What is Animation
Animation is the art of bringing still images to life through a sequence of pictures shown in rapid succession. This creates the illusion of movement, a principle that predates the invention of film itself.
The History of Animation
Long before digital effects and blockbuster CGI films like Finding Nemo (2003) and Toy Story 3 (2010), early innovators were exploring ways to simulate motion. One of the first known animations captured on film was J. Stuart Blackton’s The Enchanted Drawing (1900), a two-minute short that blended live-action, props, and stop-motion to animate a series of sketches.
In 1908, French cartoonist Émile Cohl created Fantasmagorie, a groundbreaking stick-figure animation often considered the first true cartoon. A few years later, Winsor McCay’s Gertie the Dinosaur (1914) introduced techniques such as keyframing, inbetweening, and looping—principles that remain foundational in animation today.
A major turning point came with Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie (1928), the first animated film to feature synchronized sound. It marked the debut of Mickey Mouse and redefined the importance of audio in animated storytelling.
Early Animation Devices
Before film, a variety of clever optical toys and devices brought images to life:
-
Magic Lantern (1603):
A predecessor of modern projectors, it used candlelight and glass slides to project images. Sequences of slides could simulate motion, creating early “moving pictures.” -
Thaumatrope (Early 1800s):
A disk with images on either side, spun quickly on strings. The “persistence of vision” made the two images appear as one, producing a basic animated effect. -
Phenakistoscope (1833):
A spinning disk with sequential images viewed through slits in a mirror. It gave the illusion of movement to a single viewer.
-
Zoetrope (1830s–1860s):
A cylindrical drum with images inside and slits along the sides. As it spun, viewers saw a continuous animation. It allowed group viewing and used the stroboscopic effect for clarity. -
Kineograph / Flipbook (1868):
A small book with sequential drawings. Flipping the pages rapidly created a simple, effective animation. -
Praxinoscope (1877):
An improvement on the zoetrope, using a ring of mirrors to reflect images inside a spinning drum. This produced brighter, clearer animations.
What Was the First Animated Film?
Émile Reynaud’s Pauvre Pierrot (1892):
Often cited as the first animated film, it used a praxinoscope and 500 hand-painted images, though it wasn’t recorded on film.
J. Stuart Blackton’s Humorous Phases of Funny Faces (1906):
The first animated film recorded on photographic film, using stop-motion and chalkboard drawings.
Émile Cohl’s Fantasmagorie (1908):
Recognized as the first traditional hand-drawn animated film, featuring over 700 sequential stick-figure drawings.
Winsor McCay’s Gertie the Dinosaur (1914):
A milestone in animation, showcasing advanced techniques and character personality.
The Golden Age of Animation (1920s–1960s)
This era saw animation become a major force in entertainment, with the birth of iconic characters and groundbreaking storytelling.
a) Walt Disney's Innovations
-
Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie (1928):
The first cartoon with synchronized sound, it revolutionized animation and made Mickey Mouse a household name. -
First Full-Length Animated Film – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937):
A pioneering achievement in storytelling and animation, it was a massive commercial success.
b) Other Major Studios
-
Warner Bros. and Looney Tunes:
Introduced timeless characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Their smart, fast-paced humor appealed to children and adults alike, helping shape American animation.
Modern Animation and the CGI Revolution (2000s–Present)
With the advent of computers, animation underwent a transformative shift:
-
Rise of CGI:
Films like Finding Nemo (2003) and Toy Story 3 (2010) showcased the power of computer-generated animation. Studios like Pixar, DreamWorks, and Disney led the way as CGI became the dominant form of animation in feature films.
Comments
0 comment