What is animation and how does it work?

Animation is the art of creating the illusion of motion by displaying a sequence of still images in rapid succession. The persistence of vision phenomenon causes the brain to perceive these images as continuous moving images.

The basic principles of animation are:

• Persistence of vision: The human eye retains an image for a fraction of a second after it has been removed. This allows us to see a series of still images as a continuous moving image.
• Squash and stretch: This principle suggests that objects should be squashed and stretched when they move to create a more realistic and dynamic animation.
• Anticipation: This principle suggests that an animator should show a slight movement before the main action to create a sense of anticipation and suspense.
• Follow-through: This principle suggests that an object should continue to move slightly after the main action has stopped to create a more realistic sense of inertia.
• Staging: This principle suggests that an animator should carefully consider the composition and framing of each image to create a visually appealing and effective animation.

There are two main types of animation: traditional animation and computer-generated animation.

Traditional animation is the process of creating animated films by hand. Animators draw each frame of the animation on paper or celluloid, and then the frames are photographed and sequenced together to create the illusion of motion.

Computer-generated animation (CGI) is the process of creating animated films using computer software. Animators create 3D models of the characters and environments, and then they use software to animate the models and render the final images.

Both traditional animation and CGI can be used to create a wide variety of animated films, from cartoons to feature films. The choice of animation technique depends on the desired style and budget of the film.

Here is a simplified overview of how animation works:

1. The animator comes up with an idea and a storyboard. The storyboard is a series of sketches that shows the main events of the animation.
2. The animator creates keyframes. Keyframes are the most important frames in the animation, as they show the main poses of the characters and objects.
3. The animator in-betweens the keyframes. In-betweens are the frames that come between the keyframes. The animator creates these frames to create a smooth and fluid animation.
4. The animator cleans up the animation. The animator checks the animation to make sure that it is smooth and error-free.
5. The animator adds color and sound. The animator adds color and sound to the animation to bring it to life.

Creating an animation can be a complex and time-consuming process, but it is also a rewarding one. Animation allows artists to create stories and characters that would not be possible with traditional filmmaking techniques. Animation is a visual medium that consists of several drawings, photos, or objects shown consecutively in order to create the illusion of movement.

Zinkvision / We Create Animation