About the Art

  1. Cels

    Cel is short for celluloid acetate, the transparent material upon which traditionally animated films are created. Each movement of a character requires an individually hand-painted cel. One or more cels are then laid over a background painting and photographed in an animation camera to create a frame of the finished film. By painting on clear cels, animators are able to create the illusion of life as characters move throughout the environment created by the background painting.

    Through our affiliation with the world’s leading animation studios, Animation Connection offers our collectors an opportunity to own these one-of-a-kind cels, as well as several types of limited edition cels.

  2. Original Production Cels





  3. Original Production Drawings




  4. Hand-Painted Limited Edition Cels




  5. Limited Edition Serigraph Cels



  6. Limited Edition Hand-Pulled Lithographs





  7. Limited Edition Giclees





  8. Limited Edition Etchings



  9. Why So Few Vintage Pieces Have Survived

    Although thousands of individual cels are required to make an animated film, few cels remain from the classic Disney and Warner Bros. productions of the 1930’s - 1960’s.

    The simple fact is that no one believed that the cels and drawings had any artistic, historic, or monetary value. They were making movies, and the artwork was just a means to that end. Once the film was complete, the majority of the artwork was destroyed or discarded and the artists moved on to the next project.

    In some cases the cels were washed clean so they could be reused. Many were destroyed for lack of sufficient space to store them. Some were given to children who visited the studios, or taken home by animators and cel painters.

    It wasn’t until the 1970’s and 80’s that people began to look back at the animated films of the past and begin to recognize the incredible artistry upon which they were built. Sadly, those vintage cels and drawings that survived the years are a small fraction of what once existed.

  10. What To Look For In A Good Original Cel Or Drawing

    The first and most important aspect of choosing a cel or drawing is that you like it. Art is a very personal thing, and what appeals to one person may not appeal to another. That being said, there are a few rules of thumb used by many collectors:

    • Full figure images are generally preferred, however, facial images can be very expressive and very desirable.
    • Frontal images with eyes open are usually best.
    • The larger the painted image the better. Some originals have very small character images. When it comes to originals, size does matter.
    • Cels and drawings depicting characteristic poses and expressions are generally best. The prototypical Bugs Bunny looks confident and composed; the ideal Daffy Duck looks a little flustered; villains are best when they look evil and powerful.
    • As far as the choice of which character or characters to purchase, there are two very different ways of looking at it.Some believe that star characters are most desirable. These collectors focus on Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, Winnie The Pooh and other famous super stars. Their thinking is that these lead characters are the ones around whom the films are built, and they are the most important. Others prefer the unusual characters who appeared in very few films or television episodes. Some of these lesser-known characters have developed a strong following, and their added rarity makes them a must-have item if and when one becomes available. Ultimately the choice comes down to which piece has the most appeal to you.


  11. The Move To Computerized Animation

    As with most aspects of modern life, computers have become central to the production of new animated films and television shows. Some productions are entirely computer generated, with characters designed, animated, and coloured without any pencil drawings or painted cels. Examples of fully computerized cartoons are Disney’s Toy Story and A Bug’s Life.

    Frequently, animated productions combine traditional and modern techniques in what is referred to as "digital ink and paint". In this form of film making, animators create traditional pencil drawings which are scanned into a computer to be digitally coloured and output to film. As a result, no painted cels are created. There are many examples of this sort of animation: Disney feature films including The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and others, as well as television shows such as Futurama.

    The result of these changes, of course, is that fewer originals are available to collectors all the time.

  12. Interest Free Layaway Available

    Interest free layaway is available on all purchases.

    An initial deposit of 25% is paid upon placing the order. The remaining payments of 25% each are applied to your Visa or MasterCard on the same date of each month. Your artwork will be shipped to you once the final payment has been processed.

    If, at any time, you wish to pay off your balance and have your art shipped right away, just let us know!

    When placing your order online, simply indicate on the order form that you would like to purchase on layaway.

    Alternatively, you can email us or phone us. If you have any further questions, please call or email us!