Animation forms & techniques · Specialist
Cel animation
Also called: hand-drawn animation
ELI5
Traditional drawn animation photographed from sequential drawings or painted cels.
Used in conversation
“Can VFX show us the cel animation in the next review?”
Pitch context
You may encounter “Cel animation” in vfx, virtual production & animation conversations or materials.
Why it matters: Explains image creation that extends beyond straightforward live-action photography.
Connected terms
- AnimationCel animation is a narrower kind of Animation.
Sources & evidence · 6
Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences / ACES — ACES Glossary and User GuidesSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- Pixar Animation Studios — Universal Scene Description DocumentationSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- Pixar Animation Studios — RenderMan DocumentationSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- Epic Games — In-Camera VFX OverviewSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- Epic Games — In-Camera VFX Best PracticesSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-14
- ScreenSkills — Online Learning Glossary and Job ProfilesSupporting source family · institutional · checked 2026-08-14