History of animation

Sacha Abi Ghanem

ID: 20220013

Winsor McCay

1.Personal life

Winsor McCay, whose real name was Zenas Winsor McKay, was a prominent American cartoonist
and animator known for his influential work in the early 20th century. He was born on September
26, 1869, in Spring Lake, Michigan, USA. He had a relatively humble upbringing.

McCay began drawing at a young age and demonstrated a talent for illustration. His formal
education was limited, and he left school at the age of 14 to work in various jobs, including as a
sign painter and illustrator. He then married Maude Leonore Dufour in 1889. They had two
children together, a son named Robert and a daughter named Marion.

McCay continued to work in animation and comics throughout his life. He passed away on July
26, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York. His work left a lasting legacy, influencing subsequent
generations of comic artists and animators.

McCay's impact on the fields of comics and animation is still felt today, and his works continue to
be studied and admired for their artistic and storytelling qualities.

2.Career

McCay's career began as a poster and billboard artist. He eventually transitioned into the world of
newspaper comics, where he gained fame for his artistic skills and imaginative storytelling. His
most notable comic strip, "Little Nemo in Slumberland," was published in the New York Herald
from 1905 to 1911 and later in other publications. This strip was renowned for its highly detailed
and imaginative art, often featuring dream-like adventures of a young boy named Nemo. It's
considered a masterpiece of comic art and storytelling.
Figure 1. “Little Nemo in Slumberland” comic strip

McCay also produced a comic strip called "Dream of the Rarebit Fiend" (1908) which explored
bizarre and surreal dream sequences, often inspired by indigestion caused by consuming Welsh
rarebit before bedtime.

Furthermore, McCay's work in animation was groundbreaking. He is famous for creating one of
the first animated characters, "Gertie the Dinosaur," in 1914. This short film featured a dinosaur
named Gertie that interacted with McCay on stage through the use of animation techniques. It was
a significant milestone in the history of animation.

McCay also created another notable animated film, "The Sinking of the Lusitania," in 1918. This
film depicted the sinking of the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania by a German submarine during
World War I.

3.The creation of "Gertie the Dinosaur"

"Gertie the Dinosaur" is considered one of the earliest animated films and a pioneering work in
animation history. It is notable for its groundbreaking techniques in character animation and
interactivity.

The film features a charming and expressive animated dinosaur named Gertie. Gertie is known for
her playful and engaging interactions with her creator, Winsor McCay, during the film. "Gertie"
had a profound impact on the development of animation as an art form. McCay's work with
“Gertie” demonstrated the potential of character animation, where animated figures could be
imbued with distinct personalities and emotions. McCay's live performances with Gertie
showcased the potential for animated characters to interact with live-action elements.
One of the most distinctive aspects of "Gertie" was that McCay performed live acts alongside the
projected animation. McCay would interact with Gertie live on stage, giving her commands and
engaging in playful banter. This was a unique and captivating element of the film. In some
presentations, live music or sound effects were added to accompany the film, enhancing the
viewing experience.

The animation for "Gertie" was created using a combination of traditional hand-drawn animation
on paper and a cut-out animation technique. The film was meticulously animated frame by frame,
with careful attention to detail and movement. McCay began by developing a concept and
storyboard for the film. He outlined the key scenes and actions that would be featured in the
animation. McCay or his assistants also created hand-drawn background art for the film. This
included the scenery and settings in which the animation would take place. The backgrounds were
often drawn on paper.

He created detailed sketches of Gertie, defining her appearance, movements, and personality.
McCay and his team created keyframes and defining poses and moments in the animation. These
keyframes served as reference points for the animation process.

The actual animation process involved drawing each frame of the animation on paper. These
drawings were done by hand and were based on the keyframes. The animators had to carefully
redraw Gertie's movements and expressions for each frame.

In addition to hand-drawn animation, cut-out animation was used for some scenes. This technique
involved creating separate pieces for Gertie's body parts and moving them to simulate motion. For
example, individual pieces for her head, trunk, and legs were made and manipulated to create the
illusion of movement. Each drawing was photographed onto film one frame at a time. This
painstaking process required meticulous attention to detail.
Figure 2. Snapshot from “Gertie”

4.His impact on the animation world

McCay played a significant role in revolutionizing the animation world through his
groundbreaking work, particularly with the creation of "Gertie the Dinosaur" and his innovative
techniques. It demonstrated the potential of animation for storytelling, character development, and
interactivity with the audience. "Gertie" was created during a period when animation was still in
its infancy, and this film showcased the possibilities of the medium. McCay's work was part of the
evolution of animation from simple experiments to a legitimate form of entertainment and
storytelling.

McCay's innovative techniques and commitment to storytelling through animation inspired future
animators and filmmakers. Animators like Walt Disney and Max Fleischer acknowledged McCay's
influence on their work, and his ideas paved the way for the development of animation studios and
the animation industry as a whole.

McCay's animation techniques were relatively primitive compared to modern methods, however
the principles he used evolved into the techniques used in modern animation.

Overall, Winsor McCay's contributions to animation, particularly with "Gertie the Dinosaur,"
showcased the artistic and storytelling potential of the medium. His work laid the foundation for
the future of animation, inspiring generations of animators and leading to the growth and evolution
of the animation industry into the 20th and 21st centuries.