Disney Animation

Disney Animation 

 

 

Disney Animation 

Interest in animation an has greatly increased during the last decade, with characters such as Homer Simpson becoming the cultural mascots of the digital age.




 Not only has original artwork from cartoons sharply increased in value, but limited-edition prints have also become eminently collectable. The most popular animation art collectables are eels' (individual celluloid frames used in the animated films) or the drawings they were based on. Originals can fetch thousands of pounds, but there is also a thriving market in limited- edition replicas.

Disney Animation 

In the 1970s, when values for original eels started to rise, Disney was prompted to launch its own "art program'. Today, Disney produces limited-edition eels taken from digitally produced images, then reduced in size and hand painted. These are not used in the film, being produced strictly for the collectables market, but they are valuable in their own right.

Cartoon classics

Disney, Warner Bros. (Looney Tunes), and Hanna-Barbera (Tom and Jerry) fetch the highest prices because these were the first major studios ^ to produce cartoons and are internationally renowned. Animation artwork, prints, ceramics, and interpretive

work from other studios is of interest - popular subjects include The Pink Panther, Wallace and Gromit, and
 The Snowman.

Disney Animation 

 

Of interest to collectors are (in order of the production process) production sketches, storyboards, production eels, limited-edition hand-painted production eels (as already described in relation to Disney) and the less expensive serigraph eels (machine produced using silk-screening), and giclee prints (mass produced using a digital technique).

 

   Tips: Disneyana

  Before buying Disneyana from a website, check that it has a company stamp or a certificate of authenticity.

• Never buy artwork or limited-edition prints of Disney characters without checking for certificates or marks of authenticity.
  
  

  

  Disney Animation 

• Car-boot sales, jumble sales, and junk shops are good sources for bargain items.

■ Seek expert advice about the value and authenticity of early Disneyana before buying it.


 

The Simpsons probably has the biggest mass-market appeal at the moment, and many pieces are released for sale to dealers, galleries, and websites by 20th Century Fox, including original production eels, draw ings, storyboards, and special- edition prints.



 Prices can start at around £200 for a production cel. Since this series may be around for many years to come, pieces probably won't appreciate in value quickly, but if you have a collection, it may be the start of a generous bequest to your grandchildren.

 

Disney Animation 

  Tips: animation art

  Look for eels that show the 

typical poses or expressions of 

famous characters: a good


 example is Homer Simpson's 

'Doh'.

• Invest in first-rate limited-
  
  edition prints, as they can
  
   sometimes be worth as 
  
  much as an original cell
  .
• Display original eels out of 
  
  
  direct sunlight as they can 
  
  fade, and consult a 
  
  professional framer on the 
  
  use of conservation glass 
  
  
  and mounts
  
  .
• 
  

• Concept artwork or sections of a storyboard are also 
  
  collectable.

Look for strong images, ideally showing faces.

• If you are storing cells, keep them flat and covered with 
  
  acid-free tissue paper. Other materials such as 
  
  
  polythene and normal paper can damage them over time.