Animation is a series of pictures put together to form movement. The pictures are called frames and the illusion is thought to be caused by the phi phenomenon along with persistence of vision. This phenomenon is the optical illusion of continuous motion between frames seen in quick succession of each other. This idea was brought to light by Max Wertheimer in 1912 alongside the cinema movement.
Persistence of vision is where an after image is left on the back of the eye when you view an image. Its thought that this stays for a very small fraction of a second and when an image changes you see the image and the afterimage blend, creating the illusion of motion.
The frame rate of an animation refers to how many images or frames are flashed onto the screen in a second. The more frames the higher the fps (Frames Per Second) This is usually at 24 to 30 fps for most films.
Where did animation start, what is the history? (Technical and Social)
Animation has its roots even in primitive art from around the dawn of civilization. Cave drawings depicted movement through use of blurring and silhouettes to capture movement from the animals they were trying to bring to life. This shows that even early in our development, humans had recognized the possibility that art allows us to capture what we see around us. This technique has carried into modern times in some more abstract art. Next, the Egyptians developed sequences of wall paintings that show instructions for movement in the spirit world. These images were very similar to frames and showed the subjects moving very slightly each time as if the painter was capturing a sequence they had seen.
After many more centuries the Victorians developed the thaumotrope in 1824. A small circular disc of card with two different pictures each side had string running through the centre and it was spun quickly until the two pictures combined. This theory was used to demonstrate persistence of vision to the royal society of medicine. Next it was turned into the phenakistoscope in 1831 which was a circular disc with slits cut into it through which a user would peer down through onto a mirror which displayed images printed on the underside of the card. Because the slits were moving they created a shutter effect making it look as if the mirror image was moving. The design of the phenakistoscope was improved eventually to become
the Zoetrope which was on a strip, removing the need for the mirror.
Flip books came along in 1868 and the first was made by John Barnes Linett which featured a booklet of pictures that when flicked form an animated sequence. Finally with the emergence of film the first animation appeared in 1900 called enchated drawing which was followed by the first entirely animated film by J.Stuart Blackton who is considered the father of American animation. This began the silent era of animation with gertie the dinosaur and felix the cat.
Animation has its roots even in primitive art from around the dawn of civilization. Cave drawings depicted movement through use of blurring and silhouettes to capture movement from the animals they were trying to bring to life. This shows that even early in our development, humans had recognized the possibility that art allows us to capture what we see around us. This technique has carried into modern times in some more abstract art. Next, the Egyptians developed sequences of wall paintings that show instructions for movement in the spirit world. These images were very similar to frames and showed the subjects moving very slightly each time as if the painter was capturing a sequence they had seen.
After many more centuries the Victorians developed the thaumotrope in 1824. A small circular disc of card with two different pictures each side had string running through the centre and it was spun quickly until the two pictures combined. This theory was used to demonstrate persistence of vision to the royal society of medicine. Next it was turned into the phenakistoscope in 1831 which was a circular disc with slits cut into it through which a user would peer down through onto a mirror which displayed images printed on the underside of the card. Because the slits were moving they created a shutter effect making it look as if the mirror image was moving. The design of the phenakistoscope was improved eventually to become
the Zoetrope which was on a strip, removing the need for the mirror.
Flip books came along in 1868 and the first was made by John Barnes Linett which featured a booklet of pictures that when flicked form an animated sequence. Finally with the emergence of film the first animation appeared in 1900 called enchated drawing which was followed by the first entirely animated film by J.Stuart Blackton who is considered the father of American animation. This began the silent era of animation with gertie the dinosaur and felix the cat.
What sorts of animation are there.
The original type of animation used in the entertainment industry was cel animation. This is a method of animation that involves animators first creating the animation on very thin paper called layout paper first. When the layout pad animation is complete and the director is happy to let the animation move to the next step it is inked onto clear transparencies called cels (because the original sheets where made with clear plant cellulose, they are now more often a synthetic material like acetate or polythene). The cels are then coloured in on the reverse of the sheet and placed over the background (because the cels are transparent they can be placed over one background that can be used over and over again, only needing to be changed when the camera angle or scene changes.) and photographed in the correct animated sequence. The film this creates can then be played back at the correct framerate or fps to create the illusion of motion.
Another type of animation used today is 3d digital animation. This begins with a 3d model created in a program and rigged with a 'skeleton' that the animator can move that has been created by a modeler in a CAD program. The model is then moved into an animation program that can be used to program the model to carry out a sequence of movements. This is then exported (or "rendered") into a type of video file, translating the programmed movements into a series of images that can be viewed in quick succession. This creates the animated illusion of movement.
Stop frame animation is a physical method of animating character models. This method is used by directors and studios such as Tim Burton and Aardman animations. The character model is created from designs by a modeler and team of artists out of plasticine or in the form of a puppet with some kind of polyurethane facial features. The model is placed on a set with a camera and the animator moves the model a fraction at a time, taking a picture every move, to build up a sequence of images that creates an animation. The animator makes sure that he observes the correct frame rate, matching the time it should take for the characters to move in seconds to the amount of frames the movement takes.
One last type of animation is Rotoscoping, this is where a live video is taken and drawn over by an animator frame by frame. Very time consuming, this method creates unique visuals and bold imagery. This effect isn't often used on a large scale because of how difficult and time consuming it is but it can be used to draw objects into a video or to add effects that give the film a feeling of mysticism and magic.
The original type of animation used in the entertainment industry was cel animation. This is a method of animation that involves animators first creating the animation on very thin paper called layout paper first. When the layout pad animation is complete and the director is happy to let the animation move to the next step it is inked onto clear transparencies called cels (because the original sheets where made with clear plant cellulose, they are now more often a synthetic material like acetate or polythene). The cels are then coloured in on the reverse of the sheet and placed over the background (because the cels are transparent they can be placed over one background that can be used over and over again, only needing to be changed when the camera angle or scene changes.) and photographed in the correct animated sequence. The film this creates can then be played back at the correct framerate or fps to create the illusion of motion.
Another type of animation used today is 3d digital animation. This begins with a 3d model created in a program and rigged with a 'skeleton' that the animator can move that has been created by a modeler in a CAD program. The model is then moved into an animation program that can be used to program the model to carry out a sequence of movements. This is then exported (or "rendered") into a type of video file, translating the programmed movements into a series of images that can be viewed in quick succession. This creates the animated illusion of movement.
Stop frame animation is a physical method of animating character models. This method is used by directors and studios such as Tim Burton and Aardman animations. The character model is created from designs by a modeler and team of artists out of plasticine or in the form of a puppet with some kind of polyurethane facial features. The model is placed on a set with a camera and the animator moves the model a fraction at a time, taking a picture every move, to build up a sequence of images that creates an animation. The animator makes sure that he observes the correct frame rate, matching the time it should take for the characters to move in seconds to the amount of frames the movement takes.
One last type of animation is Rotoscoping, this is where a live video is taken and drawn over by an animator frame by frame. Very time consuming, this method creates unique visuals and bold imagery. This effect isn't often used on a large scale because of how difficult and time consuming it is but it can be used to draw objects into a video or to add effects that give the film a feeling of mysticism and magic.
What modern styles are you inspired by and why do you like them.
Many types of animation inspire my and my art but none more than old style anthropomorphic cartoons, disney princess films and anime but mostly anime. Instead of aiming for young audiences like the majority of modern western animation it often caters towards more adult themes and demographics which I think could tie in well with our brief
frame 1: long shot, tom walking through forest. Ambient woodland sounds.
frame 2: long shot, tom stumbles upon Yallery's slab. Muffled voice cries for help.
frame 3: long shot, Tom lifts the stone. He grunts.
frame 4: Close up, Yallery is sat down. Yawning and stretching. Dialogue between Yallery and Tom. Tom's wish is granted.
frame 5: Long shot, Yallery disappears. Ambient forest sounds.
frame 6: Long shot of all Tom's unfinished work. Farmyard noises.
frame 7: Tom's work is magically completed, popping noises as work is done.
frame 8: Tom is driven out of the farm, shouting and running noises. Tom calls for Yallery and he appears. Tom is dragged under the stone, scraping noises. Yallery is left singing his song.
Many types of animation inspire my and my art but none more than old style anthropomorphic cartoons, disney princess films and anime but mostly anime. Instead of aiming for young audiences like the majority of modern western animation it often caters towards more adult themes and demographics which I think could tie in well with our brief
Storyboarding
frame 2: long shot, tom stumbles upon Yallery's slab. Muffled voice cries for help.
frame 3: long shot, Tom lifts the stone. He grunts.
frame 4: Close up, Yallery is sat down. Yawning and stretching. Dialogue between Yallery and Tom. Tom's wish is granted.
frame 5: Long shot, Yallery disappears. Ambient forest sounds.
frame 6: Long shot of all Tom's unfinished work. Farmyard noises.
frame 7: Tom's work is magically completed, popping noises as work is done.
frame 8: Tom is driven out of the farm, shouting and running noises. Tom calls for Yallery and he appears. Tom is dragged under the stone, scraping noises. Yallery is left singing his song.
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