What is the term for drawings on transparent sheets in traditional animation?

What is the term for drawings on transparent sheets in traditional animation?

• A. Cel Animation
• B. Puppet Animation
• C. Claymation
• D. Pixilation

Answer: (A)

Cel animation refers to drawings created on transparent sheets (cels) that are placed over a painted background. Each frame uses a new or modified cel, allowing the character layers to be animated separately from the background. This method made production more efficient because you could reuse backgrounds while changing only the top drawing for different frames. The sheets were originally called celluloid (hence the name), though today clear acetate is common. Other terms point to different techniques: puppet animation uses movable models, claymation uses clay figures, and pixilation uses live actors; none involve drawings on transparent sheets as the core process.

Cel animation refers to drawings created on transparent sheets (cels) that are placed over a painted background. Each frame uses a new or modified cel, allowing the character layers to be animated separately from the background. This method made production more efficient because you could reuse backgrounds while changing only the top drawing for different frames. The sheets were originally called celluloid (hence the name), though today clear acetate is common. Other terms point to different techniques: puppet animation uses movable models, claymation uses clay figures, and pixilation uses live actors; none involve drawings on transparent sheets as the core process.