Overview

The word "cel" most often denotes the transparent sheet used in traditional hand-drawn animation. The term derives from "celluloid," an early plastic used to make these sheets. In animation, artists placed drawings on cels to separate moving characters from static backgrounds, enabling efficient filming of layered images.

Characteristics and production

Cels are clear sheets on which line work is inked and colors are applied. Typical production steps included transferring a pencil drawing to a sheet, inking the outlines on the front, and painting colors on the reverse so the inked lines remained crisp. After painting, each cel was photographed in registration over a separate painted background to create a frame of film.

Materials and preservation

Early cels were made from celluloid (cellulose nitrate), a material later replaced by safer cellulose acetate and other plastics. Celluloid can be unstable and flammable, so preservation requires stable temperature, low humidity, and archival enclosures. Collectors and archives pay attention to chemical deterioration, color fading, and surface damage when conserving original cels.

History and significance

Cels were the standard in commercial animation throughout much of the 20th century and were central to studios' workflows. They enabled repeatable layering of elements and faster production than redrawing whole scenes. While many studios moved to digital compositing in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, cels remain important as physical artifacts of animation history and studio practice.

Uses, collecting, and notable facts

  • Uses: primary tool for traditional motion-picture animation; study material for artists and historians.
  • Collecting: original cels are sought after as artwork and memorabilia; condition and provenance affect value.
  • Distinction: "cel" refers specifically to the transparent painted sheet, not the final photographed frame or the printed reproduction.

Other meanings

"Cel" also appears in place names and other contexts. For example, Barenton-Cel is the name of a French commune; more information about that locality can be found via local resources such as Barenton-Cel. The plural term "cels" is sometimes used to refer collectively to multiple animation sheets or to celluloid items.