Every once in a while I receive a few emails from collectors asking my opinion about limited edition artwork from animated films.

While most classic animation was created with traditional animation cels, quite a few animated films today are created in the computer, so it is not always possible to find the traditional cels of past films. Their are of course films still created with tradition cels, but more and more are utilizing the computer.

Original animation cels from such classic films such as MGM’s, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Disney’s Fantasia, Snow White, Cinderella, etc, are not only rare and hard to find, but they usually are very expensive due to their being original and limited in number.

Limited-editions, giclée prints, or a combination of the two, are an alternative to original animation cels when they are either cost prohibitive, not available, or were not used in creating a film. 

Below is a recent press release I received that may be of interest to collectors of limited edition art from some of their favorite Dreamworks animated films. 

Sanders Art Studio brings real character to all new pieces from Dreamworks Animation Fine Art.

OGDEN, Utah (August 30, 2010) – Shrek, Donkey, Puss in Boots, Toothless, Po and other favorite characters from DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc (Nasdaq: DWA) are arriving to Sanders Art Studios on September 1 in more than a dozen stunning, new DreamWorks Animation Fine Art pieces.

Among them are a giclée print of artist Tim West’s handcrafted paper sculpture of Shrek and Donkey. This original, one-of-a-kind creation is valued at $6,000 – but DreamWorks Animation Fine Art’s new 16-by-20-inch limited-edition giclée print is priced at $198; it’s one of a number of attainable new pieces that are perfect for holiday giving. Only 195 prints will be available at select galleries, and online at .

“It’s become a family tradition to enjoy DreamWorks Animation movies together, and our goal is to extend the enormous appeal of these characters beyond the big screen and the TV set into other areas of the home,” said KC Sanders, owner of Sanders Art Studio. “Our catalog offers high-quality fine art for everyone, from serious collectors to parents redecorating their kids’ rooms to movie fans looking for just the right addition to their home theater. DreamWorks Animation fans from around the world have acquired our works of art, and we’re excited to be expanding the line further.”

In addition to Tim West’s work inspired by the Shrek film series and Kung Fu Panda, DreamWorks Animation Fine Art is adding 11 other pieces to its collection beginning September 1.  

· Four beautiful, fanciful, interpretive illustrations — limited to just 25 pieces each — of Toothless, Hiccup and other characters from How to Train Your Dragon, each with a suggested retail price (SRP) of $450;

· Handcrafted, stained-glass pieces by artist David Bird featuring “Gingy” the Gingerbread Man from the Shrek film series — only 25 of each piece will be created, with an SRP of $1,800 each;

·A flowing, serene, Asian-influenced piece by artist Wendi Chen that features Kung Fu Panda’s Po, Master Shifu and Master Oogway, available in a giclée print for $99 and limited to 300 pieces;

·Artist Matt Pott’s colorful, childlike interpretation of Puss in Boots, inspired by the unique style of Mary Blair, and available for just $99 SRP in a giclée-on-paper print limited to 300 pieces worldwide;

·Nick DiMartino’s strikingly graphic representation of the menacing Red Death from How to Train Your Dragon, a black-and-white giclée print limited to 195 pieces with an SRP of $198;

·Two original, hand-painted oil-on-canvas pieces by artist Jens Schnabel that showcase striking poses by Shrek and Donkey.  These one-of-a-kind, pop-art pieces are available only from DreamWorks Animation Fine Art.

To order individual pieces, for gallery locations and for images of this stunning artwork inspired by unforgettable DreamWorks Animation movies, visit Sanders Art Studio’s DreamWorks Animation Fine Art.