A survey of the history, theory and philosophy of the cut-out animation technique from the earliest pioneers, J. Stuart Blackton and Lotte Reiniger, to contemporary digital versions such as the television series South Park and Archer, and the Paper Mario video games.

The History and Theory of Cut-out Animation surveys the history, theory and philosophy of the cut-out animation technique in early and contemporary media. Cut-out animation is a two-dimensional form of stop-motion animation that involves the manipulation of characters that have been constructed from ‘cut-out’ pieces of paper. It is an animation technique that has its own unique aesthetic and encompasses a remarkable history, having played a very important role from the very beginnings of cinematic animation. It has been translated into a number of digital animated series, most notably the South Park series. This book investigates the history, theory and philosophy of this unique form of animation. Although scholarly in its approach, it is presented in a very accessible form to appeal to everyone who has an interest in animation practice, history and theory.