silhouette animation

Silhouette animation is a filmmaking technique that creates the illusion of movement by using solid black shapes against a lighter background. This method, often referred to as "cut-out animation," involves animating figures and objects that are cut from materials like paper or cardboard.1

The technique has historical roots, with origins possibly tracing back to ancient cave paintings and developing through outline drawing and shadow painting. In the 18th and 19th centuries, silhouette portraits became popular, and the art form evolved with the invention of mechanical devices for outline drawing. While photography later overshadowed traditional silhouettes, the principles of silhouette art persisted into the 20th century, notably in the animated cartoons of Walt Disney and Lotte Reiniger. The term "silhouette" itself is derived from the name of a French finance minister, Étienne de Silhouette, known for his frugality, as cutting paper shadow portraits was a less expensive form of art.1