Cartoon (Cel) Animation

In cartoon animation, each frame in the movie is drawn and/or painted separately. I think we all know what cartoon animation is, but just for completeness, here's some cartoon animation on a demo reel from EdSeeman.com. There's a wide range if styles in his work, and combinations of cel animation with live action.

Cartoon animation is character animation almost by definition - a cartoon has come to mean "a humorous or satirical drawing". The definition implies that it's a drawing of a recognizable object, person, place or event. And to be "humorous or satirical" the object drawn must have some recognizable personality. I've never heard anyone refer to an abstract drawing, painting, or animation as a "cartoon".

Cartoon animation can be anything from realistic to surreal. The work of animation pioneers is still inspiring. Here's the rather bizarre "Betty Boop, M.D." from the Fleischer Studio that includes four of their trademark characters.

Cel animation is one technique for making cartoon animation. Until the digital age, it was almost the only way to make cartoons. It was certainly the only practical way to make anything but the simplest cartoons. Computers have opened up the possibilities, and there are programs that emulate cel animation - and go beyond it.

Cartoons are also still big business, and remain the most common kind of classic animation. There's cartoon animation in theaters, television programs, television commercials, and on the Internet. But it all starts from the same point - that "humorous or satirical drawing".