The Study of Animation Art

Dear Colleagues,

We invite contributions to this Special Issue titled “The Study of Animation Art” as part of the Arts journal. This Special Issue promotes an in-depth exploration of all aspects that define animation as a cinematic art form, while specifically focusing on emerging forms of animation art, which are rooted in the latest technological developments, and which can be defined as post-cinema remediations [1] that expand animation as immersive and interactive live experiences in various contexts.

It is interesting to observe animation as a film form that is distanced from recording reality but is still creating an illusion of life [2], where characters appear to move and have a thinking process in ways that are recognizable and meaningful as part of a relatable but fictional reality of its own. We encourage contributions that analyze how such characters may carry the viewers in traditional cinematic storytelling and immersive narratives, or how AI-powered characters may directly engage participants in fictional worlds dominated by game esthetics and interaction design aiming at playability.

Furthermore, installations, projection mappings, immersive rooms, and AR/VR art experiences engage animation concepts and techniques in playing with human perception of space, size, time, and our placement in fictional realms that are built dynamically from existing spaces [3,4]. We encourage in-depth analyses of esthetic experiences created by such worlds of illusion based on animation theories and current animation practices [5].

Overall, we appreciate contributions in an expanded area of animation studies encompassing historical, contemporary, and foreseeable future developments of animation as a medium for artistic expression, which is sensitive to cultural trends while tackling political views, social problems, and envisioning the future of humankind.

Multidisciplinary contributions are encouraged in all areas related to animation, such as visual arts, projection mapping, immersive arts, performing arts, storytelling, visual effects, games, AR/VR, and leading to an overall definition of animation esthetics in both traditional and emerging forms that are intimately related to the latest developments in technology, software, and artificial intelligence. Contributions exploring the notions of animation originality and authorship in the contemporary landscapes are also expected and encouraged.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-400 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the guest editor or to Arts editorial office (arts@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of this Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer-review.

References:

[1] J. D. Bolter, and R. Grusin, Remediation: Understanding New Media, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1999.

[2] F. Thomas, and O. Johnston. The Illusion of Life. New York, Disney Editions, 1981.

[3] Projection Mapping: Transforming Events with Immersive Visuals, Event Group Newsletter, 2025, [Online], Available: https://www.amp-events.com/blog/projection-mapping-transforming-events-with-immersive-visuals

[4] Limelight website, 2025, [Online], https://www.limelight.art/

[5] M. Furniss. Art in Motion: Animation Aesthetics, New Barnet, UK: John Libbey Publishing, 2008

Dr. Daniela Sirbu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Arts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.