The show's style of animation is inspired by the paper cut-out cartoons made by Terry Gilliam for Monty Python's Flying Circus, of which Parker and Stone Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire  have been lifelong fans.^[44][59][60] Construction paper and traditional stop motion cutout animation techniques were used in the original animated shorts and in the pilot episode. Subsequent episodes have been produced by computer animation, providing a similar look to the originals while requiring a fraction of the time to produce. Before computer artists begin animating an episode, a series of hand-drawn animatics are provided by the show's storyboard artists.^[46]

The characters and objects are composed of simple geometrical shapes and primary colors.  http://louis1j1sheehan1esquire.wordpress.com  Most child characters are the same size and shape, and are distinguished by their distinctive clothing and head wear.^[12] Characters are mostly presented two-dimensionally and from only one angle. Their movements are animated in an intentionally jerky fashion, as they are purposely not offered the same free range of motion associated with hand-drawn characters.^[4][19][48] Occasionally, some non-fictional characters http://louis1j1sheehan1esquire.wordpress.com  are depicted with photographic cutouts of their actual head and face in lieu of a Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire  face reminiscent of the show's traditional style. Canadians on the show are often portrayed in an even more minimalist fashion; they have simple beady eyes, and the top halves of their heads simply flap up and down when the characters speak.^[33]