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Chapter 11 Animation Composition
Pose-to-pose action is the basis of computer animation. The key points
are called keyframes, and the animation process is called keyframe animation.
Keyframe animation is discussed later in this chapter.
Anybody can create a simple animation with a pencil and a notebook. A
flip-book animation is created by drawing a picture on the edge of each page
in a notebook with a slight difference between each picture. When the pages
are fanned, the brain interprets the differences between the pictures as motion.
At the most basic level, all animations are a series of still images played in
sequence to create the illusion of motion, as shown in Figure 11-12.
Each still image in an animation is called a
frame.
The speed at which
frames are played is called the
frame rate.
The frame rate is controlled by the
playback device. Motion pictures are played at a frame rate of 24 frames per
second (fps). Computers typically have a frame rate of 30 fps.
An object can be animated
as a
static
animation or active
animation. The difference between
the two types of animation is
whether translation or articulation
is used. A
static animation
is
translation without articulation.
Consider two of your favorite games
that feature characters in the gameplay.
Select an animated character action from
each game. How are the 12 principles of
animation applied to the character actions?
Could the animator have improved the
animation by differently applying the
principles?
UP!
11.2
Creating an Animation
CHEAT CODE: STATIC
Static means not moving.
Figure 11-12.
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher; images: abeadev/Shutterstock.com, pegasusa/Shutterstock.com
An animation is a series of still images, each with small differences, played in sequence.