[[quoteright:240:[[WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/belle_and_beast_stylized.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:240:[-Guess which one is actual footage.-]]]

In animated works, pictures by definition have to move, which means that the more detailed a given frame is, the more time and effort it takes to produce, and the more visible any [[OffModel mistakes]] made in color shading or lighting will be. As a result, even in the most well-crafted animated works, frames of actual animation footage may intentionally leave out subtle details to make the end result animate more smoothly.

On the other hand, covers and other static art don't have that problem. They are just one picture, so the production company can afford to invest more effort in them. Take the page picture, for example: The top part is a frame taken during the actual movie, and the bottom is the exact same scene redrawn for its inclusion in TheMerch. Colors are brightened, textures are defined, surfaces are given depth, and extras are drawn in everywhere. Bonus points if the box cover is sparkly or "metallic" in some way so that it shimmers in the light.

Disney defined this style for their home video releases of the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon to such an extent that similarly detailed covers for other traditionally animated movies ''not'' from Disney end up falling into the AllAnimationIsDisney trap as a result.

This can also apply to comics when comparing the interior pages to the cover: The interior pages require the artist(s) to distribute their efforts across multiple panels, whereas the cover art is created separately, so the cover artist(s) can invest a greater amount of effort and detail.

For manga, the poster-like artwork between the chapters proper are called [[http://img1.ak.crunchyroll.com/i/spire3/03052008/7/3/d/d/73dd29ace0fe00_full.png Splash Pages]], whereas the anime equivalent (just before and just after commercial breaks) are called [[EyeCatch Eye Catches]], respectively. BonusMaterial art is often more detailed as well. Most {{Mecha}} have 'mechanical designs' and 'animation models' where the latter is a simplified-for-animation version of the former.

This also applies to a lot of video game box art and advertising from the 1980s, especially before it became possible to capture high-quality gameplay images off a TV.

Remember Administrivia/TropesAreNotBad. This is a result of limitations with even the best animation.

Compare ActionHoggingOpening, AnimationBump, LimitedAnimation, CoversAlwaysLie.

Contrast MinimalisticCoverArt.
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!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* See anything by Creator/OhGreat (''Manga/AirGear'', ''Manga/TenjouTenge'', etc.)
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Asian Animation]]
* The DVD cover of animated film ''Animation/SpaceThunderKids'' contains rather high quality drawings of things that have nothing to do with the very sub-standard animation.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Many comic book covers from the 1980s onward are basically ten years ahead of the interior in terms of color complexity.
* The covers of the ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' Season 8 comics are near-photorealistic renditions of the actors, while the actual comics are much less detailed and much more stylized. Though there are also variant covers drawn by the interior artist, which give a more realistic image of what's inside.
* The covers of newer ''ComicBook/MonicasGang'' comics are more beautiful and well-detailed in terms of tracing and shading than anything you will find inside it.
* The covers of ''ComicBook/MortadeloYFilemon'' are of special mention, since in at least a short story they become a ''plot point''.
* The ''Literature/WarriorCats'' comic covers, especially the Sasha and Scourge ones, tend to have much more fine details and shading (not to mention actual color) compared to the art inside.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* Basically all 2D-animated Disney works, including the page image provider of ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'', have this, but it especially applies with their low budget DirectToVideo films.
** ''WesternAnimation/AliceInWonderland'' did this with the opening credits, showing art that showed a lot of detail not apparent in the film proper. One included the [[PimpedOutDress overskirt on the queen's dress]] being [[PrettyInMink trimmed with ermine]] (which is reflected in some of the merchandise and mascot costumes), when it looks like white piping in the movie.
* ''WesternAnimation/HappilyNeverAfter'' and ''WesternAnimation/SpaceChimps'' have covers that are designed exactly as the films are. However, the sequels' covers have the exact same design style as the first film while the animation of the film itself is on par with Creator/VideoBrinquedo.
* Averting this was Sergio Pablos's intention with ''WesternAnimation/Klaus2019''. The animators used special technology to give the characters the same amount of shading and texturing you would see in concept or promotional art.
* ''Animation/TheAutobots'' has posters that, for a Chinese knockoff of ''Franchise/{{Cars}}'', have genuinely impressive amounts of detail and look like actual Creator/{{Pixar}} movie posters. The film itself is ''not'' of the same quality, looking more like something Creator/VideoBrinquedo would produce.
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[[folder:Toys]]
* The Franchise/DisneyPrincess merchandise combines this with outright CostumePorn.
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[[folder:Video Games]]
* In general, a lot of old video game covers using original artwork succumb to this, as the games were incapable of such visuals. A few (notably early Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem games) ''did'' use art which closely imitated the games' graphics, or even use images taken directly from the game itself, but most chose this approach instead. It wouldn't be until the [[MediaNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames seventh generation of consoles]] that they started truly looking like the box art if they were using a realistic art style.
* The ''VideoGame/MegaMan1'' box art for the NES and the cover of the PC version of ''VideoGame/TheSecretOfMonkeyIsland'', both of which feature far more advanced graphics than the actual games do. Interestingly, as both series developed and graphics improved, Mega Man was made to look more like the in-game graphics and the ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' characters were made to look more like the cover art.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomic]]
* Noted regarding print comic-books In-Universe in [[http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=557 this installment of]] ''Webcomic/SequentialArt''. Although this may be more CoversAlwaysLie. The collected edition of the earlier strips could also be an example of this, due to the ArtEvolution between the original strips and the more recent cover image.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* The 2003 ''WesternAnimation/StrawberryShortcake'' series.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' has this on some of the covers of their videos and [=DVDs=].
* The 1994 VHS cases of ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}''.
* [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Bart_Sells_His_Soul_1473.jpg This]] is promotional art for an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' titled "Bart Sells His Soul", and [[https://frinkiac.com/img/S07E04/600682.jpg this]] is what the episode actually looks like.
* Promotional art for ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'' has some of this, most notably on toy packaging and other merchandise, like puzzles and books. The aliens on the promotional art have more shading and realistic detailing compared to the actual series.
* Promotional art for ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyPonyLife'' invariably has additional shading not seen in the series itself and subtly tweaks the colors of the characters to be less intensely saturated.
[[/folder]]
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