Animation Blog

SUMMARY:

In 1877, A French inventor Emile Reynaud invented The Praxinoscope, and it was the first moving pictures with dramatic action. In 1868, the flipper book became extremely popular around the world (Williams, 2012, p. 14).

Nowadays the traditional animator still flips his drawings same method as a flipper book, however, before that he evaluates them either on the video or 35mm film camera. He stacks the papers in sequences from the bottom, then flips through the action from the bottom up. But if there is an error on the drawings, then it has to change and correct the mistakes on the drawings (Williams, 2012, p. 15).

Gilbey, R, (2010). Humorous Phases of Funny Faces. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/jul/01/toy-story-animation-pixar

In 1896, American newspaper cartoonist James Stuart Blackton shared with his American inventor Thomas Edison his own idea of the moving pictures. Mr. Blackton did some sketching of Mr. Edison, then he convinced him to do some more drawings. Later, Mr. Edison took some pictures of his drawings, and then he compared the drawings and the pictures. In 1906, Humorous Phases of Funny Faces was released in public. This animated short film began with a man was standing next to his girlfriend while he was smoking a cigar, and then he blew smoke rings at his girlfriend’s face, then she rolled her eyes, and a dog jumped through the hoop while a juggler was performing his juggling skills. Mr. Blackton used 3000 flickering drawings in order to invent the world’s first animated motion picture – the ancestors of the animated cartoon. The animated comics made the audiences laugh and it was a hit (Williams, 2012, p. 15).

Grady, P, (2018). Gertie the Dinosaur. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/Cinematic-dinosaurs-roared-long-before-the-first-12994371.php

In 1914, the first keyframe animation Gertie the Dinosaur was released in public. This animated short film began with a dinosaur who was named Gertie, and Mr. McCay showing his audience how he was giving commands to Gertie, for example, like a command to sit down, raise the left foot, raise the right foot, and bow to the audience. Mr. McCay used over 5000 keyframes drawings (Furniss, 2009, pp. 99 – 100).

REFLECTION:

I am surprised to learn that some of today’s animators still flip their drawings the same way as an old flipper book. Having all today’s technology, I found it very strange that some animators still use old ways for their drawings. I believe that with new technology both drawings, and animations have become much easier and faster. For example, we can use the flashback of a video camera instead of a flipper book which in my opinion will save time and effort for the animator.

I can’t believe that the famous drawing of Humorous Phases of Funny Faces, where a man puffed a cigar and blew smoke at his girlfriend, became very hit as first animated picture, because I found that the girl looked very annoyed and unhappy with the behavior of her boyfriend as he blew smoke on her face. If I had to draw the same picture, I would have drawn both puffed a cigar and blew smoke on each other, because in this way I believe people will find it funnier. In my opinion, if a microphone and voice recorder would have been invented at that time, I guess people would have been able to understand what they would say. Also, I think if they have been invented technicolor people would have found the drawing of Humorous Phases of Funny Faces more interesting as the color will show facial expression more than black and white.

REFERENCES:

Furniss, M. (2009). Animation: Art and Industry. Bloomington, IN: John Libbey Publishing.

Williams, R. (2012). The Animator’s Survival Kit (4th ed.). London, England: Faber and Faber.

Gilbey, R. (2010, July 01). Funny Faces to Toy Story: Five milestones in film animation. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/jul/01/toy-story-animation-pixar

Grady, P. (2018, June 14). Cinematic dinosaurs roared long before the first 'Jurassic' movie. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/Cinematic-dinosaurs-roared-long-before-the-first-12994371.php