Great American Ink has, bar none, the world’s most fabulous collection of
animation cel
backgrounds! This came about because, during the period we began our collections in 1991, we began to fancy for ourselves these stunning, little paintings. We noticed that each animation cel background has to express absolutely and concisely the precise feeling of an animator’s production!
So, naturally, some of the most adept painters of all time developed at animation studios including Gustaf Tenggren, Eyvind Earle, Maurice Noble and Paul Julian, to name a few. Animation fans
instantly recognize their work and can usually name the studio with which they worked.
Because animation cel backgrounds can be so beautiful, we kept going “bananas” and sought out more of them. Our passion was fortunate. If cels are the “platinum” of the animation world, then backgrounds are made of “unobtainium” and magically materialized from the animator’s brush. They’re even more rare!
During an animated cartoon it might have taken thousands of cels to finish production! You’ve already heard that most animation cels through the 1970s were destroyed because no one thought they’d ever be valuable. But, because animators would usually photograph hundreds of cels atop one, single production background, these little paintings are even more difficult to find in good condition. And to find original animation cel backgrounds with the original character cels is truly remarkable.
Animation backgrounds are but one of our passions. If you love talking about animation, please drop us an e-note at
 or call us at 800 552 2847 or 310 552 2847.
LOONEY TUNES, characters, names
and all related indicia are TM of and © Warner Bros |
