References

References 

Ali, H. (2016). The History of Animation and Flipbooks. Second Chair Video. com. Retrieved from http://www.secondchairvideo.com/the-history-of-animation-and-flipboo

Animation History - Praxinoscope. Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK_K_Hvf-24

Amid, A. (2016). CartoonBrew.com. The Future of Animation is Here. Retrieved from http://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/the-future-of-animation-is-here-140360.html

About Zoetrope. Wordpress. Retrieved from https://zoetropic.wordpress.com/about-zoetropes/

Bartle, J. (2014). The phenakistoscope was an early invention for animation. It. Prezi.com. Retrieved from https://prezi.com/feiotsegv6gp/the-phenakistoscope-was-an-early-invention-for-animation-it/

Bloop Animation. The 5 Types of Animation - A beginners Guide . Retrieved from https://www.bloopanimation.com/types-of-animation/    

Cartwright, M. (2013). Greek Pottery. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Pottery/

Chung, K. (2011). Phenakistoscope – The Early Form of Animation. WordPress. Retrieved from https://intelligentheritage.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/phenakistoscope-the-early-form-of-animation/

Clifford, C. (2016). Tim Burton Master Class: Breaking Down the Odd and Beautiful. Indie Film Hustle. Retrieved from https://indiefilmhustle.com/tim-burton-masterclass/

Curtis, S. (2014). The Telegraph. How technology is driving the next wave of film animation. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10849028/How-technology-is-driving-the-next-wave-of-film-animation.html

Walt Disney Animation Studios. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2017, from https://www.disneyanimation.com/technology/innovations/hyperion

Early Animation 5 Kineograph Flipbook. Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K3aMdnCqXg

Future Technology in Animation in 2025. Tackk.com. Retrieved from https://tackk.com/5udpjr 

Gayle, D. (2012). The caveman cartoons: How prehistoric artists make their paintings move. Mail Online. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2207596/A-night-pictures-caveman-style-Prehistoric-artists-used-cartoon-like-techniques-make-paintings-move.html

Fronczak, T. (2011). 7 Types of Computer Animation Software Worth Knowing. Animation Career Review. Retrieved from http://www.animationcareerreview.com/articles/7-types-computer-animation-software-worth-knowing

Hammond, W. (2016). Pixar director John Lasseter on the future of animation. TimeOut.com. Retrieved from https://www.timeout.com/london/film/pixar-director-john-lasseter-on-the-future-of-animation-1

History of Animation. Webflow. Retrieved from http://history-of-animation.webflow.io/

Kandel, J. (2016). What's The Future of Animation?. Quora.com. Retrived from https://www.quora.com/Whats-the-future-of-animation

Kumar, J. (2012). The Wheel Of The Devil - The History Of The Zoetrope From Ancient China To Pixar. Thalo. Retrieved from http://www.thalo.com/articles/view/343/the_wheel_of_the_devil_the_history_of_the

Mahpar, M. H. (2012). The wonderful world of Les’ Copaque. The Star. Retreived from http://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2012/11/10/the-wonderful-world-of-les-copaque/

Phenakistoscope. NCSSM. Retrieved from http://courses.ncssm.edu/gallery/collections/toys/html/exhibit07.htm 

Praxinoscope. NCSSM. Retrieved from http://courses.ncssm.edu/gallery/collections/toys/html/exhibit11.htm

Roos, D. How Computer Animation Works. How Stuff Works.com. Retrieved from http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/computer-animation1.htm

Thaumatrope Motion Device. EggPlant. org. Retrieved from http://www.eggplant.org/ideas/visual/animation/thaumatrope.html

Thaumatrope.NCSSM. Retrieved from http://courses.ncssm.edu/gallery/collections/toys/html/exhibit06.htm

The Phenakistoscope, the First Device to Demonstrate the Illusion of a Moving Image. (2017) History Information.com. Retrieved from http://www.historyofinformation.com/expanded.php?id=4131

The History of Pre-Animation and Thaumatrope. Slurpy Studios. Retrieved from http://www.slurpystudios.com/history-of-animation-thaumatrope/

Use of Technology. Weebly.com. Retrieved from http://pixar-animation.weebly.com/use-of-technology.html

Vanian, J. (2015). How Pixar brings its animated movies to life. Fortune.com. Retrieved from http://fortune.com/2015/09/14/pixar-brings-movies-life/

Volve, J. (2014). Disney rendered its new animated film on a 55,000-core supercomputer. Engadget,com. Retrieved from https://www.engadget.com/2014/10/18/disney-big-hero-6/

Wong, V. & Bhar, A. (2009). Malaysia’s first 3D animation film produced on time and on budget with Autodesk Maya. AutoDesk.com. Retrieved from http://www.autodesk.de/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=19753603&id=19959245&linkID=19961024

Zoetrope. NCSSM. Retrieved from http://courses.ncssm.edu/gallery/collections/toys/html/exhibit10.htm

The Future Animation

Hye fanmators!

Today, we  will venture into the future of animation. As we all know, the future is somethung unknown to everyone. No one will ever know their own future. So does the future of animation. The future technology use by the production company to produce more animaton  movies. The development of technology is a never ending process and thus animation would also evolve. In the past old technology, we have to be amazed by such creativity. If animating pictures can be made from such archaic technology, we can be sure there would be more amazing achievement in the future with the advanced invention. Maybe in the future, 3D animation would not be limited on 2D screen, but we would see 3D animation on our real 3D environment. 

Maybe, in the future with the help of 3D technology you can explore a building or historic site where you are not able to go either because you can’t afford it or because of some physical disability just by sitting on a chair in your home. Moreover, in future we can actually be with the character of the movie. Maybe with the advancemont of tecnology, we are able to create a house of animation itself, where people can go in and feels the wondrous scenery in the animation movies. 

Furthermore, most likely, the technology of creating the animation movie itself will differ from the technology they used now. The future could offer a better and accurate measurement and lighting in the craetion of the scene. Maybe there will be a device that can read the imagination of the animators so that it can calculate the exact movement or feature for the characters in the animation movie. What is important now is when will these improvement happen? We are to make sure that more young and bright person will be able to come out with the best software ar gadget to produce better animation movie in the future. 

Disney - Pixar - Les' Copaque

Hye fanmators!

Speaking of technology, there are a lot! Especially when we are talking about the Disney, Pixar and Les' Copaque. These name is a big name that are very familiar with our ears. So, you can imagine right how many technology they each have to produce a single animation movie? However, we are only going to focus on only one technology from Disney, Pixar and Les' Copaque. Now, have you ever heard of Disney's Hyperion Renderer? No? Yes?

Disney

Disney's Hyperion Renderer is actually the renderer. It is a software that takes all of the models, animations, textures as well as lights and other scene objects and produces the final image that make up an animated movie by calculating how the light bounces around a virtual scene and shades the objects. Hyperion is our in-house renderer and is a physically-based path tracer.

Speaking of path tracer, its main job is path tracing. Path tracing is a method to generate digital images by stimulating how light would interact with objects in a virtual world. The path of light is traced by shooting rays into the scene and tracking them as they bounce between objects. With path tracing technique, they are capable of producing a high degree of realism. Because all of the interactions between lights and objects in the virtual scene are simulated, we can capture effects such as refraction and glossy reflections. Most importantly, we can produce images with indirect illumination where light reflecting off virtual objects is accounted for. Even light that reflects several times (called multi-bounce light) has an impact on the scene, incorporating subtle and not-so-subtle lighting effect.

Pixar

A company that put a human face on animation technology is Pixar Animation Studios. Pixar uses technology in thier production and the most technology used by them is the computers to run softwares which allows them to desgined concept works, produce story boards, and most importantly modelling and animating software which allows the company to create the animation in the films that we all know and love.

From its earliest days as a hardware developer, the company’s technology has been intimately intertwined with the development of the computer graphics industry. Its early short films, like Luxo Jr, and its debut feature film, Toy Story, introduced the world to RenderMan, now the industry-standard software for rendering where it is the process of generating finished two-dimensional images from the geometry, surfacing and lighting data used to create a three-dimensional animation.

Pixar's latest film, Monsters University, re-designed the way lighting and shadow is used at the studio. While these advances in technology may not be as significant as Pixar's earlier achievements, it shows Pixar is still constantly innovating the way they use technology, and perfecting their animation.

Les' Copaque

Les' Copaque a name that is familiar amog the Malaysian. The mention of its name remind us with none other than Upin Ipin stories. Upin Ipin is one of the animation. It is popular among children even parents as the stories is verry well accepeted in the community.

Autodesk Inc. today announced that Malaysia’s first 3D animated feature film, Geng: The Adventure Begins was shaped and delivered on time and on budget with Autodesk’s 3D media and entertainment software, Autodesk® Maya®. That is the technology they used in the production of the film Geng: The Adenture Bgeins. By integrating Autodesk Maya into its operations, Les’ Copaque was able to bring the film to life six months ahead of schedule, with a total budget of MYR 4 million and a dedicated team of 50 staff members. The impressive animation quality made possible by Autodesk Maya has also allowed Les’ Copaque to penetrate the global marketplace.

The flexibility and versatility of Autodesk Maya enabled Les' Copaque to create digital models faster, manage complexity, iterate and collaborate effectively to meet the tight datelines and budgets. By integrating the software with its production pipeline, Les' Copaque was also able to simplify the modelling and rigging processes, which significantly reduced time.

The modelling forms the characters and objects in still format, and rigging is a process that specifies the internal skeletal structure and defines motion. The open architecture of Autodesk Maya software, combined with its industry-leading suite of 3D visual effects, computer graphics, and character animation tools enabled the Les' Copaque to artistically and efficiently deliver animation of world-class, refined quality. That is all on the thechnology of animation from these 3 production company that is Disney, Pixar and Les' Copaque. 

Present Animation

Assalammualaikum
Hye everyone! Fellow fanmators!

Okay, now I am going to start on the present animation. The animation that we know now. However, I am going to blog more on the techy stuff of the animation. So, stay with me okay? 👏

As the world evolve, a lot of changes happened. Technology keep on changing without fail. So does the technology in the animation world. If not, how can those amazing animation movies being created? Computerized animation, is the animation today. Computer animation is the art of creating moving images via the use of computers. It is a subfield of computer graphics and animation. Increasingly it is created by means of 3D computer graphics, though 2D computer graphics are still widely used for low bandwidth and faster real-time rendering needs.

Sometimes the target of the animation is the computer although sometimes film. Computer animation is also referred to as CGI (Computer-generated imagery or computer-generated imaging), especially when used in films. In order to create the illusion of movement, an image is displayed on the computer screen then quickly replaced by a new image that is similar to the previous image, but shifted slightly. This technique is identical to how the illusion of movement is achieved with television and motion pictures. Computer animation is essentially a digital successor to the art of stop motion animation of 3D models and frame-by-frame animation of 2D illustrations.

For 3D animations, models are built on the computer monitor and 3D figures are rigged with a virtual skeleton. For 2D figure animations, separate objects and transparent layers are used, with or without a virtual skeleton. Then the limbs, eyes, mouth, clothes and other parts of the figure are moved by the animator on key frames. The differences in appearance between key frames are automatically calculated by the computer in a process known as tweening or morphing. Finally, the animation is rendered. All frames must be rendered after modeling is complete FOR 3D animation. While 2D vector animations, the rendering process is the key frame illustration process, while tweened frames are rendered as needed. There are a few computer animation software that related with computer animation.

First of all is the flipbook. It is used to create 2D animation of any kind, Flash and FlipBook should be the very first two programs you consider. DigiCel’s FlipBook animation software does it all, from scanning to digital painting to mattes to lighting and any other novice or veteran trick you might need. Next is Flash (Adobe) by using this,If you want to make Web animations but don’t want to do it on paper and scan it all in, or if you’re an amateur who just wants to make something quick without having to tween frames yourself, or even if you’re a professional animation studio who wants to reach a large audience on the Web, then Flash is a great low budget easy solution with a lot of options. It’s rarely used to create films or long animations, but for something like a short commercial or public service announcement, it’s perfect. There are many more software that can be found and use for creating amazing animation. You just need to find it. 

Praxinoscope

Hye!

Are you still with me? I hope you do. 😊

Now, I would like to start on Praxinoscope. Do you know what is it? Well, first of all, the praxinoscope was invented in 1877 by the Frenchman Charles Reynaud. It was the first device to overcome the picture distortion caused by viewing through moving slots. The image produced is more brilliant than with any previous devices. The praxinoscope was advance that it quickly  replaced the zoetrope in popularity. 

The Praxinoscope was a typical optical toy from the 19th century. It consists of a cylinder and a strip of paper showing twelve frames for animation. As the cylinder rotates, stationary mirrors in the centre reveal a ‘single image’ in motion. The Praxinoscope was invented in 1876 by Charles-Émile Reynaud (1844-1918), a Paris science teacher, who marked all his examples ‘E.R.’. The toy became a great commercial success and won recognition at the great exhibitions of the period. 

Moreover, it was a theory of images being painted on long strips of celluloid that were displayed from the inside like being inserted in slits around the drum which was spun around. Though the Praxinoscope improved upon the Zoetrope theory with the slits on the Praxinoscope becoming inner circles of mirrors within the optional illusion device. A band of pictures is placed inside a shallow outer cylinder, so that each picture is reflected by the inner set of mirrors.  The number of mirrors is equal to the number of pictures, and the images of the pictures are viewed in the mirrors.  When the outer cylinder rotates, the quick succession of reflected pictures gives the illusion of a moving picture. 

Praxinoscope 

Flip Book / Kineograph

Hye there everyone 👦👧

I wonder, does everyone know what a flip book is? What will you think of when you read or heard the term 'flip book' ? Well, do let me know if you don't mind. 

Now, I would like to tell you more on flip book or its other name is Kineograph. Lets us together get to know more about it okay? Flip book is known as a collection of of combined pictures so that when it was flipped over it will give the illusion of movement and at the same time create an animated sequence from a simple small book.

This flip book was very popular at the end of 19th century and beginning of 20th century. Flip book is the American name given and even used in France. Its French name is Folioscope, sometimes called Kineograph, Feuilletoscope or Cinéma de poche. 

The first flip book appeared in 1868, it was patened by John Barnes Linnett under the name Kineograph. His first kinoegraph was the first form of animation to use a linear sequences of images that looks like a booklet.

Kineograph

Zoetrope

Hye fanmators!

Now, lets proceed with Zoetrope shall we? Zoetrope is an animated vintage toy that was originally developed in 1830s. A zoetrope is a device that produces the illusion of motion from a rapid succession of static pictures. The zoetrope consists of a cylinder with slits cut vertically in the sides. On the inner surface of the cylinder is a band with images from a set of sequenced pictures. The person just have to look through the slits at the pictures across when the cylinder start spinning. The scanning of the slits keeps the pictures from blurring together, and the person will see a rapid succession of images, producing the illusion of motion.

More on the zoetrope, it was invented by William Horner in 1834, who originally called it a Daedalum meaning 'The Wheel of the Devil'.  The zoetrope was build based on Plateau's phenakistoscope, but was more convenient since it did not require a viewing mirror and allowed more than one person to use it at the same time. Horner's invention strangely became forgotten for nearly thirty years until 1867, when it became patented in England by M. Bradley, and in America by William F. Lincoln.  Lincoln renamed the Daedalum, giving it the name of "zoetrope," or "wheel of life."

The zoetrope uses the persistence of motion principle to create an illusion of motion. It consists of a simple drum with an open top, supported on a central axis. A sequence of hand-drawn pictures on strips of paper are placed around the inner bottom of the drum. Slots are cut at equal distances around the outer surface of the drum, just above where the picture strips were to be positioned. In order to create an illusion of motion, the drum is spun. The faster the rate of spin, the smoother the progression of images.  A viewer can look through the wall of the zoetrope from any point around it, and see a rapid progression of images.  The design of the zoetrope enable more than one person to use the zoetrope at the same time.

Zoetrope