The Pink Panther Show Original Full Color Production Cel by MGM and United Artist Studios actually used in the Saturday Morning Cartoon TV Series, along with it's Original Paired Production Pencil Sketch and a Full Color Lithograph Background. Includes a Letter of Authenticity. Each piece measures approx. 12.5" x 11" (No Border)....
$ 300.00 $ 60.00