Lesson 4: Animation Answers

This image shows an example of a maquette. Maquettes are physical sculptures of an animation character or prop design. Animators use the to pose and make scenes out of while they are creating computer animations. They provide a visual, concrete example to work with.

The image is an example of an early animation disc, such as a phenakistoscope, with separate drawings arranged in a circle. When the disc spins and the images are viewed in rapid sequence, the dog appears to run; animators used this idea to study motion and understand how a series of still images can create animation.

• 1872 – The Phenakistoscope is invented which produced an illusion of movement. • 1906 – The first animated film by J. Stuart Blackton was created. • 1928 – “Steamboat Willie” became the first successful animated film with sound.

Stop motion animation is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The objects/puppets are made by the artist, and each time they are moved, the artist photographs them instead of drawing them. It was an important development because it allowed new types of special effects to be added to animation.

Overlay: A transparent layer of subtle changes in the image or corrections are shown. Frame: Sections of captured images on clear film. Pixel: The smallest piece of information in an image when created using computer software.

Animators still need strong artistic skills, even with modern technology. Important examples include drawing and design skills, storytelling, understanding timing and movement, careful observation, and creativity.

A cel is a transparent sheet of film on which objects are drawn or painted for traditional hand drawn animation. With cel animation , Individual cels are drawn for every one or two frames of motion. Cels are layered on top of each other using overlays, with each second containing about 24 frames in a feature film. This was an important development because it meant that animators didn’t have to recreate the whole image for each frame.

A storyboard is a visual series of rough drawings depicting the scenes of action in a story. Its purpose is to create a brief outline of the storyline in the form of pictures. Words can be added below the pictures if any clarification is needed.

The frame shows a woman sitting on the forest floor with several small animals around her. In traditional cel animation, the forest background would likely be on one painted background sheet, while the woman would be on a separate cel. Additional cels could be made for each animal so they could be animated independently. There may also have been separate cels for details like shadows, highlights, or small movements such as blinking and tail motion.

Computer Generated Imagery allows animators to create virtual characters and pose them. The artist creates frames, and the computer fills in the motion that would occur between two distinct posses. CGI has greatly sped up the animation process because the artists don’t have to create the enormous amount of cels that they use to, reduced cost and time, and has allowed animators to do things that would not have been possible using early animation techniques.