Editing Traditional animation (section)

===Design, timing, and layout===
When storyboards are sent to the design departments, character designers prepare [[model sheet]]s for any characters and props that appear in the film; and these are used to help standardize appearance, poses, and gestures. The model sheets will  often include "turnarounds" which show how a character or object looks in three-dimensions along with standardized special poses and expressions so that the artists have a guide to refer to. Small [[statue]]s known as ''[[maquette]]s'' may be produced so that an animator can see what a character looks like in three dimensions. ''Background stylists'' will do similar work for any settings and locations present in the storyboard, and the [[art director]]s and ''color stylists'' will determine the art style and color schemes to be used.

A ''timing director'' (who in many cases will be the main director) will take the [[animatic]] and analyze exactly what poses, drawings, and lip movements will be needed on what frames. An ''[[exposure sheet]]'' (or ''X-sheet'') is created; this is a printed table that breaks down the action, dialogue, and sound frame-by-frame as a guide for the animators. If a film is based more strongly in music, a ''bar sheet'' may be prepared in addition to or instead of an X-sheet.{{sfn|Laybourne|1998|pp=202–203}} Bar sheets show the relationship between the on-screen action, the dialogue, and the actual [[musical notation]] used in the score.

''Layout'' begins after the designs are completed and approved by the director. It is here that the background layout artists determine the camera angles, camera paths, lighting, and shading of the scene. Character layout artists will determine the major poses for the characters in the scene and will make a drawing to indicate each pose. For short films, character layouts are often the responsibility of the director. The layout drawings and storyboards are then spliced, along with the audio and an animatic is formed (not to be confused with its predecessor, the [[leica reel]]).

While the animation is being done, the ''[[background artist]]s'' will [[painting|paint]] the sets over which the action of each animated sequence will take place. These backgrounds are generally done in [[gouache]] or [[acrylic paint]], although some animated productions have used backgrounds done in [[Watercolor painting|watercolor]] or [[oil paint]]. Background artists follow very closely the work of the background layout artists and color stylists (which is usually compiled into a workbook for their use) so that the resulting backgrounds are harmonious in tone with the character designs.