an·i·ma·tion (n): The act, process or result of imparting life, interest, spirit, motion, or activity.

Animation is 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. It is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in a number of ways. The most common method of presenting animation is as a motion picture or video program, although several other forms of presenting animation also exist.

Persistence of vision is the phenomenon of the eye by which an afterimage is thought to persist for approximately one twenty-fifth of a second on the retina.

A bit of history… the early stuff.

A bit of history… the early stuff.

Zoetrope, 1834

Thaumatrope, 1825

Phenakistoscope, 1832

A bit of history… what else?

Cell animation

3D CGI Animation

Rotoscoping

Cutout and Collage Animation

Stop Motion

What is it?Where have you seen it?

Stop motion is a powerful animation technique that can make a static object appear to be moving. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames are played as a continuous sequence. There are many types of stop motion techniques including:

PixilationObject animation

Claymation

PIXILATION

Pixilation (from pixilated) is a stop motion technique where live actors are used as a frame-by-frame subject in an animated film, by repeatedly posing while one or more frame is taken and changing pose slightly before the next frame or frames. The actor becomes a kind of living stop motion puppet.

How to create a Pixilation:

Click here to watch a tutorial

Some Pixilation style animations:

• Walking on sunshine • Sorry I'm late• Her morning elegance• Luminaris• Human skateboard• A Chairy Tale• Runaway Ball • Hand Animation• Mr. Jones Elementary Kids Pixilation

Stop Motion Animation examples

• Clay animation: Chess Game• Clay animation: xBox commercial• White Board drawn animation: Marker Maker• Objects: Back to the Start• Objects: Western Spaghetti• Household objects: Game over• Drawing on school notes: Notes on Biology

How to begin… STORYBOARD DRAWING

A drawing or story sketch made for the storyboard, which conveys visually the plot and action of a scene or shot. The storyboard serves as a preliminary guide for the artists.