animationusa.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Why has animation art been so popular for so long? Just about everyone grows up watching cartoons. Millions of people around the world share an affection for animated characters and productions, often because they carry a basic message that is meaningful for everyone at every age...Bugs Bunny cartoons are as funny today as they were 50 years ago. Cartoon and film stars are made widely popular in theaters, television and video, creating timeless and ageless icons that are new and memorable for each new generation. In part, this also perpetuates the continued popularity in collecting artwork from these films and cartoons or by artists influenced by them. For many, owning the art of animation renews and continues a lifetime of memories and emotions.

Why is animation art considered a fine art collectible? Animation is a unique filmmaking process rooted in the fine art mediums of drawing and painting. As an art form, its value is substantiated by the same standards of merit that apply to virtually all forms of art and collectibles, including exhibitions in prestigious museums, representation by major auction houses and extensive published documentation.

What determines the value of a work of animation art? Like most art forms, the value of a work of art is determined by several factors, as noted above. Other significant factors are: age or scarcity, importance of the character, combination and number of characters, historic and artistic importance of the production, overall quality or condition of the image, recent gallery and auction prices, and general collector market conditions.

Will animation art continue to gain value? Animation has entertained the world for over 70 years in theaters and for over 40 years on television. Although no one can predict the future value of any artwork or collectible, one can draw their own conclusions from observing the growth in the animation art market. As compared with other art forms, practically everyone has viewed and enjoyed animation throughout their lifetime. This reaffirms our belief that the popularity and collectibility of animation will only continue to escalate as these animation fans discover that the art of animation is available to collect and enjoy.

Is animation art considered a good investment? Although premium animation art has a remarkable track record of escalating in value over the years, we cannot predict the future and do not recommend making your collecting decisions soley on the basis of investment potential. Classic characters already have timeless staying power... collectors 15 or 20 years from now will want Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse and Fred Flintstone as much - most likely more - than they do today. There are many, many examples of significant increases in the values of premium production works of art and hand-painted limited editions...one of the early Disney limited editions featuring Lady & The Tramp eating spaghetti was released at approximately $1250, and six years later was selling for $4,000 to $5,000. Quality production cels were sold at the Disneyland theme park in the late 1950's and 1960's for $1.55 to $5.00...many of these regularly sell for $1000 to $3000.

What forms of animation art are the most collectible? Most collectors who are serious about owning premium works of animation art acquire both production art and limited edition art. Various forms of production artwork represent the major studios, eras and history of the art form. Limited editions capture the magic of film and cartoon moments that are no longer available or not available in production form from more recent films completed by computer inking and painting. Limited Editions may also represent the artistry of a legendary animator or director whose artistry is expressed in this very collectible form of the art.

Why did studios discard animation art prior to the 1970's? Storing the thousands of individually inked and painted cels used to produce animation became a problem for the studios once the images were photographed onto motion picture film. To solve this problem, studios would often wash off the inks and paints so that they could reuse the cels. Many cels were simply thrown away by the thousands. The rapid growth of television in the 1950's created an important new venue for animated productions, but television studios also washed and reused cels. The sad result is that virtually all of the production artwork from the 1920's to the 1960's is gone forever.

What are the advantages of collecting contemporary production cels? Outstanding selection and modest prices make contemporary production cels a great value for collectors. Many of these widely recognized productions are todays opportunities and, we believe, tomorrows rarity. Beginning in the late 1970's and early 1980's, studios began to recognize the growing interest in animation artwork. As a result they began making premium images available through preferred art dealers such as animation,usa. Also, successful contemporary productions benefit greatly from massive public exposure via television and video creating a broader dynamic collector foundation.

What developments created the market for limited edition art? Hand-painted limited edition art was originally created by studios and their artists to satisfy growing collector demand for production art that was no longer available. Additionally, there has been a shift in the filmmaking process away from hand-painted production cels and into computer-finished animation. As a result, hand-painted limited edition cels may be the only important works of art available to the collector market from many recent films and productions. These developments created a new segment in the marketplace which has matured into an important element of collecting animation art. Another reason for this is the increasing notoriety of many living legends from the Golden Age of Animation. Many have created highly desirable limited editions - in many cases hand-signed - inspired by films or cartoons they worked on or directed in the 1930's, 1940's, 1950's and 1960's including Chuck Jones, Hanna-Barbera, Walt Disney and Friz Freleng.

How important are signatures on animation art? Although a signature is not the only measure of value for a work of animation art, it is definitely a bonus when available. It is unusual to find signatures on animation artwork produced prior to the 1970's. Production art rarely carried any identification other than production or scene numbers. Over the years, as collectors became interested in the art, studio animation artists and directors became well-known figures. Signed artwork became more common, especially with the development of limited editions in the animation art market. On most production artwork, the signature usually indicates a director's creative supervision.

How collectible are cels with production backgrounds? Technically called a "setup," this category is considered the most desirable and collectible form of production animation artwork. Very few studios make available production cels with production backgrounds. There may be as many as 1500 individual production cels for each minute of finished film, but only 10 to 25 production backgrounds for the same minute of film. Most production cels on the market are laid over a photographic reproduction of the original background, which has little or no bearing on the current or future value of the artwork. When genuine production setups are available, it is an opportunity to add the rarest, (and by most collector's standards) the most desirable category of animation art.

Should I collect production art from films or from television? There are excellent reasons for collecting both film and television cels. Because films are a onetime occurrence, the availability of premium images is limited. Artwork from films made before 1960 have very limited availability and generally elevated prices associated with this rarity. Newer films have a larger selection of artwork at modest prices. A television series can provide the greatest selection of images over time, and the artwork is usually available at modest prices. Television episodes also have the advantage of increased exposure which may help to develop its popularity and collectibility. Newer television productions, especially those which lack any significant character or studio history, are at the most unpredictable end of the scale in judging long-term collector desirability and value.

How do sericels fit into an animation art collection? Collectors often choose to own sericels for the very reasons they are created: to capture a character or scene that may not be otherwise available. However, since sericels typically are made in large editions ranging from 2500 to 9500 pieces, and are serigraphic reproductions rather than hand-painted works of art, they remain at the lower end of the scale in terms of recognition, collectibility and demand for most collectors.

What should I include in my animation art collection? Knowledgeable collectors choose a variety of production and limited edition artwork, reflecting their personal tastes and interests as well as major artistic and historic developments. For example, as a collector you may select important limited editions from The Lion King since no production cels are available. You may also acquire a premium production drawing from the 1930's or 1940's, to bring the artistry and history of the Golden Age of Animation to your collection. A production cel setup with an original production background could be a centerpiece for your collection. You may also add a production cel of a character such as Bugs Bunny from the 1940's or 1950's. Your favorite modern-day production might be The Simpsons so you may have several cels of this contemporary classic. Ultimately, the ideal animation art collection is one that reflects your appreciation of the important processes, eras and milestones of the great characters and studios.

What about traditional artwork by animation talents and other artists? Among the most popular categories of fine art with collectors are limited edition lithographs and serigraphs on paper or canvas. Many renowned artists, famous for their animation or cartoon character subject matter, have created extremely desireable and sought after artworks in these mediums including Tom Everhart, Michael Bedard and many others. A collector may select important limited editions and production art reflecting their favorite animation films and cartoons, and they may also acquire premium lithographs and serigraphs by artists like these to enjoy the unique combination of traditional fine art mediums and subject matter inspired by cartoons or films. Some of the most popular and sought after editions today are the lithographic and serigraphic editions by Tom Everhart, Steve Kaufman, and Alex Ross.

How will I benefit from collecting art from animation, usa™? In addition to our twenty-four hour, seven-day-a-week website interface with you, you can expect outstanding collector value and the highest standard of professional service. With over twenty years of experience in fine art and collectibles, we represent all major studios and distributors of animation artwork, as well as many renowned fine artists, publishers and studios. This enables us to offer you the finest selection of premium art, and access to virtually any available art...visit iconblvd.com for more information and more art collecting opportunities. Our knowledgeable consultants are trained to provide expert assistance in helping you make informed choices and developing your collection. Demonstrating our enthusiasm for sharing the magic and excitement of animation, we offer our collectors unique opportunities to acquire special offerings when legendary and contemporary animators, directors and artists appear at special events. Our commitment to excellence has resulted in lasting associations with first-time and longtime collectors. We welcome the opportunity to assist with beginning your collection or to enhance your art collection today.

Why do some images on the website appear to be grainy or fuzzy? Animation cels and drawings are usually too large for digital scanners, so smaller studio binder pages, photographs or postcards are used most often to create the images for the website. Additionally, the digital scans must be dramatically altered and 'compressed' to insure the shortest page loading time. Often, this process is a compromise between the two: larger, sharper images result in slower, longer page loading time. As bandwidth increases, the quality of online images will improve. You can be sure that if you like the image on the website, we are confident you will love the actual artwork you order.

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