Animation techniques By mark smith

Thaumatrope Thaumatropes are originally from the prehistoric age they would draw on a leaf or some bark and attach it to a stick then they would spin it around to make it look like the pictures are the same image this gives the illusion of motion for the people looking at it.

Phenikiscascope Originally created in ancient grease this was one of there most fond inventions this is a spiral that give the illusion of movement for everyone who look at it but unlike the thaumatrop the phenikiscascope has to have a continues loop of images.

Zoetrope Zoetrope's were originally made in the Victorian times they were the most popular for of animation in those times just like the phenikisatrope they have to have continues images so they when you spin it. it is on a loop witch gives you the illusion of motion. But the difference is that it is a cylinder with slits in that you must look into the slots around the outside to see the motion this is why this was the most loves form of animation back then. Unlike the zoetrope they do not have images that connect when you spin and are easier to use because all you have to do is spin it round and watch through the slots where as with the zoetrope they have to wined it up and then spin it to see the animation.

The latest explanation for the way animation works According to the people in ancient grease it was the persistence of vision however now we know it is the phi phenomenon that cause to see motion it is because the eyes percept where the object will end up and thus we perceive there to be continues motion between the objects in rapid concession this is caused by the fact that are eyes ignore the spaces in-between but if we focused we can tell that it is actually one object lighted up in rapid concession.

Conclusion The old animation techniques are all as good as each other this makes them the only way to see what the past of animation is for and is a great way of having a look at the past and see where animation actually was first made witch is the prehistoric age.

Different techniques Cgi Claymation Stop frame Pixilation Rotoscopeing

Cgi Computer generated imagery is an animation / game that is created through the use of a computer the images is originally 2D but using the computer to create background and shadow it they can make it look more 3D this makes it look better when it is put on the screen.

Claymation Claymation is the animation that uses clay models to create the motion it is one of the older forms of animation there are a fare few out there if you look it is usually used for the cartoon style animation. This is a less useful style than cgi but it is fairly good if you can make realistic clay models.

Stop frame They used stop frame to create the first animation in 1899 this is because back then they didn’t have the technology we had now they had to do everything by hand but we still use it today for certain animations. It isn’t as useful as Claymation or cgi but it is good in its own way.

Pixilation Pixilation was originally used by Pixar for toy story in 1995 this is when lots of people and company's had started to animate this was because they wanted to be part of the trend and have animated adverts. It isn’t as good as cgi but it is way better than Claymation and stop frame in the was that it brings charters to life but not in the way cgi does this is why it has its place in the animating industry.

Rotoscopeing Rotoscopes are a tube or a computer generated image that you look into to see the motion this is one of the most used forms of animation in the 1910 they were originally used for black and white films in France but then when coloured films were introduced they were made in colour. They are not as good as any of the others but they are simple to make and are manly used in the making of short film clips.

conclusion I believe that the best of these is the fairly modern cgi (computer generated imagery.) they use this mainly in Japanese cartoons (anime) and films but most programmers need to know how to use this program because even game developers sometimes need to use it for there work this is a well adapted form of techniques I would have to say it is the most useful.