What Is Animation?
Animation creates moving images by quickly displaying a series of pictures or drawings. Methods include hand drawing, stop-motion, and computer graphics. It's widely used in movies, TV shows, video games, and more. Some view early Grecian pottery as an early form of animation, showcasing scenes of movement like a comic strip.
What is the History of Animation?
Animation has a rich history that began with early devices like the thaumatrope and phenakistoscope, which created the illusion of movement. In the early 1900s, pioneers like J. Stuart Blackton and Winsor McCay produced early animated films, with McCay's **Gertie the Dinosaur** (1914) notable for its character and personality.
A major breakthrough occurred in 1928 when Walt Disney introduced **Mickey Mouse**, ushering in the Golden Age of Animation. This era produced classics like **Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs** (1937), the first full-length animated feature, along with **Pinocchio** (1940) and **Fantasia** (1940).
The 1950s and 1960s saw animation’s expansion onto television with shows like **The Flintstones** and **Scooby-Doo**. The 1980s and 1990s introduced CGI, exemplified by Pixar’s **Toy Story** (1995), the first fully CGI-animated feature, alongside traditional hits like **The Lion King** (1994) and **Aladdin** (1992).
Today, animation combines CGI, traditional methods, and stop-motion to create captivating films, TV shows, video games, and online content, enchanting audiences worldwide with innovative storytelling and stunning visuals.
