Animation cels, or celluloids used in film production prior to computer animation, are transparent sheets of cellulose on which pictures were outlined with ink on one side and then painted by hand on the reverse. Since the introduction of computer animation, animation cels have become collectable icons of Twentieth Century popular culture. Their fragility, however, requires special handing and archival framing techniques.

Each layer in a cell group need to be seperated using 8ply cotton rag matting and mounted with adhesive-free edge strips.

Each animated film sequence was composed of multiple celluloid layers filmed with different layer combinations against a static background image. Today these cel sets are collected and preserved for posterity. Animation cels, however, were not created to be permanent. Adhesives used in the paint, for example, help the paint stick to the cellulose, but also increases the likelihood that the paint will stick to the background or other cel layers. Framing fragile animation layers, therefore, requires a preservation procedure that protects these cellulose layers from one another. Since animation cels are painted on both sides of each layer, they need to be matted on both sides to insure sufficient air space between them. This precaution not only aids the preservation of the paint, but also allows dramatically sets off the layers for the viewer. 

For more information about animation cels, their preservation framing and display, see our Animation Cels web page.

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