How animation was done in the 1930s?

Animation in the 1930s was primarily done using traditional hand-drawn animation techniques, specifically the cel animation process. Here’s how animation was typically produced during that era:

1. Storyboarding: The animation process started with a storyboard, a series of drawings that outlined the key scenes, actions, and camera angles of the animation. This served as a blueprint for the entire project.
2. Character and Background Design: Artists designed characters, objects, and backgrounds. Character designs included detailed model sheets to ensure consistency in the characters’ appearance throughout the animation.
3. Cel Animation: Cel animation was the dominant technique in the 1930s. It involved creating individual transparent celluloid sheets (cels) for each character and element that needed to move in a scene. Artists would trace and paint characters and objects onto these cels.
4. Inking and Painting: After the characters and objects were traced onto cels, they were inked to define the outlines and painted to add color. In some cases, artists used a combination of airbrushing and hand-painting to achieve shading and texture effects.
5. Background Art: Separate background paintings were created to provide the scenery for the animation. Background artists often used watercolor or gouache paints to achieve the desired look.
6. Composition: Cels with characters, objects, and backgrounds were carefully arranged on animation stands. Multiple cels with varying elements were stacked to create each frame of animation.
7. Photography: To capture the animation, a camera recorded each frame by taking a photograph of the layered cels. The cels were placed on a multiplane camera stand to create depth and parallax effects.
8. Editing: All the individual frames were edited together to create a complete sequence. This process included adding transitions, adjusting timing, and synchronizing the animation with music and sound effects.
9. Sound Integration: Soundtracks, dialogues, and music were added to accompany the animation. This could involve recording voice actors and composing music to match the on-screen action.
10. Final Output: The completed animation was often screened in theaters as part of a larger film or presented as standalone animated shorts.

Notable animations from the 1930s, such as Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937) and “Steamboat Willie” (1928), used these traditional cel animation techniques. This era marked the beginning of the Golden Age of Animation, characterized by the production of iconic animated films and the development of animation as a prominent form of entertainment.