Animation

art · movies · movement · creativity

Frames create motion. Animators draw many pictures that are slightly different from each other, then show them really fast, like a flipbook. Your brain sees them blend together as smooth movement.

Many animation styles. You can make animation with hand-drawn pictures, stop-motion toys, computer graphics, or even by moving real objects frame by frame. Each style looks totally different but uses the same basic idea.

Digital animation today. Modern animators use computers to create almost every movie and TV show you watch. Computer software lets them draw, add color, create realistic lighting, and make special effects that would be impossible to film with cameras.

Started over 100 years ago. People experimented with animation as far back as the 1800s, and the first animated movie came out in the 1920s. Without computers, animators had to draw every single frame by hand, which took months or years.

Brings imaginary worlds to life. Animation lets creators show anything they can imagine, from talking animals to fantastical adventures. You're not limited by what's real or possible in the physical world.