Cel shading

Cel shadingortoon shadingis a type ofnon-photorealistic renderingdesigned to make 3Dcomputer graphicsappear to be flat by using less shading color instead of ashade gradientortints and shades.A celshaderis often used to mimic the style of acomic bookorcartoonand/or give the render a characteristic paper-like texture.There are similar techniques that can make an image look like asketch,anoil paintingor anink painting.The name comes fromcels(short forcelluloid), clear sheets ofacetatewhich are painted on for use intraditional 2D animation.

A representation of a spacesuit fromThe Adventures of TintincomicExplorers on the Moonwith a basic cel shader (also known as atoon shader) and border detection

graphics complex of a seashell with toon shading modeled in Mathematica 13.1

Basic process

Cel-shaded rendering of twoisosurfacesof theprobability densityof aparticle in a box

The cel-shading process starts with a typical3D model.Where cel-shading differs from conventional rendering is in its non-photorealisticshading algorithm.Conventional smooth lighting values are calculated for each pixel and thenquantizedto a small number of discrete shades to create the characteristic "flat look", where the shadows and highlights appear as blocks of color rather than being smoothly mixed in a gradient.

Outlines

Wireframe method

Black inkoutlinesandcontour linescan be created using a variety of methods. One popular method is to first render a black outline, slightly larger than the object itself.Back-face cullingis inverted and the back-facing triangles are drawn in black. To dilate thesilhouette,these back-faces may be drawn inwireframemultiple times with slight changes in translation. Alternatively, back-faces may be rendered solid-filled, with their vertices translated along theirvertex normalsin avertex shader.After drawing the outline, back-face culling is set back to normal to draw the shading and optional textures of the object. Finally, the image iscompositedviaZ-buffering,as the back-faces always lie deeper in the scene than the front-faces. The result is that the object is drawn with a black outline and interior contour lines. The term "cel-shading" is popularly used to refer to the application of this "ink" outlining process in animation and games, although originally the term referred to the flat shading technique regardless of whether the outline was applied.

TheUtah teapotrendered using cel shading:

1. The back faces are drawn with thick lines
2. The object faces are drawn using a single color
3. Shading is applied

Steps 2 and 3 can be combined usingmultitexturing(part of texture mapping).

Edge-detection method

2Dimage processingoutlining technique

First, the scene is rendered with cel shading to a screen-sized color texture.

Then,depth informationof the scene is rendered to a screen-sized texture.

World-spacesurface normalsare rendered as a screen-sized texture.

Finally, aSobel filteror similaredge-detectionfilter is applied to the normal and depth textures to generate an edge texture.Texelson detected edges are black, while all other texels are white.

Finally, the edge texture and the color texture arecompositedto produce the finalrenderedimage.

In video games

For a more comprehensive list, seeList of cel-shaded video games.

TheSega DreamcasttitleJet Set Radio,which was revealed at the 1999Tokyo Game Show,drew media attention for its cel-shaded style.It used cel-shading for its characters and its vibrant visual style has had a lasting influence on the use of cel-shading in video games. Since the early 2000s, many notable video games have made use of this style, such asThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker(2002) andŌkami(2006).

Cel shading, in contrast to other visual styles such as photorealism, is often used to lend a more artistic or fantastical element to a video game's environment. In developingŌkami,directorHideki Kamiyadescribed his vision for the game's graphics: "I wanted to create a game with the natural beauty of the Japanese countryside... to make a world that was glistening and beautiful."Producer Atsushi Inaba recalls in a 2004 interview that Clover Studios had "abandoned the realistic style" forŌkamias they became inspired by traditional Japanese art.

Game studios might choose a style such as cel shading in their development for reasons beyond artistic vision. Cel shaded graphics are usually simple in visual information, which can be useful in some applications. In the case ofThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker,developer Satoru Takizawa states that using this style allowed to "represent the mechanisms and objects for puzzles [inThe Wind Waker] in a more easy-to-understand way. "Takizawa also argues that photorealistic graphics, in contrast, would have "had the adverse effect of making information difficult to represent game-wise."

Lists of cel-shaded media

Film

• The Great Mouse Detective,a 1986 American animated film based on "Basil of Baker Street"byEve TitusandPaul Galdone.
• Technological Threat,a 1988 American animated short made by Brian Jennings and Bill Kroyer and was produced by Kroyer Films.
• Oliver & Company,a 1988 American animated musical adventure film based on theCharles DickensnovelOliver Twist.
• The Little Mermaid,a 1989 American animated musical fantasy film based on the 1837 Danishfairy tale of the same namebyHans Christian Andersen.
• DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp,a 1990 American animated adventure fantasy film based on the animated television seriesDuckTales.
• Tom and Jerry: The Movie,a 1993 Americananimatedmusicalcomedy filmbased on the charactersTom and Jerrycreated byWilliam HannaandJoseph Barbera.It was produced and directed byPhil Roman,with a screenplay written byDennis Marks,who also scripted some episodes of the then-airingTom & Jerry Kidstelevision series. It features original songs written byHenry ManciniandLeslie Bricusseand a score also composed by Mancini. The film stars the voices ofRichard Kind,Dana Hill,Anndi McAfee,Tony Jay,Rip Taylor,Henry Gibson,Michael Bell,Ed Gilbert,David L. Lander,Howard Morris,andCharlotte Rae.
• The Lion King,a 1994 American animatedmusicalcoming-of-agedrama filmproduced byWalt Disney Feature Animation.
• Felidae,a 1994 German adult animated mystery film directed by Michael Schaack, written by Martin Kluger, Stefaan Schieder andAkif Pirinçci,and based on Pirinçci's 1989 novelof the same name.
• The Rugrats Movie(1998)
• Tarzan,a 1999 American animated adventure film based on the 1912 story "Tarzan of the Apes"byEdgar Rice Burroughs.
• The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle(2000)
• Help! I'm a Fish,a 2000 Danish-German-Irish traditionally animated science fantasy musical film.
• Rugrats in Paris: The Movie(2000)
• The Little Polar Bear,a 2001 German animated film based on Hans de Beer books.
• Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,a 2002 American animated Western film.
• Lilo & Stitch,a 2002 American animated science-fiction comedy-drama film.
• Treasure Planeta 2002 American animated science-fiction adventure film.
• Rugrats Go Wild(2003)
• Stitch! The Movie,a 2003 American direct-to-video animated science fiction comedy film
• Brother Bear,a 2003 American animated musical fantasy comedy-drama film.
• Hot Wheels: World Race,a 2003 animated direct-to-video film.
• Appleseed,a 2004 Japanese animated film.
• Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers,a 2004 Americananimateddirect-to-videomusicaladventure filmbased on thefilm adaptationsof the 1844 novelThe Three MusketeersbyAlexandre Dumasand theMickey Mousefilm series byWalt DisneyandUb Iwerks.As the title suggests, it featuresMickey Mouse,Donald Duck,andGoofyas the three musketeers in their first full-length feature film together. This film was directed byDonovan Cook,produced byWalt Disney Picturesand the Australian office ofDisneyToon Studios.
• Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch,a 2005 American direct-to-video animated science fiction comedy-drama film produced by the Australian office ofDisneytoon Studios.
• Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild,a 2005 American animated comedy film.
• Leroy & Stitch,a 2006 American animated science fiction comedy television film produced by Walt Disney Television Animation.
• A Scanner Darkly,a 2006 film based on Philip K. Dick novel.
• Disney DVD Game World: Disney Dogs Edition(2006)
• The Simpsons Movie,a 2007 American animatedcomedy filmbased on theFoxanimated sitcomThe SimpsonsbyMatt Groening.The film was directed by series veteranDavid Silverman(in his directorial debut) and stars the series' regular cast ofDan Castellaneta,Julie Kavner,Nancy Cartwright,Yeardley Smith,Hank Azaria,Harry Shearer,Pamela Hayden,andTress MacNeillereprising their roles andAlbert Brooksas the film's mainantagonist,Russ Cargill, head of theEnvironmental Protection Agency(EPA). The film followsHomer Simpson,who irresponsibly pollutesSpringfield's local lake, causing the EPA to imprison the town under a giant glass dome. After he andhis familyescape toAlaska,they ultimately abandon Homer for his selfishness and return to Springfield to prevent the town's demolition by Cargill. Homer then works to redeem his folly by returning to Springfield himself in an effort to save it.

Although previous attempts to create aSimpsonsfilm had been made, they failed due to the lack of a script. Eventually in 2001, producersJames L. Brooks,Matt Groening,Al Jean,Mike ScullyandRichard Sakaibegan development on the film and a writing team consisting of Brooks, Groening, Jean, Scully,Ian Maxtone-Graham,George Meyer,David Mirkin,Mike Reiss,Matt Selman,John SwartzwelderandJon Vittiwas assembled. They conceived numerous plot ideas, with Groening's being the one adapted. The script was rewritten over a hundred times, also continuing after work on the animation began in 2006. Consequently, hours of finished material was cut from the final release, includingcameo rolesfromErin Brockovich,Minnie Driver,Isla Fisher,Edward Norton,andKelsey Grammer,who would have reprised his role asSideshow Bob.Tom Hanksand the members ofGreen Dayvoice their own animated counterparts in the final cut of the film.

• Garfield Gets Real(also known asGarfield 3Din some regions), a 2007 Americananimatedadventurecomedy filmbased on the comic stripGarfield.It was produced byPaws, Inc.in cooperation withDavis Entertainment,andThe Animation Picture Companyand distributed by20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.It was written by Garfield's creatorJim Davis,who started working on the script in the autumn of 1996. It is the third Garfield film, afterGarfieldandGarfield: a Tail of 2 Kitties.This was the first fully animated Garfield production since the 1991 television specialGarfield Gets a Life,and the series finale ofGarfield and Friends.The DVD was shipped to stores on August 9, 2007.Gregg Berger,an actor from the original series, reprises his role of Odie, while Garfield was voiced by veteran voice actorFrank Welker,and Jon is voiced byWally Wingert.The film received unfavorable reviews.
• Chocolate,a 2008 Thaimartial arts filmstarringYanin "Jeeja" Vismistanandain her debut film performance. It is directed byPrachya Pinkaew,withmartial artschoreography byPanna Rittikrai.It also starsHiroshi AbeandPongpat Wachirabunjong.
• Paperman,a 2012 American black-and-white computer-cel animated short film.
• Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess(2012)
• Khail Girban's The Prophet,a 2014 animated film computer cel.
• Feast,a 2014 American 2D animated romantic comedy short film.
• The Peanuts Movie(2015)
• Mutafukaz: Operation Blackhead,a 2017 crime short film that became the basis for the comic book for the same name produced by Run.
• Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse(2018)
• Tom & Jerry(2021)
• Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers(2022)
• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse(2023)
• Nimona(2023)
• Once Upon a Studio,a 2023 American live-action/animated fantasy comedy crossover short film.
• Wish,a 2023 American animated musical film.
• Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation,a 2024 American animatedscience fictionmusicalcomedy filmdirected by Anna O'Brian and based on theDisney Channelanimated television seriesBig City Greens,created by The Houghton Brothers.
• Coyote vs. Acme(TBA)
• The Pink Pantherdirected byJeff Fowler(Upcoming Film)

Television

• TaleSpin- an American animated television series first aired in 1990 as a preview onDisney Channeland later that year as part ofThe Disney Afternoon.It features anthropomorphized versions of characters adapted fromDisney's1967 animated featureThe Jungle Book,which was theatrically rereleased in the summer before this show premiered in the fall,notably Baloo the Bear, Louie the orangutan, and Shere Khan the tiger, along with new characters created for the show. The name of the show is a play on "tailspin",the rapid descent of an aircraft in a steep spiral, and on the fact thattaleis another word for "story".
• Mighty Ducks- a 1996 American animated television series that aired onABCand thesyndicatedprogramming blockThe Disney Afternoon,the last show produced by the block, in the fall of 1996.The show was loosely inspired by the live-actionMighty Ducksfilmsand the eponymousNational Hockey Leagueteam, theMighty Ducks of Anaheim,as well as the affiliateAmerican Hockey Leagueteam, theCincinnati Mighty Ducks.Unlike the films and the hockey teams, the show was about a team ofanthropomorphichockey-playing ducks.
• Futurama- a 1999 animatedscience fictionsitcomcreated byMatt Groeningfor theFox Broadcasting Companyand later revived byComedy Central,and thenHulu.The series followsPhilip J. Fry,who iscryogenically preservedfor 1,000 years and revived on December 31, 2999. Fry finds work at the interplanetary delivery companyPlanet Express,working alongside one-eyed mutantLeelaand robotBender.The series was envisioned by Groening in the mid-1990s while working onThe Simpsons;he broughtDavid X. Cohenaboard to develop storylines and characters to pitch the show to Fox.
• Molly, Star-Racer- a 2001 French television pilot produced by Sparx Animation Studios
• Finger Tips- a 2001 Britishchildren's television seriesthat aired onCITVand was broadcast from 3 September 2001 to 14 December 2008. It was produced byThe Foundation.
• Spider-Man: The New Animated Series- a 2003 Canadian-American television series produced byMainframe Studios,Marvel Enterprises,Adelaide Productions,andSony Pictures Television
• Boo!- a 2003 British television series produced byTell-Tale Productions
• Lilo & Stitch- a 2003 American animated television series produced byWalt Disney Television Animation
• Dragon Booster- a 2004 Canadian television series produced byNerd Corps Entertainment
• Handy Manny- a 2006 American-Canadian children's television series produced byNelvana
• Z-Squad- a 2006 South Korean-Canadian magical girl television series produced by Enemes,SBS,CJ Entertainment,Daiwon C&A HoldingsandNelvana,SOVIK
• The Land Before Time- a 2007 American animated television series, based on The Land Before Time film series created by Judy Freudberg and Tony Geiss
• Storm Hawks- a 2007 Canadian television series produced by Nerd Corps Entertainment
• League of Super Evil- a 2009 Canadian television series produced by Nerd Corps Entertainment
• Slugterraa 2012 Canadian television series produced by Nerd Corps Entertainment
• Sofia the First,a 2013 American animated fantasy children's television series created and developed byCraig GerberforDisney Television Animation.The series follows a young peasant girl named Sofia, voiced byAriel Winter,who becomes a princess after her mother marries the King of Enchancia. Episodes focus on her adventures and bonds with others, including her animal friends, with whom she communicates through an amulet that blesses and curses her based upon the goodness of her actions. When creating the series, Gerber aimed to employ relatable situations in a fantasy world; he stated Sofia's position as a child of a single mother allowed the team to explore themes of adaptation and connect to modern children. The seriespilotpremiered on November 18, 2012, onDisney Channel.The series itself ran from January 11, 2013, to September 8, 2018, onDisney Junior.
• Max Steela 2013 American-Canadian television series produced by Nerd Corps Entertainment,Mattel
• Bunny Maloney- a 2009 French television series produced byMoonScoop Group,France 2,and Telegael
• Iron Man: Armored Adventures- a 2009 French-American television series produced byMarvel Animation
• Hot Wheels Battle Force 5- a 2009 Canadian television series produced by Nerd Corps Entertainment and Nelvana
• Rated A for Awesome- a 2011 Canadian television series produced by Nerd Corps Entertainment
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver- a 2014 American late-night talk and news satire television series produced byHBO- Episode 7:Immigration Reform
• Regal Academy- a 2016 Italian television series produced byRainbow S.p.A.
• Disenchantment- a 2018 Americananimatedsatiricalfantasysitcom created byMatt GroeningforNetflix.
• Star Wars Resistance- a 2018 American television series produced byLucasfilm Animation
• Love, Death & Robotsa 2019 AmericanAdult animatedanthologyseries produced byBlur Studiofor Netflix
• What If...?- a 2021Marvel Studiosalternate historytelevision series set in theMarvel Cinematic Universe
• Arcanea 2021 anadult animatedsteampunkaction-adventuretelevision series created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee. It was produced by the FrenchanimationstudioFortiche

Video games

Main article:List of cel-shaded video games

See also

• 2.5D
• Gooch shading
• Low poly

External links

• IGN:Jet Set Radioreview.Retrieved August 4, 2005.
• GameDev.net – Cel-Shading.Retrieved August 5, 2005 (Wayback Machinecopy).
• sunandblackcat – Cel-Shading.Retrieved August 7, 2014.