The first step to drawing on cell paper is to first draw on animation paper.
Celluloid acetate (cell) paper is used for some animations. Animating on cell paper is the transference of drawings from animation paper to cell paper. This is done by using a light table and tracing the drawing from the animation paper onto the cell paper. The next step is to finalize the animation by inking the final drawing with an inking pen. The last process in cell animation is to paint the back of the cell paper to create a clean fluid drawing. The process takes time and patience but can be very rewarding once the animation is completed.
Instructions
Preparation
1. Place the graticule onto the peg bar on the light table. A graticule is a grid that is measured for screen ratios to a center point which relates to film and television standards. A peg bar is a plastic or metal bar that is placed either at the top or bottom of a light table. The peg bar correlates to the hole punch of the animation paper and cell paper. The hole punch follows the pattern of circle, oval and circle. The hole punch can only be made with an industrial puncher and not with a regular commercial hole punch. The spacing is specially measured to fit the peg bar. A light table is a table with a special bulb underneath and is used to anchor the animation paper that is placed on top of each other and later the cell paper to eliminate as much movement to the papers as possible.
2. Place one hole punched animation paper onto the peg bar on top of the graticule. Trace the ratio for either television or film using a light lead pencil such as 4H and a ruler. The higher the lead number of a light lead pencil, the lighter the lead will draw. The higher the number of a dark lead pencil, the darker it will draw. The measurement of ratio for television or film is called the action safe area. Without the safe area, the animation may be cut off prematurely when using the camera to record the animation. This will be the guideline sheet.
3. Trace the light lead pencil with the permanent marker and ruler to make it easier to see the ratio when placing multiple animation papers when drawing the animation. Do not use washable markers, they tend to bleed and run onto the back of the animation paper.
4. Remove the graticule from the light table. Place the guideline sheet back onto the peg bar on the light table.
Drawing on the Animation Paper
5. Place the first sheet (frame) of animation paper onto of the guideline sheet. This will start the first frame of the animation. Thirty frames are equal to one second of animation.
6. Sketch a rough draft of the animation for the first frame using a light lead pencil such as 4H or 2H. Place the second frame on top of the first frame. Trace over the animation on the first frame to draw the next movement for the animation.
7. Repeat placing animation paper on top of each other to make the different frames and movements of the animation until the guideline sheet is not longer visible. Place the last frame that was drawn onto the guideline sheet when this happens and begin the drawing process all over again.
8. Finish the animation on the animation paper by using a darker light lead pencil such as H or HB to create one fluid drawn line. A dark B lead pencil may be too dark and may transfer onto the cell paper later on. A dark B lead pencil is a softer lead and easily smudges. Erase any lines outside the finalized lines using the gum eraser. Other erasers may smudge or embed the lead into the paper.
9. Remove all the animation paper frames and arrange them in order of the scenes.
Inking and Painting the Cell Paper
10. Place the first frame on the animation onto the peg bar and light table. Place a sheet of cell paper on top of the animation paper.
11. Use the inking pen and ink to trace the final lines of the animation on the animation paper. An inking pen is a special pen in which ink is placed into a vial inside the pen. It is not a regular ball point pen. An inking pen has a nib on the end where the ink comes out of the end through a small hole.
12. Remove the cell paper from the peg bar once all the ink has completely dried. Flip the cell paper onto its front so that the back faces the animator.
13. Use the cell ink and paint brush to paint onto the back of the cell paper to add color to the animation. Let the paint completely dry before turning over the cell paper.
