Many
studios, starting in the 1950s, started to make copies of their best
'shots' and have artists repaint the same scene over and over again in
the hundreds. Although you could say they are 'original' because they
were hand painted, they were created with the sole purpose of making
money. Even today, although the cartoons are made with a computer, you
are still able to buy hand painted cells made in a limited edition. They
are not part of animation history. It's like you take an original
inspired piece of art and have somebody paint it again. Later, studios
went even a step further by making high-end or even low-end colour
copies of these shots and selling them to collectors. To give an
example: an original cell from the Disney classic Fantasia might sell
for $ 500.000,- A 'limited edition' might still cost $ 4000,- and even a
sericel could cost $100. A studio has only one original, so if they
keep the original in the bank and sell 300 hand painted and numbered
copies at $ 2500,- a piece, it becomes clear why dealing in 'limited
editions' is a worthwhile endeavour for film studios.
At AnimationNation you will find only original art used in the actual
making of an animated cartoon. We select on the basis of originality,
artistry, pose and expression. Beside classic pieces of animation and
comic art, including works by Disney legend Carl Barks and early Disney
art, we sell drawings and cells from animated cartoons from all over the
world, including examples of the last hand painted animation series
like Dilbert and The New Pink Panther.
