HISTORY OF ANIMATION

 

THAUMATROPE: an antique household toy which combines two images on opposite sides of a coin/disc by spinning the object rapidly at its axis

 

 

PHENAKISTOSCOPE: an antique household toy which features an object/figure changing little by little from one image to the next around the circumference of a disc. The disc is then spun and viewed through a special viewing window.

 

ZOETROPE: an antique household toy which features an object/figure changing little by little from one image to the next around the inner wall of a cylinder. The cylinder is then spun and the images viewed through slits in the sides.

 

PRAXINOSCOPE: an antique household toy which features an object/figure changing little by little from one image to the next around the inner wall of a cylinder. The cylinder is then spun and the images viewed reflected against several mirrors on the inside.

 

 One of the earliest examples of modern hand-drawn cartooning dating back to 1914.

 

Walt Disney himself explains the technology that goes into his cartoons

Terry Gilliam of the famous British comedy group Monty Python makes animations using cut and altered photographs

William Kentridge makes animations by drawing and erasing charcoal drawings - each scene/shot being done on one constantly changing piece of paper

Even familiar hand-drawn characters can be re-imagined with the technology of today. When the Simpsons ventured into the world of CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) in 1995 it was considered groundbreaking. Many, many movies and shows use CGI today in a way that is indistinguishable from real life.

What kind of animation most appeals to you? Why? Which do you think would be the "hardest" to do? the "easiest"?