MULTIMEDIA UNIVERSITY OF KENYA

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

REG NUMBER: IST-221-014/2012
NAME: MITAMITA CLIFF OSCAR
UNIT CODE: ICS 2311
UNIT NAME: COMPUTER GRAPHICS
TITLE: COMPUTER ANIMATION
In!"#$%&"n
Computer animation is the art of creating moving images and symbols via the use of computers.
It is a subfield of computer graphics and animation. Increasingly it is created by means of 3D
computer graphics, though 2D computer graphics are still widely used for low bandwidth and
faster real-time rendering needs. It is also referred to as CGI Computer-generated imagery or
computer-generated imaging!, especially when used in films. "o create the illusion of movement,
an image is displayed on the computer screen then #uic$ly replaced by a new image that is
similar to the previous image, but shifted slightly. "his techni#ue is identical to how the illusion
of movement is achieved with television and motion pictures.
"his techni#ue is identical to how the illusion of movement is achieved with television and
motion pictures. %or 2D figure animations, separate ob&ects illustrations! and separate
transparent layers are used, with or without a virtual s$eleton. "hen the limbs, eyes, mouth,
clothes, etc. of the figure are moved by the animator on $ey frames. "he differences in
appearance between $ey frames are automatically calculated by the computer in a process $nown
as tweening or morphing. %inally, the animation is rendered.
%or 3D animations, all frames must be rendered after modeling is complete. %or 2D vector
animations, the rendering process is the $ey frame illustration process, while tweened frames are
rendered as needed. %or pre-recorded presentations, the rendered frames are transferred to a
different format or medium such as film or digital video. "he frames may also be rendered in real
time as they are presented to the end-user audience. 'ow bandwidth animations transmitted via
the internet e.g. 2D %lash, (3D! often use software on the end-users computer to render in real
time as an alternative to streaming or pre-loaded high bandwidth animations.
D&'%$''&"n
C"()$*! An&(+&"n *%,n&-$*'
There are various types of animation techniques practice !y "#m ma$ers a##
over the %or#& C#assica# an i'ita# () animation* i'ita# +) Animation* stop,
motion* c#ay animation* cut,out animation* paint,on,'#ass animation* ra%n,on,
"#m animation* an e-perimenta# animation are .ust a fe% amon' the many
e-istin' forms of animation& )eciin' a suita!#e animation technique for one
pro.ect epens on various factors that inc#ue !u'et* #oo$ an fee#* output
qua#ity* aesthetic* sty#i/ation* an story requirements&
C.+''&%+. 2D +n&(+&"n
This is a#so $no%n as ,+n#-#!+/n 2D +n&(+&"n or !+#&&"n+. +n&(+&"n& In
this technique animators nee to ma$e at #east 0( ra%in's on paper for one
secon #en'th of "#m& The ra%in's are #ater scanne or capture for post,
prouction usin' computer& This technique %as the ominant form of animation in
"#m an T1 series* unti# the eve#opment of C2I animation&
D&0&+. 2D +n&(+&"n
In this type of animation frames are ra%n irect#y on soft%are usin' mouse or pen
ta!#et& This technique is use most#y for T1 series an %e! animation&
D&0&+. 3D +n&(+&"n
This is one of the sou'ht,after techniques in the current scenario& Usin' this
technique* +) moe#s are create* te-ture* ri''e* an animate in the virtua#
space& 3+)3 refers to Computer 2enerate Ima'es 4C2I5 that create the i##usion of
three imensiona# space %ith 'reat accuracy&
'")-("&"n +n&(+&"n
6ere* one nees to set the character or o!.ect* in the esire state or pose a'ainst
its !ac$'roun to e-pose a frame* an then o s#i'ht moi"cations in pro'ression
an ta$e another frame& The process is repeate unti# the esire #en'th of
animation is achieve an shot&
H"/ %"()$*! +n&(+&"n /"!1'
"he animator uses a computer to generate a se#uence of still images, that give the illusion of
motion through three dimensional spaces when one plays them.
)ne re#uires a 3D animation software, such as 3D*a+ or *aya, and a good computer.
Instead of drawing every detail in the frame by hand, one draws every frame using a
computer, "he animator gives the software a set of parameters that describes how the
elements should look and move, something along the lines of-
./t frame 01 a point in time! place the ball at coordinates (1,21,31 a point in space!..
./t frame 024 1 second later! place the ball at coordinates (2,22,32 a second point in
space!..
"he animator also places a camera at coordinates (3,23,33 telling the software where to loo$ at
the scene %5)*. 6hen all the parameters are set, the computer then calculates two things this
calculation is called .5endering.!-
1. "he &ourney the ball ma$es from point 1 to point 2- 6here e+actly should the ball be at
each of the 24 frames7
2. 8ow each frame loo$s from the point of view of the camera7
"he end result is a se#uence of 24 still images of a ball, moving incrementally across the
screen. 2ou play them on your D9D at the rate of 24 frames per second, and that, in a nut
shell, is how computer animation wor$s.
C"()$*! An&(+&"n '"2/+!*'
There are many computer animation soft%are in the mar$et& 7ome of them inc#ue
F.&)B""1 3D&0&C*.4
8or creatin' () animation of any $in* 8#ash an 8#ip9oo$ shou# !e the very "rst
t%o pro'rams you consier& )i'iCe#:s 8#ip9oo$ animation soft%are oes it a##* from
scannin' to i'ita# paintin' to mattes to #i'htin' an any other novice or veteran
tric$ you mi'ht nee&
F.+', 3A#"5*4
8#ash is a 'reat #o% !u'et easy so#ution %ith a #ot of options& It:s rare#y use to
create "#ms or #on' animations* !ut for somethin' #i$e a short commercia# or pu!#ic
service announcement* it:s perfect& 2oo'#e an other hu'e companies sti## use it
from time to time %hen sho%casin' their ne% prouct re#eases&
B.*n#*! 3T,* B.*n#*! F"$n#+&"n4
9#ener is easy to #earn an has #o% processor an its sma## in term of memory
requirements&
3#' M+6 3A$"#*'14
Maya is frien#ier to animators: speci"c nees than +s Ma- is* !ut they:re !oth sti##
e-ceptiona# pro'rams that everyone shou# consier&
I()"!+n%* "2 %"()$*! +n&(+&"n
Computer graphics and animation have left an undeniable mar$ on the entertainment industry.
:ioneers in the field of CGI have struggled to bring highly detailed realism and beauty to their
wor$. ;vents, scenes and characters are being brought to life without the use of ho$ey rubber
suits or stilted animatronics. /s computer graphics and animation continue to evolve, the limits
on what is possible in entertainment continue to dissipate.
/s the development of technology is progressing day after day, computer is introduced into the
animation industry, the traditional animation technology hand-draw animation! is a very large
scale pro&ect and the amount of time, labour and e#uipment involved is very costly. 6hile for the
computer animation, the process is much less labor intensive, and generally much cheaper than
traditional animation, there is lesser chance of getting error as from stage to stage as computer
can have a bac$up file. /lso by using computer it can shorten the production life cycle.
%rom the business point of view, animation can also help business to promote and advertise their
product, as flash animation design can attract customer more than a whole bunch of words or te+t
given out in brochure or plain te+t website. It can help customers to have a better memory of the
products.
%rom the education point of view, animation cartoons were one of the methods to educate
children outside the classroom through the media.
C"n%.$'&"n
"he <ncanny 9alley concept of computer animation is essentially the point where computer
animation becomes indistinguishable from real life.
6ith every year of CGI movies and new video games being released, it is clear that we our levels
of technology are nearing the ability to very closely replicate reality with computer animation
R*2*!*n%*'
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Delwyn, E., F Grant, '. 2??B!. how-does-computer-animation-wor$ G an introduction.
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2. *aHer, I. :., *urphy, 5. ;., F Dimonds, C. I. 2??B!. "he science
daily.computerJanimation, 3=2!, 1>4-1@3. doi-1?.1?@?A1>=3B@@?B?2B23C44
3. Computer /nimation https-AAwww.siggraph.orgAeducationA...AanimationAanim?.htm
DIGG5/:8- IE"5)D<C"I)E ") C)*:<";5 /EI*/"I)E