Traditional Animation

animation · drawing · filmmaking · art

Hand-drawn frames. In traditional animation, an artist draws every single frame of movement by hand. When these drawings are played quickly one after another, they create the illusion of movement, kind of like a flipbook coming to life on screen.

The 20th century standard. For most of the 1900s, traditional animation was the main way animated movies and cartoons were made in the United States. Famous studios used teams of artists working together to create beloved classics.

Digital ink and paint today. Modern traditional animation often combines hand-drawn artwork with computers. Artists still draw by hand (sometimes on digital tablets), but then computers help color the drawings and combine them with other visual effects.

Layers of artwork. Creating traditional animation involves many layers: character drawings, background paintings, and special effects all done separately and combined together. This teamwork made big studios very organized and efficient.

Still used today. Even though computer animation is popular now, traditional animation hasn't disappeared. Many artists and studios still use hand-drawn techniques because of the unique, charming style it creates.