What is meant by Animation?

Animation is the illusion of movement created by showing a series of still pictures in rapid
succession. In the world of computers, graphics software used to create this effect. A simple animation
may be as basic as an animated gif file like the image shown on this page. A more complex animation
could be of a human or alien face in a computer software game.
Computer animation is a general term for a kind of visual digital display technology that
simulates moving objects on-screen and Traditional animation usually refers to animation hand-drawn
on paper. It was the process used for most of the productions throughout the 20th century. An animator
draws the characters, layout and backgrounds on paper. Each drawing in the animation would be slightly
different than the one before it and the one following it, creating the illusion of movement when
everything is put onto film.
Here are the types of Animation:

Cel Animation- A technique in which Cels, ( short for Celluloids) which are transparent sheets
are drawn and painted for traditional animation.An important innovation to traditional animation, as
it allows some parts of each frame to be repeated from frame to frame, thus saving labor.

Classical 2d Animation- Traditional animation involved animators drawing by hand for each
and every frame. If you love the feel of pencils on a paper, then the traditional approach is very
fascinating. Traditional animation is creating the drawings one by one on the frame. 2D animation
involves creating numerous drawings then feeding into a plastic cells, hand painting them and create
the animated sequence on a painted background image.

Digital 2d Animation- Creating animations in the 2 dimensional space with the help of digital
technologies is known as digital 2d animation. You don’t need to create digital models, you just need
to draw the frames. Create 100s of drawing and animating them to show some kind of movement is
technically known as digital 2d animation. Using Adobe flash, animators can limit the number of
drawings used, which makes them easier to create digital 2d animation.

Pin Screen Animation- A screen being pricked by thousands of headless pins is used to create
pin screen animation. Alexandre Alexeieff and Claire Parker invented the pin screen animation
technique in the 1930s. The two people used the pin screen to create Night on Bald Mountain. Once
the pins are pricked, the screen is lit on one side, which casts shadows, based on the depth of the
prick, the deeper the shadow.

Flipbook Animation- Even before the time of computers, animation was very much in practice.
Artists used to carry a small flip book or flick book and draw a series of images, with little variation
to the pictures, so when the book is flicked rapidly, you can see the series of images in a fluid
motion, trying to show a scene. Flipbook animation is one of the oldest but fascinating kind of
animation.

Full Animation- Animators will refer to full animation when they're working on a high-quality
animated film. Often they will work with a high level of detail in the design and will try to animate
characters and elements so they're believable and lifelike. This type of animation often requires a huge
number of drawings to make it appear fluid and realistic.
Limited Animation- Limited animation applies to animated films that require fewer details. It is
typically a very stylized and expressive type of animation and rarely realistic. Limited animation was
introduced by studio artists at United Productions of America (UPA).
Medical Animation- A medical animation is a short educational film, usually based around a
physiological or surgical topic, rendered using 3D computer graphics. While it may be intended for a
variety of audiences, medical animation is most commonly utilized as an instructional tool for medical
professionals or their patients.
Architectural Animation- Architectural Animation is a short architectural movie created on a
computer. A computer-generated building is created along with landscaping and sometimes moving
people & vehicles
Animation can be used in different industries and fields:
Forensic animation is a branch of forensics in which animated recreation of incidents are
created to aid investigators & help solve cases. Examples include the use of computer animation, stills,
and other audio visual aids.
Weather Animation is used in weather forecasts to show the movement of the wind, clouds,
rain and/or sun. By doing this it gs the viewer a better idea of what is going on and what the weather will
be like in the coming days. By using the animation it makes the information a lot easier to understand
for the viewers rather than looking at a sheet of numbers.
Driving Simulator Another simulation is a driving simulator. You can use this to practice how to
drive. They can be used for educational purposes or be used to play games or actually learn to drive.
This will be beneficial to nervous drivers to help immerse themselves into driving without anyone being
in any danger.
Medical Simulation They can be used to safely practice medical treatments without the risk of
harming anyone. This means doctors will be able to practice techniques in order to make them safer
before being used out in the public.