Cel animation

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Promotional cel from the production of "Stolen Bike"

Cel animation was the conventional method of producing animation for film and later television throughout the entire 20th century. For professional productions such as Arthur, it involves tracing over finalized sketches with ink on a clear celluloid sheet and then coloring the other side of the sheet with the appropriate paint colors to make up a frame of the animation. The cel is then captured with photography over the appropriate background. Once cel animation became popular among production companies, it became a common practice to outsource finalized animation using cels (and sometimes the cels themselves) from specialized overseas companies for cost effectiveness and to meet the growing demand. AKOM, for example, is an overseas animation company that provided animation services for Arthur. Cel animation was never used for the final animation in Arthur as digital coloring and compositing was used instead. Standalone cels were made however in the production stages, most notably for promotional purposes.

Concept art/Character design cels

Before a character or an alternate outfit for an existing character is approved to appear on storyboard, it is drawn out as a concept, typically on a cell to showcase the proposed colors of the character based on the given script. The concept art cels are created similarly to regular animation cels but are made to be seen by production supervisors for approval. The cels are also of service to the overseas digital coloring department and are shipped to them along with the key animation and layout drawings.

Character design cel for the tour guide from "D.W. Goes to Washington" by Richard Morris.

"Ranger Ruth" by Richard Morris.

Unused alternate outfit design for Muffy from the production of "Arthur's Perfect Christmas" by Richard Morris

After usage in episodes

Etsy listing for animation cel

Backgrounds used in Arthur episodes and some reproduction cels are shipped back to Cookie Jar Entertainment with the final digital animation tapes throughout the production of seasons 1-3 for promotional purposes such as press releases and were kept in storage reportedly as several large boxes while some were framed and used as decoration in the studio. Cels were also commonly gifted to crew members and were liquidated among staff in 2010 as Cookie Jar's rights to receive percentage of profits and help produce and distribute new Arthur episodes was near expiration. As of 2024, very few of the production art have been seen publicly ever since.

Some of the framed cels used as decorations at the Cookie Jar Entertainment studio at Montreal, Canada were sold in auction at the city prior to the company's rights to produce new Arthur episodes ending. Some were given to WGBH and the studios of the production for later seasons, 9 Story Media Group and later Oasis Animation.

"Buster Makes the Grade" Cel sold on Etsy.

Animation cel used in "Arthur's Lucky Pencil."

Animation cel used in "Arthur's Almost Live Not Real Music Festival" (Note: Shot of Fern and Brain do not appear in the aired animation).

"D.W.'s Imaginary Friend" animation cel (Note: This is the oldest known cel).

"Arthur's Chicken Pox" animation cel.

"Arthur's Perfect Christmas" promotional cel.

Promotional cel based on "The Boy with his Head in the Clouds" (Note: this is the last known made cel).

Promotional cel based on "D.W.'s Library Card" used as art for a Spanish DVD.

Promotional cel based on "The Election"