How to make an animation Cel

[BD]

Just though I share this since I got back to making cartoon cels. I recently made this picture, from Japanese Sci-Fi Anime Mobile Suite Zeta Gundam. I don't expect every one on NSXPRIME to know this particular show and Characters, but it shows the layering process of Cel Making!

Enjoy!

Layer 1

Layer 2

Layer 3

Combine all three layers

With back ground

Scan and crop the image to 16x9 to use as wall paper
This is what the cel look like when viewed inside the frame

Photoshopped the image to make the lines cleaner! Ready for wallpaper.

 

[BD]

Some of my work. Original and replications.
Pencil test!

Too large to scan

 

[BD]

Here is the step by step process. This imagine is entire hand inked, hand painted!
Pencil sketch

Ink over the pencil sketch

Trace the image on top of a clear acetate.

Flip the acetate over.

Start painting.

Finish paiting

Black ground

 

[vf2ss]

Staples of great animation...Amuro, Kamiru & Char...wow, these are great...I like your "New Translation" rendering style. I especially like your RX-93 vs. Sazabi and Macross works. Thanks for sharing!

 

[s14_tat]

That was pretty awesome, as usual I was not surprised that you used cel's from Zeta Gundam. You actually have very good taste in anime to include the macross saga in there as well. However I also liked 0080 war in the pocket and 0083 star dust memory as well.

 

[passline]

Those are beautiful. You're very talented!

 

[BD]

Staples of great animation...Amuro, Kamiru & Char...wow, these are great...I like your "New Translation" rendering style. I especially like your RX-93 vs. Sazabi and Macross works. Thanks for sharing!

You know your Gundam stuff. See if you know who is the guy next to me in this picture?

 

[Carguy!]

Incredible!!!

 

[vf2ss]

Tomino-san!

 

[BD]

Tomino-san!

That was back in 1992, I was brought into the inner circle of Anime Expo as their featured artist because there were very few people in the States who can do stuff like this. The expo was started by bunch of CAL guys. I was 19 years old. That was also Tomino's first visit to the US and he was surprised to see my work at the art gallery. He stood there for a few minutes looking at my picture, autographed it, and give me a one man standing ovation. There was huge crowd there. Afterwards, he treated me to dinner. It was pertty damn cool! Few knew who he was back in the dayzza.

The funny thing was, I walked into a Kinkos in Bellevue Washington in 1996, a clerk behind the counter look at me said "I know you, I know you from some where," and he said "You're the guy who hung out with Tomino at the art show at the Expo!"

It was pertty funny.

 

[vf2ss]

That is quite a story...the one man standing "o" takes the cake though...that guy's resume goes back to the early 70's and includes dozen upon dozens of the best of the best. To receive any kind of recognition from Mr. Tomino, let alone a compliment, is an accomplishment in and of itself. I'm struck by the timing of everything which seemed just right for this to happen, his first visit to the states, it being the early 90's, gaijin gundam art which blew him away...like I said, that is an amazing story. I'm actually glad to know that his first visit to the US was marked with such a memorable event/impression of what can be done overseas with what he created. Fast forward to 2010 and this event in a sense marked just the beginning of the explosion of all that what was to come in terms of fan-based art from abroad. Again...thanks for sharing.

 

[robr]

I don't know any of these people or characters, but simply amazing art and skill shown. My anime exposure is limited to my 1980s after high-school TV addiction to Star Blazers for the most part.

 

[MIZZOUNNC]

That's talent that I can only look at and admire! Thanks for sharing.

 

[queenlives]

That's talent that I can only look at and admire! Thanks for sharing.

+1

uh-mazing work.

 

[ChongLee]

Vance, great work as always!

Question, what kind of pen do you use to draw on the clear acetate?
I have tachikawa manga pen, as well as some rapidograph pens.
Will they work? Should I use black india ink only?

Also, when you flip it around and paint, will the paint run all over?
Since, as you've shown it, the line work will be on the viewing side
and the colors will be all on the back side.

I've done something "similar", but everything was on one side,
including the ink lines. It was on glass.

Sorry for the bad quality. I used my phone camera. :biggrin:

Most works I've done were on paper, with Prisma or NeoPiko markers.
Now I have to start budgeting for those animation materials...
those paint ain't cheap! :tongue:

 

[BD]

Rapido Graphic pens. I like to use .35mm size regardless the size of cel I'm making because you can always thinken the lines by ink the line multiple times. India Ink (water proof).

The paint is called Celvynal. Go to cartooncolors.com if you don't have a local supplier.

I like to use skinny brushes. 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 inch in length. You'll also need a tiny brush for tight areas.

 

[ChongLee]

Sounds good. I still have that website bookmarked actually. Thanks again.

Now, off to dust-off my art supplies.

 

[Juice]

Wow, I have seen the tag line for this thread, but never clicked on it because I had no idea what was inside.

I gotta say, mega props to you for your achievement! Getting Tomino to give you props??? That is a story you pass down my friend.

Your artwork is amazing, and you certainly are still attached to the old school material. Have you ever started penning your own story line? Or are you focused on interpreting existing works?

I guess I'm just frustrated that you haven't created the NSX Meck that I've been wanting to animate for the past 5 years. :biggrin:



EDIT: Have you ever sold your work? I have a home theater that I would love to frame and add your work to. My wife and I almost strictly watch anime.

 

[Gansan]

Awesome display of your artwork, VanceHu. Really impressive. I used to go to AX back in the 90s, but I don't think I went until '93.

 

[ChongLee]

Vance, did you buy all the different color paints for toning, or did you end up mixing some? (or is it not mixable?)
j/w

 

[BD]

Wow, I have seen the tag line for this thread, but never clicked on it because I had no idea what was inside.

I gotta say, mega props to you for your achievement! Getting Tomino to give you props??? That is a story you pass down my friend.

Your artwork is amazing, and you certainly are still attached to the old school material. Have you ever started penning your own story line? Or are you focused on interpreting existing works?

I guess I'm just frustrated that you haven't created the NSX Meck that I've been wanting to animate for the past 5 years. :biggrin:



EDIT: Have you ever sold your work? I have a home theater that I would love to frame and add your work to. My wife and I almost strictly watch anime.

I do sell them, but the price tag is limiting my buyers to minimum. Thanks for the comment, I didn't know how many people know who Tomino is on Prime, I'm actually impressed.

Here is another story. My friend Tim Morrison was invited to Japan to record Joe Hisaishi's first CD with the New Tokyo Harmonic Orchestra (or World Dream Orchestra) as the guess trumpet soloist. When he told me about it, I immidately replicated the CD cover from Laputa Sound Track, and Tim got it autographed for me by Hisaishi him self. As a token of appreciation, I asked Tim to take a cigar to Hisaishi for me, a Fuente Opus x size "A." The story was, after he autographed the picture for me, Joe Hisaishi was digging the cigar because as a cigar aficionado, he never had a cigar that was 48 x 9 1/4 inches long, and that cigar was not available in Japan because they get mostly Cubans. He was surprised to see the cigar because he heard so much about the brand, but couldn't get any in Japan.

Needless to say, my friend Tim had a great time with Joe Hisaishi. I should post some pictures of them so you guys can check it out.

As for Chone, I mix the colors. This is what I use:
Black
White
Blue
Dark Blue
Yellow
Red
and Green.

 

[whiteNSXs]

You are very talented. Beautiful work!
Steve

 

[ChongLee]

When you draw/paint on the acetate, do you wear a certain glove?

 

[BD]

Depend on the size of the cel, I usually don't with smaller piece, like standard size. I wash my hands frequently to keep the finger prints off. There is a way to clean up the cel after it is done, but very time consuming.

 

[Cozmo]

That's pretty damn cool. What steps would you follow to actually animate it? Do you make separate overlays for each moving part? Assuming you were going to do it the old fashioned way rather than scanning it and using a computer..