Early cartoon animation was simply “line” animation (line on paper) We’ll see how this evolved into cel animation with multiple layers We’ll concentrate on character-based cartoon animation Cel Animation Patented in 1915 by Earl Hurd and John Bray, Cel (celluloid), sheet of clear plastic Elements traced onto clear plastic from line drawings Outline of element traced on front Paint applied to back (to eliminate visibility of brushstrokes) Sometimes large black areas were painted on front to reduce glare Placed over background Documentaries on the Animation process Making of a Popeye Cartoon, (Popeye Original Classics, Bonus Features), 1938 How Cartoons are made (Snow White Platinum edition, disc 2), 1938 Chuck Jones, Scene Selections (Animation Process) Recall our earlier screenings Theater Optique, 1892, Emile Reynauld Humorous phases of funny faces, 1906, J Stuart Blackton The first animated film but does not tell a true story Fantasmagorie, Emile Cohl, 1908, Consider to be the first fully animated film ever made.

Winsor McCay: “The two most important people in animation are Winsor McCay and Walt Disney” – Chuck Jones One of the most popular and considered, by many, one of the best early cartoon animators Famous newspaper cartoonist Little Nemo, 1911 First work exhibiting a profound improvement in quality (compared to Humorous phases, Fantasmagorie) Realistic drawn human figures Believable movement Color animation before a time color film was invented Each frame was meticulously hand painted with dyes Gertie the Dinosaur, 1914 Probably most significant film of silent era First character with fully realized personality Enthralled audiences, top theater event of Served as inspiration for future animators Background wiggles and shimmers from paper (“cel” had not yet been invented Sinking of the Lusitania, 1918 The sinking so moved McCay, he created this film Most advanced film to date, cel process being used Provided for background paintings to have different shades Early use of animation to convey a more serious matter Remembering Winsor McCay (documentary – Winsor McCay, the master edition)

Animators began looking to comic strips for inspiration (Krazy Kat, Mutt and Jeff, Little Nemo) Early animations resembled comic books (dialogue in overhead balloons) Screenings Krazy Kat Goes a Wooing, 1916, George Herriman/ Leon Searl Mutt and Jeff in the Flood, 1918, Bud Fisher/ Raoul Barre, Charles Bower Captain Grogg among Strange Animals, 1920, Victor Bergdahl Animation from Sweden Sophisticated drawing style not seen since McCay Did not use cels, redrew background, moved it and even animated in perspective Pencil shading for motion blur