What is a “cel?
Although there are variations, the most common method is for the artist’s drawing to be inked or serigraphed, or onto the front of the cel and then hand-painted on the back. The actual material can vary, but the word cel originally came from the word celluloid, which was the common brand name of the material that was used in the early days of animation.
“Cel” is the first syllable of “celluloid,” a plastic made of cellulose nitrate. Before digital ink-and-paint software, the pencil drawings used in hand-drawn animation were transferred onto these sheets of clear plastic by skilled artists using ink and paint, or by using a special Xerox process (“Xerography”) and paint. Later cels were made of cellulose acetate instead of cellulose nitrate, but still called “cels.” Collectors spend a lot of money to buy these pieces of animation history.
