Pinned thread Art Style analysis in Spongebob and various other shows

[ChrisSkeeter]

What year each season of SpongeBob looks (shorter version):

• Season 1:
  • 1993 (‘Help Wanted’)
  • 1994 (UglyBob episodes)
  • 1995 (first half)
  • 1996 (second half)
  • 1997 (very late episodes)
• Season 2:
  • 1998 (‘Frankendoodle’, ‘Krusty Love’ and ‘Sailor Mouth’)
  • 1999 (early episodes)
  • 2000 (typical episode)
  • 2001 (‘Christmas Who?’)
• Season 3:
  • 2000 (dot crawl episodes)
  • 2001 (typical episode)
  • 2002 (late episodes)
  • 2003 (‘The Sponge Who Could Fly’ and ‘Pranks a Lot’)
• Season 4:
  • 2003 (2004-produced episodes)
  • 2004 (‘Skill Crane’, ‘Good Neighbors’, ‘Enemy In-Law’ and ‘Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy VI: The Motion Picture’)
  • 2005 (typical episode)
  • 2006 (late episodes)
• Season 5:
  • 2006 (early to middle episodes)
  • 2007 (late episodes)
• Season 6:
  • 2007 (typical episode)
  • 2008 (late episodes)
  • 2010 (‘Truth or Square’)
• Season 7:
  • 2008 (first half)
  • 2009 (second half)
• Season 8:
  • 2009 (typical episode)
  • 2011 (‘It’s a SpongeBob Christmas!’)
• Season 9a:
  • 2011 (‘Extreme Spots’)
  • 2012 (typical episode)
• Season 9b:
  • 2014 (early episodes)
  • 2015 (middle to late episodes)
  • 2016 (‘The Whole Tooth’)
• Seasons 10-present:
  • 2016 (season 10)
  • 2017 (seasons 11-13)
  • 2018 (season 14)

 

[ChrisSkeeter]

Toon Boom has an aspect ratio setting, the staff at rough draft knew to switch it back to 4:3 while they were working on the season 8 holdovers.

Here is a comparison of two versions of the drawing of SpongeBob that I’ve made in paint.net:

The left one is edited to look cel animated, and the right one is edited to look digitally animated. Can you try to guess which year the left one looks, and which year the right one looks?

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

What year each season of SpongeBob looks (shorter version):

• Season 1:
  • 1993 (‘Help Wanted’)
  • 1994 (UglyBob episodes)
  • 1995 (first half)
  • 1996 (second half)
  • 1997 (very late episodes)
• Season 2:
  • 1998 (‘Frankendoodle’, ‘Krusty Love’ and ‘Sailor Mouth’)
  • 1999 (early episodes)
  • 2000 (typical episode)
  • 2001 (‘Christmas Who?’)
• Season 3:
  • 2000 (dot crawl episodes)
  • 2001 (typical episode)
  • 2002 (late episodes)
  • 2003 (‘The Sponge Who Could Fly’ and ‘Pranks a Lot’)
• Season 4:
  • 2003 (2004-produced episodes)
  • 2004 (‘Skill Crane’, ‘Good Neighbors’, ‘Enemy In-Law’ and ‘Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy VI: The Motion Picture’)
  • 2005 (typical episode)
  • 2006 (late episodes)
• Season 5:
  • 2006 (early to middle episodes)
  • 2007 (late episodes)
• Season 6:
  • 2007 (typical episode)
  • 2008 (late episodes)
  • 2010 (‘Truth or Square’)
• Season 7:
  • 2008 (first half)
  • 2009 (second half)
• Season 8:
  • 2009 (typical episode)
  • 2011 (‘It’s a SpongeBob Christmas!’)
• Season 9a:
  • 2011 (‘Extreme Spots’)
  • 2012 (typical episode)
• Season 9b:
  • 2014 (early episodes)
  • 2015 (middle to late episodes)
  • 2016 (‘The Whole Tooth’)
• Seasons 10-present:
  • 2016 (season 10)
  • 2017 (seasons 11-13)
  • 2018 (season 14)

For me

• Season 1:
  • 1993 (‘Help Wanted’)
  • 1994 (UglyBob)
  • 1995/96 (typical episode)
  • 1997 (Sleepy Time to MM&BBII)
• Season 2:
  • 1998 (‘Frankendoodle, Band Geeks, Krusty Love, and Sailor Mouth)
  • 1999 (Your Shoes Untied to Patty Hype)
  • 2000 (everything else)
  • 2001 (Christmas Who?)
• Season 3:
  • 2000 (dot crawl episodes)
  • 2001 (markerbob episodes from The Bully to Missing Identity)
  • 2002 (every episode with normal animation that doesn't have dot crawl) (markerbob sequences in 51, 54, and 59)
  • 2003 (‘The Sponge Who Could Fly’, ‘Pranks a Lot’)
• Season 4:
  • 2003 (Fear of a Krabby Patty, Shell of a Man, The Lost Mattress, Krabs vs. Plankton)
  • 2004 (‘Skill Crane, Good Neighbors, ‘Enemy In-Law and MM&BB VI)
  • 2005 (typical episode)
  • 2006 (late episodes)
• Season 5:
  • 2006 (early to middle episodes, and Stanley S. SquarePants)
  • 2007 (late episodes with thin outlines)
• Season 6:
  • 2008 (the entire season looks 2008, even the very late episodes)
  • 2010 (Truth or Square)
• Season 7:
  • 2009 (Before Legends of Bikini Bottom)
  • 2010 (After Legends of Bikini Bottom)
• Season 8:
  • 2010 (everything else)
  • 2011 (‘It’s a SpongeBob Christmas!’)
• Season 9a:
  • 2011 (‘Extreme Spots, Squirrel Record, Patrick-Man, Gary's New Toy, License to Milkshake, Squid Baby due to very rough lines)
  • 2012 Little Yellow Book to SpongeBob You're Fired
• Season 9b:
  • 2014 (early episodes)
  • 2015 (middle to late episodes)
  • 2016 (Muntiny on the Krusty and The Whole Tooth’)
• Seasons 10-present:
  • 2016 (season 10)
  • 2017 (season 11-13)
  • 2018 (season 14)

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

Here is a comparison of two versions of the drawing of SpongeBob that I’ve made in paint.net:
View attachment 20326
The left one is edited to look cel animated, and the right one is edited to look digitally animated. Can you try to guess which year the left one looks, and which year the right one looks?

It's too hard to tell tbh

 

[ChrisSkeeter]

It's too hard to tell tbh

Why is that? You can still try to guess a year.

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

What year each season of Dexter's Laboratory looks (shorter version):

• Season 1:
  • 1993 (Changes, The Big Sister, Old Man Dexter, Dimwit Dexter)
  • 1994 (The Way of the Dee-Dee to Monstory)
• Season 2:
  • 1995 (episodes with really bad red tint, Star Trek Unconventional, Ice Cream Scream, Techno Turtle, Got Your Goat, Backfire)
  • 1996 (Beard to be Feared to Ocean Commotion)
  • 1997 (Dee Dee Be Deep to Last But Not Beast)
  • 1998 (Ego Trip)
• Season 3:
  • 2000 (dot crawl episodes; Streaky Clean to Lab on the Run)
  • 2003 (If Memory Serves to Smells Like Victory)
  • 2005 (Oh Brother; Jeepers, Creepers, Where Is Peepers; Scare Tactics, Go Dexter Family Go!)
• Season 4:
  • 2003 (Chicken Scratch)
  • 2005 (Sis-Tem Error, Bad Cable Manners, Beau Tie, D2, Head Band, The Scyring Game, Dad Man Walking, Dexter the Barbarian, Sore Eyes, School Girl Crushed, Height Unseen, Bygone Erros, Folly Calls, Blonde Leading Blonde, Dexter's Wacky Races, Babe Sitter, Lab of Tomorrow, 2Genuises 2Together 4Ever)
  • 2006 (Dexter's Library, Remember Me?, Dexter's Little Dilemma, Faux Chapaeu, Stuffed Animal House, Used Ink, Monstri Dee-Dee, Chess Mom, Voice Over, Tee Party)
  • 2007 (Tuber Time, Father Knows Least, Comic Stripper, Garage Sale, They Got Chops)

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

Why is that? You can still try to guess a year.

left looks 2000 and right looks 2009

 

[ChrisSkeeter]

left looks 2000 and right looks 2009

Why do you think that? This is probably and exaggeration. Since I wanted to know what SpongeBob would look like in the style of Dexter’s Laboratory, the left picture was edited to look like Ego Trip, and the right picture was edited to look like early season 3.

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

Why do you think that? This is probably and exaggeration. Since I wanted to know what SpongeBob would look like in the style of Dexter’s Laboratory, the left picture was edited to look like Ego Trip, and the right picture was edited to look like early season 3.

Right reminds me of season 6 due to the smile, left is supposed to emulate cel animation but with Spongebob's inward cheeks, whihc reminds me of when they appeared at the very end of season 1.

 

[ChrisSkeeter]

Right reminds me of season 6 due to the smile, left is supposed to emulate cel animation but with Spongebob's inward cheeks, whihc reminds me of when they appeared at the very end of season 1.

No, you don’t need to look at SpongeBob’s design, but at the picture quality, line quality and the brightness of the colours to guess the year of a screenshot.

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

Why do you think that? This is probably and exaggeration. Since I wanted to know what SpongeBob would look like in the style of Dexter’s Laboratory, the left picture was edited to look like Ego Trip, and the right picture was edited to look like early season 3.

Speaking of Dexter's Lab, season 2 has two main styles. Pointylab, which usually has a red tint, with sharper edges, more detailed backgrounds:






While the other style is smoothab, brigther colors, less rough designs and backgrounds that are less detailed:

 

[ChrisSkeeter]

Speaking of Dexter's Lab, season 2 has two main styles. Pointylab, which usually has a red tint, with sharper edges, more detailed backgrounds:

View attachment 20327


View attachment 20328

While the other style is smoothab, brigther colors, less rough designs and backgrounds that are less detailed:

View attachment 20329

View attachment 20330

From which episode is the PointyLab screenshot, and from which episode is the SmoothLab screenshot?

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

From which episode is the PointyLab screenshot, and from which episode is the SmoothLab screenshot?

The pointylab one is from Got Your Goat, the smoothlab is from Game for a Game. Dee-Dee's dress and shoes are violet in pointylab, in smoothlab they're pink.

I've also noticed that in some episodes, Dexter's hair is red and in others it's orange. Dee-Dee only has lashes in pointy.

 

[ChrisSkeeter]

The pointylab one is from Got Your Goat, the smoothlab is from Game for a Game. Dee-Dee's dress and shoes are violet in pointylab, in smoothlab they're pink.

I've also noticed that in some episodes, Dexter's hair is red and in others it's orange.

You’ve also talked about ‘pseudo-season 1’, ‘transit style’ ‘Ego Trip prototype design 1’ and ‘Ego Trip prototype design 2’ designs. Can you explain more in detail about the different art styles of season 2 and when they generally took place?

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

You’ve also talked about ‘pseudo-season 1’, ‘transit style’ ‘Ego Trip prototype design 1’ and ‘Ego Trip prototype design 2’ designs. Can you explain more in detail about the different art styles of season 2 and when they generally took place?

Basically the styles are what they’re named. Pseudo season 1 are the episodes at the beginning of the season that have brighter colors and smoother animation like season 1 does, think of Beard to Be Feared. The transitional style are the episodes midway through the season that usually have a bad red tint and look like a blend between season 1 and 2 (Backfire, Road Rash, or Eww That’s Growth) The Ego Trip “prototype” styles are the late season 2 episodes that look like Ego Trip, 1 is pointy 2 is smooth.

 

[ChrisSkeeter]

Right reminds me of season 6 due to the smile, left is supposed to emulate cel animation but with Spongebob's inward cheeks, whihc reminds me of when they appeared at the very end of season 1.

My drawing from yesterday is actually a remake of SpongeBob’s season 9b model sheet. Also, here’s an edit that is intended to look like early digital animation (colour bleeding, dark colours and rough lines):

And here’s another edit, which is intended to look like late SD animation (bright colours and vectored lines):

Don’t focus on SpongeBob’s design (even if it looks season 6, 7, 8 or 9a), but on the colours, artefacts and line quality. Which year do you think these edits look like?

 

[Writengran51]

My drawing from yesterday is actually a remake of SpongeBob’s season 9b model sheet. Also, here’s an edit that is intended to look like early digital animation (colour bleeding, dark colours, dot crawl and rough lines):
View attachment 20335
And here’s another edit, which is intended to look like late SD animation (bright colours and vectored lines):
View attachment 20336
Don’t focus on SpongeBob’s design (even if it looks season 6, 7, 8 or 9a), but on the colours, artefacts and line quality. Which year do you think these edits look like?

It reminds me of the SpongeBob intro
In both versions it's the season 1 design, but the two images have different qualities

 

[ChrisSkeeter]

It reminds me of the SpongeBob intro
In both versions it's the season 1 design, but the two images have different qualities
View attachment 20337View attachment 20338

Which year do you think each season of SpongeBob looks? These are my opinions on which year each season looks:

• Season 1:
  • 1993 (‘Help Wanted’)
  • 1994 (UglyBob episodes with rougher designs)
  • 1995/1996 (typical episode)
  • 1997/1998 (late episodes with more refined designs)
• Season 2:
  • 1998 (‘Frankendoodle’, ‘Krusty Love’ and ‘Sailor Mouth’)
  • 1999 (‘Your Shoe’s United’ to ‘Patty Hype’, along with ‘The Secret Box’ and ‘Band Geeks’)
  • 2000 (typical episode)
  • 2001 (‘Christmas Who?’)
• Season 3:
  • 2000 (dot crawl episodes)
  • 2001 (typical episode)
  • 2002 (‘Party Pooper Pants’, ‘Ugh’, ‘Missing Identity’, ‘Plankton’s Army’ and ‘SpongeBob Meets the Strangler’)
  • 2003/2004 (‘The Sponge Who Could Fly’ and ‘Pranks a Lot’)
• Season 4:
  • 2003 (2004-produced episodes)
  • 2004 (‘Skill Crane’, ‘Good Neighbors’, ‘Enemy In-Law’ and ‘Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy VI: The Motion Picture’)
  • 2005 (middle episodes)
  • 2006 (late episodes)
• Season 5:
  • 2006 (early to middle episodes)
  • 2007 (late episodes)
• Season 6:
  • 2007/2008 (typical episode)
  • 2010 (‘Truth or Square’)
• Season 7:
  • 2008/2009 (first half)
  • 2009/2010 (second half)
• Season 8:
  • 2009/2010 (typical episode)
  • 2011 (‘It’s a SpongeBob Christmas!’)
• Season 9a:
  • 2011 (‘Extreme Spots’ to ‘Squid Baby’)
  • 2012 (‘Little Yellow Book’ to ‘SpongeBob You’re Fired’)
• Season 9b:
  • 2014 (‘Lost in Bikini Bottom’ to ‘The Sewers of Bikini Bottom’)
  • 2015 (‘SpongeBob LongPants’ to ‘Salsa Imbecilius’)
  • 2016 (‘Munity on the Krusty’ and ‘The Whole Tooth’)
• Seasons 10-present:
  • 2016 (season 10)
  • 2017 (seasons 11-13)
  • 2018 (season 14)

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

I miss when shoes had varying color pallets and animation styles. It’s pretty boring how a lot of HD era shows look the same in every single episode.

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

2002 (‘Party Pooper Pants’, ‘Ugh’, ‘Missing Identity’, ‘Plankton’s Army’ and ‘SpongeBob Meets the Strangler’)

Normal animation looks 2002 without dot crawl, markerbob episodes from The Bully to Missing Identity look 2001.