Thursday 19 April 2012
Cinema
There are many different animation techniques used within cinema, these include drawn animation, cut out animation, stop motion animation and computer generates imagery (CGI).
Many older animated films were done using drawn animations, this is done similar to a flip book where each drawing is slightly different, this is a very long process, some of the most notable drawn animation films are Aladdin, The Lion King and Tarzan.
Cut out animation was used in the earliest known animated films, it was done by using materials such as paper and card and then creating props, characters and backgrounds, this type of animation is done by using computers nowadays. Some cut out films include South Park and Twice Upon A Time.
Stop motion animation is usually done using clay or plasticine models, a picture would be taken of a scene, the characters would be moved slightly and another picture would be taken etc. this is also a very long process. Stop motion films include; Corpse Bride, Chicken Run and Wallace and Gromit.
CGI is where all the animation is done using models created on a computer using computer graphics, this is more commonly used nowadays than the other techniques, it literally a digital successor of stop motion animation. Films created using CGI include; Over the Hedge, Shrek and Toy Story.
Many older animated films were done using drawn animations, this is done similar to a flip book where each drawing is slightly different, this is a very long process, some of the most notable drawn animation films are Aladdin, The Lion King and Tarzan.
Cut out animation was used in the earliest known animated films, it was done by using materials such as paper and card and then creating props, characters and backgrounds, this type of animation is done by using computers nowadays. Some cut out films include South Park and Twice Upon A Time.
Stop motion animation is usually done using clay or plasticine models, a picture would be taken of a scene, the characters would be moved slightly and another picture would be taken etc. this is also a very long process. Stop motion films include; Corpse Bride, Chicken Run and Wallace and Gromit.
CGI is where all the animation is done using models created on a computer using computer graphics, this is more commonly used nowadays than the other techniques, it literally a digital successor of stop motion animation. Films created using CGI include; Over the Hedge, Shrek and Toy Story.
A Scanner Darkly
A Scanner Darkly is a 2006 animated film, it is a sci-fi thriller based on a novel by Philip K. Dick.
The film was filmed digitally and then later animated using interpolated rotoscope.
Interpolated rotoscoping is where an artist draws a start and end key frame and the Rotoshop program automatically generates the frames in between, it is a simple form of automatic tweening.
The film was filmed digitally and then later animated using interpolated rotoscope.
Interpolated rotoscoping is where an artist draws a start and end key frame and the Rotoshop program automatically generates the frames in between, it is a simple form of automatic tweening.
Yellow Submarine
Yellow Submarine is an animated musical film based on The Beatles music, it was released in 1968.
The film was directed by George Dunning and produced by United Artists and King Features Syndicate.
The Beatles personas in the film were based on their appearance in their promotional film for Strawberry Fields Forever, and the film is based in music from the Beatles and has a lot of references to their songs.
The film was animated using the technique of rotoscoping.
The film was directed by George Dunning and produced by United Artists and King Features Syndicate.
The Beatles personas in the film were based on their appearance in their promotional film for Strawberry Fields Forever, and the film is based in music from the Beatles and has a lot of references to their songs.
The film was animated using the technique of rotoscoping.
Monty Python
Terry Gilliam is the animator behind the Monty Python animations.
Terry, born 22 November 1940, is an American born British animator, actor, director, screenwriter and a member of the Monty Python comedy troupe.
Terry, born 22 November 1940, is an American born British animator, actor, director, screenwriter and a member of the Monty Python comedy troupe.
Warner Bros
Warner Bros. Animation is the animation part of the of Warner Bros. which is a subsidiary of Time Warner.
Warner Bros. Animation is the successor to Warner Bros. Cartoons, which used to be called Leon Schlesinger Productions which produced Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons from 1933 to 1969.
Warner Bros. Animation was founded in 1980, to produce Looney Tunes related work.
Since 1990 Warner Bros. Animation has focused on making cartoons and feature films that are related to other Time Warner things such as DC Comics.
Warner Bros. Animation is the successor to Warner Bros. Cartoons, which used to be called Leon Schlesinger Productions which produced Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons from 1933 to 1969.
Warner Bros. Animation was founded in 1980, to produce Looney Tunes related work.
Since 1990 Warner Bros. Animation has focused on making cartoons and feature films that are related to other Time Warner things such as DC Comics.
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an animation company which dominated North American TV.
The company was first formed in 1957 under the name H-B Enterprises, Inc. by former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer animation directors William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and live action director George Sidney in partnership with Columbia Pictures Screen Gems television division.
H-B Enterprises, Inc. was renamed Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. in 1959.
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. later produced quite a few successful animated tv programmes such as Scooby Doo, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, Wacky Races and many, many more, along with creating several feature films.
In 1991 Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was bought by the Turner Broadcasting System.
In 1992 the company was renamed to H-B Production Co. and then renamed to Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc in 1994.
In 1996 Turner merged with Time Warner.
The company was first formed in 1957 under the name H-B Enterprises, Inc. by former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer animation directors William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and live action director George Sidney in partnership with Columbia Pictures Screen Gems television division.
H-B Enterprises, Inc. was renamed Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. in 1959.
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. later produced quite a few successful animated tv programmes such as Scooby Doo, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, Wacky Races and many, many more, along with creating several feature films.
In 1991 Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was bought by the Turner Broadcasting System.
In 1992 the company was renamed to H-B Production Co. and then renamed to Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc in 1994.
In 1996 Turner merged with Time Warner.
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was born on December 5th, 1901 and later passed away on December 15th, 1966.
Walt was an American director, producer, screenwriter, animator, voice actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Walt Disney Animation Studios was founded in 1923 by the two brothers Walt and Roy Disney.
In 1937, Walt Disney Studios released its first feature film that was fully animated, this film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, this pioneered a new form of family entertainment.
Walt was an American director, producer, screenwriter, animator, voice actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Walt Disney Animation Studios was founded in 1923 by the two brothers Walt and Roy Disney.
In 1937, Walt Disney Studios released its first feature film that was fully animated, this film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, this pioneered a new form of family entertainment.
Phenakitoscope
Joseph Antoine Ferdinand Plateau was born on October 14th, 1801 and later died on September 15th, 1883. Joseph was a physicist and was also the first person to demonstrate the illusion of a moving image.
The device he created was called the Phenakistoscope which was introduced in 1832, the device was a counter of rotating disks on a small handle, the user had to spin the disk and look through the moving slits at static drawn images which seemed to move very slightly.
The word Phenakistoscope comes from the greek word "Phenakizein" which means "to cheat" or "to deceive" as it looks like a staic image is actually moving and it cheats the human eye.
The device he created was called the Phenakistoscope which was introduced in 1832, the device was a counter of rotating disks on a small handle, the user had to spin the disk and look through the moving slits at static drawn images which seemed to move very slightly.
The word Phenakistoscope comes from the greek word "Phenakizein" which means "to cheat" or "to deceive" as it looks like a staic image is actually moving and it cheats the human eye.
Tuesday 17 April 2012
2D Vector Graphics
Vector graphics are made up of many mathematical equations rather than pixels, this means that the vector graphics are always at the highest quality.
Vector graphics is the use of points, lines, curves and shapes (also known as geometrical primitives) to represent images in computer graphics.
Vector graphics is the use of points, lines, curves and shapes (also known as geometrical primitives) to represent images in computer graphics.
A vector image is made up of paths and nodes so it doesn't matter how much the image is stretched or shrunk it will maintain 100% quality.
Since vector graphics are scalable, this means that unlike bitmap graphics, vector graphics are resolution in-dependent, this means that a vector image can be increased and decreased in size and the image will be crisp and sharp, fonts are a type of vector graphic.
Vector graphics are also not restricted to a rectangular shape as bitmaps are, a vector graphic can be placed over another image an the image underneath it will show through.
Since vector graphics are scalable, this means that unlike bitmap graphics, vector graphics are resolution in-dependent, this means that a vector image can be increased and decreased in size and the image will be crisp and sharp, fonts are a type of vector graphic.
Vector graphics are also not restricted to a rectangular shape as bitmaps are, a vector graphic can be placed over another image an the image underneath it will show through.
2D Bitmap Graphics
Bitmap images are also known as raster images, they are made up of pixels in a grid, these are small dots of colours which together form what is seen on the computer screen.
Bitmap graphics are dependent on resolution, resolution is the amount of pixels that are in an image, this is usually seen as dots per inch (dpi) or pixels per inch (ppi).
Since bitmaps are dependent on resolution this means it is hard to re size an image, if the image is increased in size through the use of the software's re sample or re size command then it has to create new pixels, the software then has to estimate the colour values of the new pixels, this leads to a great deal of quality loss, when an image is decreased in size through the use of the soft wares re sample or re size command then pixels are lost, this also leads to a loss in quality.
Scaling is different to using the soft wares re sample or re size command, scaling is when an image is re sized by using the edges of an image to re size it, when a bitmap image is stretched to be larger then it gives the image less quality and a jagged appearance since it is decreasing the ppi, when a bitmap image is shrunk then it gives the image a higher quality since it is increasing the ppi.
All scanned images are bitmap images, and also all photo's taken with a digital camera are also bitmap images.
Common bitmap formats;
Bitmap graphics are dependent on resolution, resolution is the amount of pixels that are in an image, this is usually seen as dots per inch (dpi) or pixels per inch (ppi).
Since bitmaps are dependent on resolution this means it is hard to re size an image, if the image is increased in size through the use of the software's re sample or re size command then it has to create new pixels, the software then has to estimate the colour values of the new pixels, this leads to a great deal of quality loss, when an image is decreased in size through the use of the soft wares re sample or re size command then pixels are lost, this also leads to a loss in quality.
Scaling is different to using the soft wares re sample or re size command, scaling is when an image is re sized by using the edges of an image to re size it, when a bitmap image is stretched to be larger then it gives the image less quality and a jagged appearance since it is decreasing the ppi, when a bitmap image is shrunk then it gives the image a higher quality since it is increasing the ppi.
All scanned images are bitmap images, and also all photo's taken with a digital camera are also bitmap images.
Common bitmap formats;
- BMP - Bitmap File Format
- GIF - Graphics Interchange Format
- JPG/JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group
- PNG - Portable Network Graphics
- PCX - Personal Computer eXchange
- TIFF - Tagged Image File Format
- PSD - PhotoShop Document
Photographic Stills
Photographic stills are also known as stop-motion animations, this is the method of making still objects seem as if they are moving, this is done by taking a photograph of a still object, moving it a little, then taking another photograph and so on, then the photographs are played in a sequence and it gives the illusion of a moving object.
Dolls and clay are often used in this type of animation as they are easy to reposition, this type of animation using clay is often called claymation.
The stop-motion technique was first credited to the stop-motion animation The Humpty Dumpty Circus in 1897 which was created by Albert E. Smith and J. Stuart Blackton.
Dolls and clay are often used in this type of animation as they are easy to reposition, this type of animation using clay is often called claymation.
The stop-motion technique was first credited to the stop-motion animation The Humpty Dumpty Circus in 1897 which was created by Albert E. Smith and J. Stuart Blackton.
Thursday 29 March 2012
Flip Book
A flip book first appeared September, 1868, when it was patented by John Barnes Linnett under the name of Kineograph ("Moving Picture").
Even thought the flipbook was patented by John Barned Linnett in 1868, the flipbook was actually first created by Pierre-Hubert Desvignes, this is also the man who is usually given credit too for the invention.
In modern times flip books are often seen as childish entertainment and are sometimes used as prizes in childrens cereal boxes, although flip book animation has been used in some advertisements to promote cars and cigarettes.
Drawn on Film
Drawn on film animation, also known as animation without camera and direct animation is a technique which involves creating images directly on the photographic film, this is different to other forms of animation because the images are photographed in frame by frame with a camera.
There are two methods to produce animation on a film; blank film and black film.
On blank film an artist can draw, paint, stamp and glue things.
On a black film an artist can scratch, etch, sand and punch things.
The first and best known practictioners of drawn-on-film animation include Len Lye, Norman McLaren, Stan Brakhage, then later artists including Steven Woloshen, Richard R. Reeves and Baerbel Neubauer, who produced a number animated films using these methods.
There are two methods to produce animation on a film; blank film and black film.
On blank film an artist can draw, paint, stamp and glue things.
On a black film an artist can scratch, etch, sand and punch things.
The first and best known practictioners of drawn-on-film animation include Len Lye, Norman McLaren, Stan Brakhage, then later artists including Steven Woloshen, Richard R. Reeves and Baerbel Neubauer, who produced a number animated films using these methods.
Rotoscoping
Rotoscoping is an animation technique where animators trace over live-action film movement frame by frame to be used in films.
Rotoscoping is used in live action action movies as a tool for visual effects.
Rotoscoping was invented by Max Fleischer, who used it in his series Out of the Inkwell which he started in 1915 with his brother Dave Fleischer dressed as a clown in the live-film film as Koko the Clown. Max patented rotoscoping in 1917.
Rotoscoping is used in live action action movies as a tool for visual effects.
Rotoscoping was invented by Max Fleischer, who used it in his series Out of the Inkwell which he started in 1915 with his brother Dave Fleischer dressed as a clown in the live-film film as Koko the Clown. Max patented rotoscoping in 1917.
Cel Animation
Cel animation is also known as classical animation and traditional animation.
Cel animation is the technique where each animation frame is by hand.
Animations firstly start off as a story board, these are similar to comic strips as a script is written as words and pictures this allows the production team to follow a plot.
Secondly a voice recording is done, this is so the animation can be more precisely synchronised to the sound.
An animatic is the pictures from the storyboard which are synchronised with the sound track, this allows the the animators to find any script or timing issues that there may be in the sound track or storyboard.
Cel animation is the technique where each animation frame is by hand.
Animations firstly start off as a story board, these are similar to comic strips as a script is written as words and pictures this allows the production team to follow a plot.
Secondly a voice recording is done, this is so the animation can be more precisely synchronised to the sound.
An animatic is the pictures from the storyboard which are synchronised with the sound track, this allows the the animators to find any script or timing issues that there may be in the sound track or storyboard.
Wednesday 28 March 2012
Kinetoscope
Muybridge and Edison met at Edison's laboratory in West Orange; Muybridge later described how he proposed a collaboration to join his device with the Edison phonograph—a combination system that would play sound and images concurrently. The kinetoscope was a device that conveyed a strip of perforated film which had images on them over a light source with a high speed shutter on it, the images where then projected through a window on the cabinet the components were housed in, it was designed for films to be watched individually.
First described in conceptual terms by U.S. inventor Thomas Edison in 1888, it was largely developed by his employee William Kennedy Laurie Dickson between 1889 and 1892.
The name kinetoscope is derived from the Greek roots kineto- ("movement") and scopos ("to view").
Edison assigned Dickson, one of his most talented employees, to the job of making the kinetoscope a reality. Edison would take full credit for the invention.
This meant that Edison didn't play the biggest role in creating the kinetoscope but still took full credit in the creation of it, this lead to most modern scholars to assign Dickson with the major credit for turning the concept into a practical reality.
Zoetrope
A zoetrope is a device which is made of a cylinder with slits cut around the sides, beneath the slits were static photos.
The user had to spin the device and look through the splits on the cylinder at the images on the other side, this gave the illusion that the images were moving.
The earliest zoetrope was created in China around 180 AD by the inventor Ting Huan, back then the device was known as “chao hua chich kuan” (this translates to “the pipe which makes fantasies appear”).
The zoetrope would be hung over a lamp, this would then run the zoetrope through the convection (this is where hot air rises and cold air falls).
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