Research

An international organization dedicated to the study of animation history, theory and practice. It was founded in 1987. Each year, the SAS holds an annual conference at locations throughout the world, where members present their recent research. Animation Studies is the SAS’ peer-reviewed journal.

Disney Animation Research Library and Getty Conservation Institute collaborative research project. A collection of original plastic animation cels and backgrounds will be studied to better understand the changes that occur in these materials over time, and the possible causes of these changes, with the ultimate aim of improving ways of preserving not only Disney’s animation cels, but also any object made from the same types of plastic.

Plastics in museum collections need special care. They often show problems during storage and exhibition, such as discolouration, efflorescence, tackiness and crumbling. To anticipate problems and preserve plastic containing objects under appropriate conditions, identification of the plastics is crucial. This online Plastic Identification Tool helps identify plastics in artworks, or at least traces them to main groups of plastics. For the best identification result, this tool is accompanied by a workshop and a set of boxes with different plastics; the PIT kit.