life:

Animation has come a long way from Saturday-morning cartoons and the occasional Disney movie. And leading the charge of increasingly sophisticated animated fare is Pixar Animation Studios and one its leading lights — director, animator, and screenwriter Brad Bird, who brought the world the critically acclaimed, Oscar-winning box-office smashes The Incredibles and Ratatouille. As someone who’s worked with everyone from Disney to The Simpsons, Bird has long been a tireless advocate of animation as more than a novelty for children but a true art form in its own right. Bird recently sat down with LIFE to give his perspective on the history of animation … one cel at a time.

Animation with Pixar’s Brad Bird