2.02A History of Animation

2.02 Develop Computer Animations

Animation

• The rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement.

• Relies on persistence of vision to create the illusion of movement.

Persistence of Vision In the early 1800’s, the phenomenon known as persistence of vision gave mankind the first glimpse into the modern world of animation.

Persistence of vision refers to the way our eyes retain images for a split second longer than they actually appear, making a series of quick flashes appear as one continuous picture.

Persistence of Vision

Using a flipbook, you can see the persistence of vision effect in action.

If you have a different sequential drawing on each page of the flipbook and you flip through the pages rapidly, the drawings appear to move.

Examples of Early Animation

Traditional Animation

Also called cel animation or hand-drawn animation. Begins with a storyboard. A preliminary soundtrack is recorded. Penciled drawings are made by lead animators of

keyframes. Pencil tests are prepared. Artists called in-betweeners draw the frames

between the keyframes. The drawings are traced onto cels and painted. Finally, they are photographed.

Computer Assisted Animation The computer is used to make the animation

process quicker and easier. Usually involves 2-D images

Can be hand-drawn and scanned into the computer.

Can be drawn directly into the computer using graphics tablets.

The images are positioned into keyframes containing the most important movements.

Tweening is then performed by the computer to create images between keyframes.

Computer Assisted Animation

Even though computers are now used extensively, many traditional steps are still used.Storyboarding Pencil Testing KeyframesTweening

Computer Generated Animation

All images, objects and animation are created on the computer.

Typically uses 3-D images. Adds two steps to the animation

process. Modeling – process of creating a

wireframe structure of the 3-D objects and scenes.

Rendering – process of applying colors, textures, shadows, transparency, etc. to create the final image or animation.

3-D Graphics and Animation

3-D animations are more complex. Creating 3-D animations involves

modeling, animation, and rendering. Modeling is creating broad contours and

structure of 3-D objects and scenes. Animation is determining the motions of the

objects.. Rendering involves determining colors, surface

textures, and amounts of transparency of objects.

Computer Generated Animation

Motion capture can be used to create animation. Actors wear special suits that allow the

computer to capture their movements. The movements can then be applied to

computer-generated graphics. Examples:

The Polar Express Avatar

Traditional animation is defined as the process of creating the illusion of motion by viewing a series of individual drawings successively.

Computer animation is creating a digital scene by digitally recording cells, sorting them on an electronic storyboard, and displaying them electronically in succession.

Bridging the Traditional and

Computer Eras

Review

History of Animation Animation Traditional Animation Computer Assisted Animation Computer Generated Animation