Inside the Hanna-Barbera archives: unique original drawings

These unique pencil drawings reveal not only the characters, but the concepts behind them. As the first step in their final creation, original production drawings were traced onto the animation cel to form the black outline before it was filled with colour and photographed.

Described as the 'building blocks of animation', they were used by both the  Hanna-Barbera and Walt Disney studios to plan the look and movement of the character. Each drawing was meticulously refined until the animator was satisfied with the details, degree of motion and overall look, which is reflected in the authentic handwritten notes and faint markings on many of the pieces. 

As very few film and television programmes now use this process, original production animation art is becoming increasingly rare and revered in the art world. In 2016, Bonhams - one of the world's oldest and most prestigious fine art auctioneers - held Drawn to Film, its first animation-exclusive event in a decade. The genre is also displayed in institutions such as the Norman Rockwell Museum. 

Featured art: 'Scooby (1) OPC w/OPD', £2,500