How many fingers do "cartoon-character humans" have on each hand?
Four fingered cartoons has been a thing from the beginning of time and now we finally know why. According to Disney animators drawing hands is the hardest part of the body to draw. Drawing three fingers and a thumb speeds up the creative process.
One of the reasons why in animation everyone shortens it to three fingers and a thumb is simply economy of line. When you’re having to animate 24 drawings per second, dropping one finger makes a huge difference.
More Info:
metro.co.uk
What are your thoughts on this subject?
17 Comments
Jim Mascair
I noticed on the Family Guy, the characters have three fingers and a thumb.
Player
Unless it's God. He has 4 fingers in The Simpsons and Disenchantment which is also from Matt Groening.
earlepg
MRogers, I also noticed as a '50's kid that the cartoons and comic books almost always had a total of four fingers on the characters hands.
tbear
Darlene Davidson, 👍😊
tbear
George Oliver Prince, 👍
tbear
Johnny Rock, 👍
tbear
Todd Cates, 👍😊
John W Shreve
Great question.
Fred Keogh
Not a good question. Yes I got it right, but I've seen human characters with full hands in cartoons.
billptxb
Everything I read, States only Four Fingers nothing about a Thumb?
Kevin Dale Streets
Not necessarily. Some have 4 fingers and a thumb.
MRogers
George Oliver Prince, I noticed it as a little kid at the Saturday matinees back in the early 50's. Just figured that was a normal thing for cartoon characters. Wasn't til young adulthood that I learned the true reason. The original definition of the word cartoon is interesting as well. It originally designated the sketches in preparation for a painting, particularly in large spaces. I.E., the Cisteen Chapel.
David Holmes
Terry Minter, In that case why did so many people get it wrong?
David Holmes
Interesting, I knew that there were less than a real hand but didn't know how many.
Johnny Rock
I had ti check out a cartoon channel to be sure.