Ever questioned where animators get their inspiration? Obviously, to perfectionate the steps and looks of their characters, most of the time animators are using real-life references, like Kathryn Beaumont for Alice In Wonderland, 1951.
“At Disney, the animators would often use footage played by actors to help guide them as they drew each scene. There was no background or set of anything; it was just the blue background that was always on that stage. They would set up the lights and the camera, and I would do the different movements that went with the different parts of the story.”
Via demilked.com