Animation uses still images — Art, 7–10
A moving scene can be built from many still pictures shown quickly in sequence. Art, 7–10 years.
Pictures that seem to move
Animation makes movement by showing still images one after another. In each image, the subject changes a little, and your eyes and brain connect the steps into a smooth action. A flipbook, stop-motion film and drawn cartoon use this basic idea, even though their materials and tools differ.
Why animation was invented
A drawing cannot really walk, and a photograph captures only one moment. Animation solves this problem by breaking an action into visible stages and showing them quickly. People experimented with moving pictures long before digital screens, using devices such as the zoetrope and flipbook to make separate drawings appear alive.
Making a bouncing ball
Make eight small drawings for one bounce. In picture 1, put the ball high; in pictures 2 and 3, move it lower; in picture 4, place it near the floor and squash it slightly. Draw it rising in pictures 5 to 7, then high again in picture 8. Show all eight for the same short time, and the ball will seem to bounce.
The jumpy-animation trap
A first attempt may move the subject too far between pictures, because a big change is easier and quicker to draw. That is a sensible shortcut, but the action then jumps instead of flowing. Add more pictures or make each change smaller; hold a pose for a moment only when you want the movement to pause.
Where animation appears
You meet animation in cartoons, adverts, games, films and short videos. Stop-motion can make a clay figure move, while computer animation can build a whole imaginary world. The same principle helps you make a simple flipbook or a phone animation, but the tools do not replace planning the movement.
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