3D CGI Animation

The use of 3D Computer Generated Imagery Animation was first founded in the year 1968 by N.Konstantinov.  The use of 3D CGI Animation consists of creating wireframes of the characters as well as the objects and then applying the animation frames afterwars to make them look authentic and photo-realistic.  Films such as Tron and Futureworld are a couple of examples that have first used 3D CGI Animations to full effect.



Here is a list of the following that is used for 3D Animation:

- A PC or laptop
- Graphical Modelling Application packages, such as Anim8or

 

Advantages - 3D CGI Animations look more realistic and is more expressive compared to 2D and that the art of CGI animations can unlock so many possibilities that no other animation technique could ever achieve.  Furthermore, the additional use of lighting and shading in these animations also adds more authenticity to them and truly making them stand out and come to life.

 

Disadvantages - The use of 3D CGI Animation is very costly in terms of both the money invested into creating these animations and the extensive amount of time and effort that it takes into making them.  Furthermore, this animation technique also requires a sizable amount of both artistic and technological skill involved as well as advanced knowledge and understanding of the graphical applications that are used to carry them out.

 

 

2D Computer Graphic Animation

2D Computer Graphic Animation, which first originated in the 1950's, is a digital animation technique that uses computer-generated images usually in the form of 2D geometric models or sprites whether they are characters or objects.  The art of 2D Computer Graphic Animation is often used in graphics applications that were originally developed via traditional technologies such as cartography and technical drawing.  2D graphic animations can use a variety of different model such as geometric models.

In order to  utilise 2D Computer Graphic Animations you must need the following:

- A PC
- A graphics application (Toonboom, Flash etc)
- A graphics tablet

Advantages - 2D character and object sprites are quite easy to make and to animate.  Designing backgrounds for 2D animations are more simplistic to create as well

Disadvantages - 2D Computer Graphic Animations take up a fair amount of time to create and requires the use of computer technology to produce.

Here is a video of a simple 2D animation:

 



And here is a video of how to create a 2D Animation:

Cell Animation

Cell animation, which was first patented by John Randolph Bray and Earl Hurd in the year 1915, uilises a series of characters and objects are hand drawn or painted to utilise the art of traditional hand-drawn animation.

Basically, the characters and objects are drawn and/or painted on cels and are laid over a basic static background.  This technique greatly reduces the amount of times that hand-drawn images have to be redrawn and is considered cost-effective in terms of time and money.

 

In order to re-create the use of cel animation, you will need the following:

- sheets of paper (any size)
- pencils
- paints
- celluloids (transparent sheets)



Advantage - This technique is more expressive, more colorful and it is also looks more artistic when done right.

Diaadvantages - The use of cel animation is more complex as it requires advanced artistic skill and that you would need to create dozens of frames to create a simple animation sequence and can be quite time consuming.  It is also more expensive to create as it requires quite a sizeable amount of resources to create cel animations.

 Here is a video showing off the art of cell animation:

 

And here is a video showing how you can make your own cel animation:

 



 

Stop Motion

Stop Motion animation, which was first invented by J Stuart Blackton in the year 1898, is an animation technique that consists of utilising physical manipulations from small and simple objects to expertly crafted dolls to use in animated films.  Stop Motion involves moving said objects and/or dolls in minor increments of movement between taking individual pictures and then arrange the pictures in order to create a smooth frame-by-frame animation sequence.  The stop motion  technique can also involve the use of human actors and/or actresses as well.

 

In order to make your own stop motion animation, you will need the following:

- A digital camera
- A tripod (which is preferable when using a digital camera)
- Stop motion software (whether it is on handheld devices such as your iPhone, iPad or Android devices or on your computer via stop animation  software programs such as Windows Movie Maker or Stop Motion Pro.
- A series of objects and dolls to use in your animation
- Consistence use of lighting for your animation
- Create a background scene for your animation.  It can be a simple sketch of a background (with colour, of course) as long as you know what kind of setting that you have in mind.

















Advantages - Stop motion animations are easy to make and are relatively cheap.

Disadvantages - Stop motion animations can be time consuming and will require not only just advanced artistic skill when creating any characters for your animation but you would also need a certain level of photographic skill when using a digital camera.  In addition, creating the more sophisicated stop motion animation sequences requires many picture frames and are more expensive to make.

Here is a video of one of the many stop motion animations:

And here is a video that will give you a quick and easy way of creating your own stop motion animation:

The Flipbook

Flipbooks were first invented and patented by John Barnes Linnett in the year 1868, when it was first known as a kineograph.  Flipbooks, also known as flick books, uses a series of frame-by-frame picture images of an animation which alternate from page to page that produces the illusionary simulation of animation.

 



 

The following materials to make flipbooks are as follows:

- clear paper (any colour and any size)
- a pencil or pen

Advantages - flipbooks are easy and simple to create.

Disadvantages - Not only would you need a certain level of artistic ability and also time consuming but you would also have to make sure that the animation flow is consistent from one picture to the other.

Here is a video about flip book animation:

 

And here is a video tutorial on how to make flipbook animations:

 

The Zoetrope

The zoetrope, which was invented by William F Lincoln in the year 1833, resembles a cylindric object such as a hollowed out drum or tin can with narrow, vertical slits used as the viewpoints that has a series of frame-by-frame animations of an object.  By spinning the zoetrope at a fast speed and by looking through the vertical slits, a person can see a rapid succession of images, thus producing what is know as the illusion of motion.


The equipment in order to make zoetrope is as follows:

- A ruler
- A marker pen
- Zoetrope template
- A circular object i.e a hollowed out tin can, drum etc.
- Pair of scissors
- A plastic thumbtack to spin the zoe trope with
- A utility knife
- A roll of adhesive tape

Advantages - It is quite simple to make and the animations are quite easy to illustrate.

Disadvantages - the zoetrope requires a certain degree of artistic ability to create and is limited to entertainment purposes only.  You would also have to make sure that the frame-by-frame animations are consistaent with each other and that they are no lapses within the animation cycle.

Here is a video of one of the many zoetropes that exist today:

And here is a video on how to make your own zoetrope:

 

The Thaumatrope

The thaumatrope is a small toy that consists of a small circular object with a animation picture on both sides of it with two pieces of string or ribbon attached to the object.  Spinning the round object with the pieces of string rapidly will combine the two separate pictures into one complete image creating what is known as the persistence of illusion.  The thaumatrope was invented by John Ayrton Paris in the year 1824.

To make a thaumatrope you would need

- Scissors
- A piece of cardboard
- Double-sided tape
- A circle punch
- Two pieces of string or ribbon
- A black marker pen







Advantages - It is cheap and very simple to create.

Disadvantages - It requires a certain level of artistic skill to create.

Here are a couple of videos relating to the thaumatrope: