Spongebob Season 1 animation

It looks early '90s to me, even though I know it was made in the late '90s.



Even by the animation it looks old and nostalgic.

Very cool. You should make a topic for each season so we can compare the animation

SB has aired in '99, but production for it may have started much earlier. Season 1 is ---i'm pretty sure -- the first and only season to use all cels (aka it's hand-drawn/painted; the characters/moving objects are drawn on a clear sheet and placed over the background, which is usually painted on a solid paper. I ordered 2 SB cels and am in animation so i should know :P )

But unfortunately i guess this process takes a long time, since you can't really re-use frames if there's multiple objects moving.
No-one really uses cels anymore, as there is now digital animation programs, and cels are now very inconvenient. I think I also read they're rather flammable :P

Some quirks i like using to distinguish S1 is the fact that all the lines are the same thickness, much like drawing with a real pen (since it was, basically), and the lines in modern SB vary in size like it was drawn in Flash. Also, Patt's eyebrows in S1 and maybe some early S2 are like sideways "M"s, where later they're more rectangular and filled-in; obviously it would be tedious to hand-fill in a pair of brows every frame (and animation speed is usually 12 or 24 frames a second... imagine! :P So every second of a S1 SB episode, you're seeing well-over 10 different drawings :) )

The charm in S1's animation isn't even really the cels and dark colors- It's more the art and movement itself. A lot of early things, like Patrick's eyebrows being an actual part of his head, SpongeBob's not-quite Square shape, Gary's thinner, weirder design, and Squidward's more lively frame and thicker arms, and the general actual bounciness of everything is really nice and cool, and very different from the samey, on-model stuff we see now (except for when they make a point to go off-model). Shows usually start like this (unless it's Adventure Time, which ironically went in the exact opposite direction :P), and the execution/evolution is cool to watch.

Looks pretty odd after watching Seasons 2-9 forever.

Season 3 animation was the best, but there is a charm to the S1 vibe. I agree with Jibbix, 100#. It is very amazing and interesting to see how this show progressed in terms of art/animation, story, and characters. There is something about S1 that no other season has really touched. S1 is very interesting because it was a bit ungrounded at first but it connects so smoothly with Season 2 and on to Season 3, in terms of growing. Season 1 is actually my favorite season on certain days and whatnot, considering I grew up during Season 1. Other days, it's Season 3. Very nice.

S1 will always be one of the most interesting animation periods in the show. Back when characters and background were darker shades of their today selfs. I loved the painted backgrounds like the Torrado scene from Pizza Delivery or the caveman scene in SB-129. They really set the mood.

Just look at some of the phases. In season 2, he was a different yellow. In seasons 6-9, his face is sssooooo high up.

I think most of you can agree that season 1's animation was awesome/the best.

it was a great season

Patrick-man said:

it was a great season

Click to expand...

fixed

All the season animations:




Season 1: Bubblestand



Season 2: Your Shoe's Untied



Season 3: The Algae's Always Greener


Season 4: Fear of a Krabby Patty


Season 5: Night Light

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=XUuDGBjM7R7VJDrbpUhPAaV9FZi9/7izYjfcrgFqogI=

Season 6: Suction Cup Symphony

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=UBMIkg40AIP9oaQKDgfnBGoaA/R/G/G6FLbCYgBiGBE=


Season 7: A Day Without Tears

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=hj5TgjmGqydkorWIWhgKG4qPFlJFk6xptiVWGs098EI=

Season 8: A SquarePants Family Vacation

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=lbmKAKGkE9+rOJD4pzjnK8dAz+597kAQVyDukvOc4GU=


Season 9: License to Milkshake

spongeykid said:

fixed

Click to expand...

i fixed it

E.V.I.L said:

All the season animations:




Season 1: Bubblestand


Season 2: Your Shoe's Untied



Season 3: The Algae's Always Greener


Season 4: Fear of a Krabby Patty


Season 5: Night Light

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=XUuDGBjM7R7VJDrbpUhPAaV9FZi9/7izYjfcrgFqogI=

Season 6: Suction Cup Symphony

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=UBMIkg40AIP9oaQKDgfnBGoaA/R/G/G6FLbCYgBiGBE=


Season 7: A Day Without Tears

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=hj5TgjmGqydkorWIWhgKG4qPFlJFk6xptiVWGs098EI=

Season 8: A SquarePants Family Vacation

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=lbmKAKGkE9+rOJD4pzjnK8dAz+597kAQVyDukvOc4GU=


Season 9: License to Milkshake

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting this :magicwink:

E.V.I.L said:

All the season animations:




Season 1: Bubblestand


Season 2: Your Shoe's Untied



Season 3: The Algae's Always Greener


Season 4: Fear of a Krabby Patty


Season 5: Night Light

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=XUuDGBjM7R7VJDrbpUhPAaV9FZi9/7izYjfcrgFqogI=

Season 6: Suction Cup Symphony

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=UBMIkg40AIP9oaQKDgfnBGoaA/R/G/G6FLbCYgBiGBE=


Season 7: A Day Without Tears

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=hj5TgjmGqydkorWIWhgKG4qPFlJFk6xptiVWGs098EI=

Season 8: A SquarePants Family Vacation

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=lbmKAKGkE9+rOJD4pzjnK8dAz+597kAQVyDukvOc4GU=


Season 9: License to Milkshake

Click to expand...

I like Season 8 the best

E.V.I.L said:

All the season animations:




Season 1: Bubblestand


Season 2: Your Shoe's Untied



Season 3: The Algae's Always Greener


Season 4: Fear of a Krabby Patty


Season 5: Night Light

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=XUuDGBjM7R7VJDrbpUhPAaV9FZi9/7izYjfcrgFqogI=

Season 6: Suction Cup Symphony

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=UBMIkg40AIP9oaQKDgfnBGoaA/R/G/G6FLbCYgBiGBE=


Season 7: A Day Without Tears

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=hj5TgjmGqydkorWIWhgKG4qPFlJFk6xptiVWGs098EI=

Season 8: A SquarePants Family Vacation

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=lbmKAKGkE9+rOJD4pzjnK8dAz+597kAQVyDukvOc4GU=


Season 9: License to Milkshake

Click to expand...

When you put the S1 picture next to the S9 picture, the results are so shocking, it's scary...

Even as the animation has evolved and advanced over the years, and even if it may not be my favorite animation in this show, S1's animation still has that nostalgic feeling and charm to me; whereas nowadays the characters are painted with really bright, loud colors, the S1 animation gives a more, mellow, darker tone to them. The looseness of the animation also gives it a very fun, carefree feeling which I like.

E.V.I.L said:

All the season animations:




Season 1: Bubblestand


Season 2: Your Shoe's Untied



Season 3: The Algae's Always Greener


Season 4: Fear of a Krabby Patty


Season 5: Night Light

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=XUuDGBjM7R7VJDrbpUhPAaV9FZi9/7izYjfcrgFqogI=

Season 6: Suction Cup Symphony

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=UBMIkg40AIP9oaQKDgfnBGoaA/R/G/G6FLbCYgBiGBE=


Season 7: A Day Without Tears

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=hj5TgjmGqydkorWIWhgKG4qPFlJFk6xptiVWGs098EI=

Season 8: A SquarePants Family Vacation

http://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=lbmKAKGkE9+rOJD4pzjnK8dAz+597kAQVyDukvOc4GU=


Season 9: License to Milkshake

Click to expand...

What's unusual is that the image you chose for Season 3 doesn't look like the traditional Season 3 animation to me... o.o

RedSoxFan274 said:

What's unusual is that the image you chose for Season 3 doesn't look like the traditional Season 3 animation to me... o.o

Click to expand...

Meh it's close I guess :P

Each main character REALLY changed after the first season.

I like the animation, too. It's very unique, smooth, and well-shaded. It really gives SpongeBob that 90s feel, especially when you look back at these classic episodes and compare to every episode after that. :)