Cutout animation
Encyclopedia
Cutout animation is a technique for producing animation
s using flat characters, prop
s and backgrounds cut from materials such as paper
, card, stiff fabric
or even photograph
s. The world's earliest known animated feature films were cutout animations (made in Argentina
by Quirino Cristiani
); as is the world's earliest surviving animated feature.
Today, cutout-style animation is frequently produced using computer
s, with scanned images or vector graphics
taking the place of physically cut materials. South Park
is a notable example of this transition since its first episode
was made with paper cutouts before switching to computer animation
.
Other notable examples include Angela Anaconda
, and - more recently - Charlie and Lola
. One of the most famous animators still using traditional cutout animation today is Yuriy Norshteyn
.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
s using flat characters, prop
Theatrical property
A theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is an object used on stage by actors to further the plot or story line of a theatrical production. Smaller props are referred to as "hand props". Larger props may also be set decoration, such as a chair or table. The difference between a set...
s and backgrounds cut from materials such as paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
, card, stiff fabric
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
or even photograph
Photograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
s. The world's earliest known animated feature films were cutout animations (made in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
by Quirino Cristiani
Quirino Cristiani
Quirino Cristiani was an Argentine animation director and cartoonist, responsible for the world's first two animated feature films as well as the first animated feature film with sound, even though the only copies of these two films were lost in a fire...
); as is the world's earliest surviving animated feature.
Today, cutout-style animation is frequently produced using computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
s, with scanned images or vector graphics
Vector graphics
Vector graphics is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon, which are all based on mathematical expressions, to represent images in computer graphics...
taking the place of physically cut materials. South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
is a notable example of this transition since its first episode
Cartman Gets an Anal Probe
"Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" is the first episode of the animated television series South Park. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on August 13, 1997...
was made with paper cutouts before switching to computer animation
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
.
Other notable examples include Angela Anaconda
Angela Anaconda
Angela Anaconda is a Canadian cutout animation television series that aired on the channels Teletoon and Fox Family. It centers on the adventures of an eight-year-old girl named Angela who lives in the fictional town of Tapwater Springs, has wacky brothers, weird friends, and hates a snobbish...
, and - more recently - Charlie and Lola
Charlie and Lola
Charlie and Lola are characters created by author Lauren Child. The siblings were originally introduced in a series of books that were later made into a television series. Despite being primarily aimed at children aged 3–7, the books and shows are popular with adults, due to humorous and relatable...
. One of the most famous animators still using traditional cutout animation today is Yuriy Norshteyn
Yuriy Norshteyn
Yuriy Borisovich Norshteyn , or Yuri Norstein is an award-winning Soviet and Russian animator best known for his animated shorts, Hedgehog in the Fog and Tale of Tales...
.
Feature films
- The Adventures of Prince AchmedThe Adventures of Prince AchmedThe Adventures of Prince Achmed is a 1926 German animated fairytale film by Lotte Reiniger. It is the oldest surviving animated feature film; two earlier ones were made in Argentina by Quirino Cristiani, but they are considered lost...
by Lotte ReinigerLotte ReinigerCharlotte "Lotte" Reiniger was a German silhouette animator and film director.- Early life :Lotte Reiniger was born in Berlin-Charlottenburg, German Empire, on June 2, 1899...
(from 19261926 in film-Events:*August - Warner Brothers debuts the first Vitaphone film, Don Juan. The Vitaphone system used multiple 33⅓ rpm disc records developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories and Western Electric to play back audio synchronized with film....
) was a silhouette animationSilhouette animationSilhouette animation is animation in which the characters are only visible as black silhouettes. This is usually accomplished by backlighting articulated cardboard cut-outs, though other methods exist...
using armatured cutouts and backgrounds which were variously painted or composed of blown sand and even soap. - Thieves of Baghdad by Noburo OfujiNoburō Ōfujiwas a Japanese film director and animator. One of the most notable auteurs of anime of the first half of the 20th century , he worked primarily with cutout and silhouette animation...
(from 19261926 in film-Events:*August - Warner Brothers debuts the first Vitaphone film, Don Juan. The Vitaphone system used multiple 33⅓ rpm disc records developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories and Western Electric to play back audio synchronized with film....
) was also an early example of cutout animation, by animating chiyogami (JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese colored paper) cut-outs. - No. 12, also known as Heaven and Earth MagicHeaven and Earth MagicHeaven and Earth Magic is an American avant garde feature film made by Harry Everett Smith. Originally released in 1957, it was re-edited several times and the final version was released in 1962...
by Harry Everett SmithHarry Everett SmithHarry Everett Smith was an American archivist, ethnomusicologist, student of anthropology, record collector, experimental filmmaker, artist, bohemian and mystic...
, completed in 19621962 in filmThe year 1962 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May - The Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards are officially founded by the Taiwanese government....
, utilizes cut-out illustrations culled from 19th century catalogs. - The Soviet films LeftyLefty (1964 film)Lefty is a 1964 feature-length cutout-animated film from the Soviet Union. The film is based on the story of the same name by the 19th century Russian novelist Nikolai Leskov...
(1964) and Go There, Don't Know WhereGo There, Don't Know WhereGo There, Don't Know Where is a 1966 feature-length cutout-animated film from the Soviet Union. It was directed by the "Patriarch of Soviet animation", Ivan Ivanov-Vano, at the Soyuzmultfilm studio....
(1966). - René LalouxRené LalouxRené Laloux was a French animator and film director.-Biography:He was born in Paris in 1929 and went to art school to study painting. After some time working in advertising, he got a job in a psychiatric institution where he began experimenting in animation with the interns...
's early films made use of armatured cutouts, while his first feature Fantastic PlanetFantastic PlanetFantastic Planet is a 1973 animated science fiction film directed by René Laloux, production designed by Roland Topor, written by both of them and animated at Jiří Trnka Studio. The film was an international production between France and Czechoslovakia and was distributed in the United States by...
is a rare example of unarmatured cutout animation. - The feature films of Karel ZemanKarel ZemanKarel Zeman was a Czech film director, artist, production designer and animator. Because of his creative use of special effects and animation in his films, he has often been called the "Czech Méliès."-Life:...
(CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
) combined cutout animation and landscapes with live actors. - The opening sequence of L'Armata BrancaleoneL'armata BrancaleoneL'armata Brancaleone is an Italian comedy movie released in 1966, written by the famous duo Age & Scarpelli and directed by Mario Monicelli. It features Vittorio Gassman in the main role...
(1966), a film by Italian director Mario MonicelliMario MonicelliMario Monicelli was an Italian director and screenwriter and one of the masters of the Commedia all'Italiana , three times nominated for Oscar.-Biography:...
, features cutout animation, made by the Italian Emanuele LuzzatiEmanuele LuzzatiEmanuele Luzzati was an Italian painter, production designer, illustrator, film director and animator. He was nominated for Academy Awards for two of his short films, La gazza ladra and Pulcinella .He was born in Genoa and turned to drawing in 1938 when, as a Jew, his academic studies were...
. - Twice Upon a Time (1983), an animated movie directed by John KortyJohn KortyJohn Korty is an American film director and animator, best known for the television film The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and the documentary Who Are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids?, as well as the theatrical animated feature Twice Upon a Time...
and produced by George LucasGeorge LucasGeorge Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
, uses a form of cutout animation, which the filmmakers called "Lumage," that involved prefabricated cut-out plastic pieces that the animators moved on a light table. - South Park: Bigger, Longer & UncutSouth Park: Bigger, Longer & UncutSouth Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is a 1999 animated musical comedy film based on the animated television series South Park, created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker. The film was directed by Parker, who also stars along with the rest of the regular voice cast from the series, including Stone, Mary...
(1999) uses computer animation to imitate cutout animation.
Other (short)
- The Miracle of FlightThe Miracle of Flight-Synopsis:Ever since Man first observed the smooth, graceful soaring of a Boeing 707, he has had an unquenchable desire to fly.After a short montage of various birds in flight, we see several attempts of people attempting to fly themselves. A shepherd attempts flying by flapping his wings, only to...
(The Miracle of Flight on Youtube), a short cutout animated clip from the famous Monty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
- by Terry GilliamTerry GilliamTerrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys... - Le merle 1958, is combination of the (white) cut-outs and (pastel) backgrounds (music is the French folksong "Mon Merle) - by Norman McLarenNorman McLarenNorman McLaren, CC, CQ was a Scottish-born Canadian animator and film director known for his work for the National Film Board of Canada...
." - How Death Came to EarthHow Death Came to EarthHow Death Came to Earth is a 14 minute cutout animation film by Ishu Patel produced in 1971 by the National Film Board of Canada. The film deals with an Indian myth of creation, and is notable for its trippy visual style.-References:**...
1971 - by Ishu PatelIshu PatelIshu Patel is an animation film director/producer and educator. Over a period of twenty-five years at the National Film Board of Canada he developed animation techniques and styles to support his themes and vision.-Background:...
. - Tabi 1973 and Shijin no Shôgai 1974, two cutout animations - by Kihachirō KawamotoKihachiro Kawamotowas a Japanese puppet designer and maker, independent film director, screenwriter and animator and president of the Japan Animation Association from 1989, succeeding founder Osamu Tezuka, until his own death...
(who is otherwise primarily puppet animator). - Angela AnacondaAngela AnacondaAngela Anaconda is a Canadian cutout animation television series that aired on the channels Teletoon and Fox Family. It centers on the adventures of an eight-year-old girl named Angela who lives in the fictional town of Tapwater Springs, has wacky brothers, weird friends, and hates a snobbish...
, an animation combining the black-and-whiteBlack-and-whiteBlack-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
photographs and cutout-styled CGIComputer-generated imageryComputer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
animation. - South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
used construction paper cutouts in its first episodeCartman Gets an Anal Probe"Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" is the first episode of the animated television series South Park. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on August 13, 1997...
before switching to PowerAnimatorPowerAnimatorPowerAnimator and Animator, also referred to simply as "Alias", the precursor to what is now Maya and StudioTools, was a highly-integrated industrial 3D modeling, animation, and visual effects suite. It has had a long track record, starting with Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991 and ending in Star...
and, later, Maya. - Blue's CluesBlue's CluesBlue's Clues is an American children's television show airing on the Nickelodeon family of channels. The show premiered on September 8, 1996 and airs on Nick Jr. and other channels, although production of new episodes ceased by 2006. Versions of the show have been produced in other countries,...
used cutout animation for many of its characters. - Pigeon StreetPigeon StreetPigeon Street was an animated children's television series originally shown on the BBC in 1981 as part of its 'See-saw' strand for pre-schoolers. There were two series with eight and five episodes respectively, each programme lasting fifteen minutes...
- Charlie and LolaCharlie and LolaCharlie and Lola are characters created by author Lauren Child. The siblings were originally introduced in a series of books that were later made into a television series. Despite being primarily aimed at children aged 3–7, the books and shows are popular with adults, due to humorous and relatable...
uses a complex combination of photographic and drawn elements to imitate the collage style of the books - by Lauren ChildLauren ChildLauren Child MBE is an English author and illustrator. She is best known for writing the Charlie and Lola books and Clarice Bean novels....
. - Joel VeitchJoel VeitchJoel Veitch is a British web animator, singer-songwriter, and member of the humour website B3ta. Veitch is owner of the web site RatherGood where he showcases many of his animations. Joel has also created the Mr...
uses SWFSWFSWF is an Adobe Flash file format used for multimedia, vector graphics and ActionScript. Originating with FutureWave Software, then transferred to Macromedia, and then coming under the control of Adobe, SWF files can contain animations or applets of varying degrees of interactivity and function.,...
cutout animation style on his website Rathergood.com. - Strange frameStrange frameStrange Frame is a film by musician Shelley Doty and filmmaker GB Hajim. It began in 1999 when they decided to collaborate on a project using their individual talents and their passion for science fiction especially that of John Varley and Shinichiro Watanabe.They agreed that some of the...
relies primarily on an innovative cutout style combined with both traditional and 3D elements. - The humour animation site JibJabJibJabJibJab is a digital entertainment studio based in Venice, California. Founded in 1999 by Evan and Gregg Spiridellis, it was noticed during the 2004 US presidential election when their video of George W. Bush and John Kerry singing "This Land is Your Land" became a hit. The company creates,...
primarily uses cutout animation from photographs. - Pre-1997 episodes of Captain PugwashCaptain PugwashCaptain Pugwash is a fictional pirate in a series of British children's comic strips and books created by John Ryan. The character's adventures were adapted into a TV series, using cardboard cut-outs filmed in live-action , also called Captain Pugwash, first shown on the BBC in 1957, a later colour...
on BBC1. - Outer Space AstronautsOuter Space AstronautsOuter Space Astronauts is a comedy television series airing on Syfy, created by Russell Barrett.The main characters have live-action "real" heads connected to computer-generated and animated bodies in a completely digital environment....
uses a similar technique to blend live-action and computer-generated layers in its unique animation style. - King RolloKing RolloKing Rollo was a children's character created by David McKee in 1979, starring in a series of books, animations , and a comic strip in the magazine Buttons...
was a children's character created by David McKee in 1979 - Nothing on You the music video use cutout animation.
- Pressure (Skindred song)Pressure (Skindred song)- Musicians :* Benji Webbe — vocals* Daniel Pugsley — bass* Mikey Demus — guitar* Dirty Arya — vocals/drums...
the music video uses cutout animation - The intro and outro themes of Charlie ChalkCharlie ChalkCharlie Chalk was a short-lived stop motion animation series produced in 1987 in the UK by Woodland Animations, from the creators of Postman Pat and the two other children's television programmes that are Gran and Bertha.-Synopsis:...
. - The 1960 Famous StudiosFamous StudiosFamous Studios was the animation division of the film studio Paramount Pictures from 1942 to 1967. Famous was founded as a successor company to Fleischer Studios, after Paramount acquired the aforementioned studio and ousted its founders, Max and Dave Fleischer, in 1941...
Modern Madcap cartoon Bouncing Benny.