Japanese Anime Cel Info:
What are Anime Cels and why do normally sane people spend lots of money and collect them?
Well, Its like this, traditional Japanese anime begins with the authors and artists who join their talents to create a storyline that can be illustrated. These storylines usually become what we know as Manga (see my manga link) These illustrated stories or graphic novels if popular enough get noticed by anime companies who work with the creators of the stories to make an animated video or show.
The story creator works with the artists or if he/she is an artist as well works out the illustrated storyboard and concept sketches.
These rough sketches are then refined and smoothed and time indexed so that they appear in order of the story and movement of the characters.
If you look at some of the sketches on my cels page you will see boxes on the sketches for information about the time indexing, cel numbers and so on which help in shooting the story.
In the end the smooth sketch is transferred to clear acetate and will have just black lines. In traditional anime this cel would then be hand painted, one at a time with a lead artist checking the colors.
This finished cel would then be recorded on film, one at a time until the whole scene and story was shot.
That is traditional Japanese Anime. Today things are changing rapidly. Most of the steps I mentioned in my simplified explanation would still be done today with the exception of the creation of acetate cels. Today the sketches would be scanned and color painted by computer and you can see a difference in some of the new anime shows.
The fact that the acetate cels, once considered industrial waste and thrown away are now becoming a thing of the past is making them collectable. Also since the traditional cels are hand painted, they are in their own right a piece of original artwork. Even the concept and rough sketches are becoming quite valuable.
As far as Anime and cels go,
Im one of those who love the fusion of art, drama, music and story so for me the cels are another extension of that love.
It's a moment in time caught on clear acetate or in the pencil marks of the artist on the sketch.
Click on the goddess to see the different types of cels and drawings that go into the making of an anime series.......
Do you collect cels or have favorite images from the shows you watch?
Do you have a website that focuses on anime cels?
Drop me an email with an image or link at c.white @ centurytel.net
Anime Cel Resources Info:
