Ralph Bakshi opened Bakshi Productions, Inc. in 1971 and has produced, directed
and written feature films and television for over thirty years. Resulting from
your requests over the years, we are now making Bakshi's Private Collection of
Artwork available directly from us. Along with the films you will find
original production art (cels, animation drawings, development sketches,
backgrounds, Character designs etc.) , fine art as well as other collected
treasures from the studio.
While we always strive for absolute perfection in the quality of our goods, we
realize we are human and if something slips through you are not happy with
please let us know! Enjoy the store and come back often to see what new pieces
we have for you.
WHAT ARE CELS?
Traditionally, animated films were created by each motion or movement of every
character drawn on animation paper. Each image is then inked and hand painted
on a transparent material called a cel ? short for celluloid acetate. This
cel or cels, whether it is one layer with one character, or multiple layers
with multiple characters, are then placed over a painted background and
photographed by an animation camera to create one single frame of the film.
This process is repeated until the entire film is completed. These cels with
their painted backgrounds create the illusion of an entirely different world.
WHAT ARE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION CELS?
An animation cel is a piece of acetate, usually 10 1/2 x 12 1/2". Our original production cels were hand inked or printed, copying the line of the original animation drawings. Then they were hand painted with colors selected especially for each scene in the film. The cels were combined with the appropriate hand painted background, and then photographed. That photograph became one frame of the film. Each cel was numbered by scene, and numbered by its place in the scene. It also has the letter of the sequence from which it comes. A sequence is made up of several scenes. Each animation cel has its own individual letter and numbers. There are no duplicates. Each cel is sold with a fine quality print of the original background from the scene, the sequence, or the film.
WHAT ARE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION DRAWINGS?
Original production drawings are also one of a kind pieces of art from an
animated film. Before the image is drawn and painted on cel, the entire film is
drawn in pencil by animators. This is the stage at which the artist creates the
first true feel of the character and begins to bring it to life through
experimentation. These are also highly sought after because they are the
original drawings, and considered ?the backbone? of any animated creation.
They also can cost much less than an original production cel because they are
not painted.
A FEW POINTERS IN WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING YOUR ARTWORK
First and foremost, the image has to appeal to you. It jumps out at you, you
have to have it. Looking at it illicits some sort of emotional response,
reminds you of something, recalls a memory, brings a world of dream and fantasy
to your every day life - like a photograph of ancient ancestors that would be
impossible to have.
For those who prefer a few guidelines: here are some pointers that many
collectors (NOT ALL) use:
- Artwork that depicts a characteristic pose, expression, or emotion common with the film it is from.
- A character that is facing as close to forward as possible with their eyes open.
- The closer up the character is to you in frame is desirable - either a full body pose or a close up of the face.
- As far as the particular characters go and which to chose from a film to collect, there are a few ways to go about it. Some people like to collect the more obscure characters who show up rarely in the film and are therefore more difficult to find. Others like the main characters. Obviously, it is up to you which characters you like.
WHAT ARE GICLEES?
Giclee printing defines an advancement in printmaking technology. Giclee prints (pronounced, "gee-clay"), from the French word meaning a spray of liquid, are created from high-resolution digital captures of original fine artwork, and printed with professional level 7-color to 12-colorwide format ink-jet printers using archival quality inks. The prints can be made on various surfaces matching the original medium, such as canvas, watercolor, and photo-base paper. The Giclee printing process, carried out by the master technician, provides better color accuracy than any other means of reproduction.
The Quality:-------- The quality of the Giclee print rivals traditional photographic silver-halide and gelatin printing processes as well as lithographic reproductions. Fine art Giclee prints are accepted by museums, fine art galleries and photographic galleries.
We hope this helps a bit. Any questions you might have, please feel free to
e-mail us at shop@ralphbakshi.com. |
