What Is Animation? Definition, Types & History Explained

From Disney’s hand drawn classics to Pixar’s CGI masterpieces, animation has evolved from flip books to one of the most powerful storytelling mediums in entertainment.

This art form turns static images into living breathing worlds that captivate audiences of all ages.

What makes animation such a versatile medium and how can modern AI tools like LTX democratize animation production? Let’s explore the techniques, history and possibilities that turn imagination into motion.

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What is Animation?

Animation is the process of creating the illusion of movement by displaying a sequence of static images in rapid succession.

Each image is slightly different from the previous one and when played at the right speed our brains perceive continuous motion. Animation brings characters, objects and entire worlds to life through carefully crafted sequences.

Animation matters because it goes beyond the limits of live action filmmaking. Animators can create impossible physics, fantastical creatures and abstract concepts that would be difficult or impossible to film practically.

Great animation combines technical skill with artistic vision to create emotional connections and tell compelling stories through pure visual creativity.

Animation Definition

The animation definition in filmmaking and media production refers to the technique of photographing successive drawings, models or computer generated images to create an illusion of movement when displayed as a sequence.

Understanding what animation is shows it’s both an art form and a technical discipline that requires timing, motion principles and creative storytelling.

An animation definition extends beyond just moving pictures. It encompasses character performance, environmental storytelling and emotional communication through movement and design.

This animation definition shows how the medium serves everything from children’s entertainment to adult narratives, educational content to experimental films.

Traditional animation principles established by Disney’s Nine Old Men include squash and stretch, anticipation, staging and follow through.

These fundamentals apply to all animation and are essential for creating believable movement that resonates with audiences.

Animation Types

Different animation types serve different creative and technical needs across media production. Each technique has its own aesthetic and production considerations.

2D animation creates movement in 2D space using hand drawn frames or digital illustration tools. Traditional 2D animation includes classic Disney films and TV shows.

Modern 2D animation uses digital tools like Toon Boom and Adobe Animate for faster production with traditional aesthetic.

‍3D animation builds characters and environments in 3D digital space using software like Maya, Blender and Cinema 4D. This 3D animation technique powers Pixar films, video game cinematics and visual effects sequences. The depth and dimensionality of 3D animation creates immersive worlds impossible in 2D.

Stop motion animation photographs physical objects frame by frame, moving them slightly between each shot. Films like The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline showcase stop motion’s tactile quality.

This laborious technique creates unique texture and charm that digital can’t replicate.

Motion graphics focuses on animated graphic design elements for titles, logos, infographics and abstract visual sequences. This animation type dominates advertising, broadcast design and explainer videos where information needs to be presented visually.

Keyframe animation defines specific frames to mark motion start and end points, with software automatically filling in-between frames. This fundamental technique applies to all digital animation workflows and is the backbone of modern animation production.

Animation History

Animation history goes back to early motion devices like the zoetrope and phenakistoscope in the 1800s. These simple machines demonstrated how sequential images create the illusion of movement, laying the groundwork for cinema itself.

Émile Cohl created one of the first animated films, Fantasmagorie, in 1908 using traditional hand drawn techniques. Winsor McCay’s Gertie the Dinosaur in 1914 showed animation’s potential for character personality and emotional performance beyond simple movement tricks.

Walt Disney revolutionized animation with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, proving animated features could rival live action films in storytelling and commercial success. Disney’s innovations in multiplane cameras, character animation and Technicolor established standards that defined the medium for decades.

The rise of television in the 50s and 60s created demand for faster, cheaper animation production.

Studios like Hanna-Barbera developed limited animation techniques that reduced frame counts while maintaining visual storytelling. This era established animation as a dominant force in children’s entertainment.

Computer generated imagery emerged in the 70s and 80s with groundbreaking work by Pixar’s precursor companies.

Toy Story in 1995 was the first fully CGI feature film, launching the 3D animation revolution that now dominates theatrical animation. Modern animation combines traditional artistry with cutting edge technology, from Studio Ghibli’s hand drawn masterpieces to Marvel’s CGI spectacles.

Animation Examples

Iconic animation examples show the medium’s range and evolution across different styles and purposes. Each demonstrates how animation techniques serve storytelling and visual creativity.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs established feature length animation as a viable art form. Disney’s breakthrough film showed how animation could deliver complex narratives with emotional depth and technical innovation that captivated global audiences.

Akira revolutionized anime with its detailed hand drawn animation and mature cyberpunk storytelling.

This Japanese masterpiece influenced countless animators and proved animation could tackle adult themes with visual sophistication rivaling live action cinema.

Toy Story launched the CGI animation era with Pixar’s groundbreaking computer generated feature.

The film’s technical achievements in digital character animation combined with heartwarming storytelling set the template for modern animated blockbusters.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse blended 2D and 3D animation techniques with comic book visual styles. This innovative approach created a unique aesthetic that pushed animation boundaries and won widespread critical acclaim for its artistic vision.

Wallace and Gromit showcases stop motion animation’s charm through Aardman Animations’ claymation characters. These films demonstrate how tactile, handcrafted animation creates warmth and personality impossible to achieve with digital methods.

Modern cartoon animation spans from Saturday morning shows to adult series like BoJack Horseman, proving animation serves all demographics and storytelling ambitions.

Create Animation with LTX

LTX makes professional quality animation accessible without technical barriers. The platform’s AI animation generator turns text descriptions and static images into animated sequences through intuitive AI powered tools.

Start by describing your animation concept or upload reference images. The AI generates animated characters, environments and movements based on your creative direction. Choose animation style from realistic to cartoon, 2D to 3D aesthetics. The system handles complex technical processes automatically while you focus on storytelling.

The platform supports multiple animation workflows. Create character animations with consistent designs across all frames using Pro Actors technology.

Generate environmental animations with dynamic camera movements and scene transitions. Build complete animated sequences from script to final render within a unified production environment.

Keyframe controls let you define critical animation moments while AI interpolates smooth motion between points.

Preview animations in real-time and iterate quickly without rendering entire sequences. Adjust timing, refine movements and perfect character performances through responsive editing tools.

Turn static storyboards into animatics with motion and audio. Add synced sound effects and voiceovers to create fully animated presentations.

Export finished animations in multiple formats for distribution across platforms from social media to theatrical release.

This means independent creators, marketing teams and established studios can produce professional animation without big animation departments or long production timelines. Focus on creative vision not technical execution challenges.

Conclusion

Animation is the art form that brings imagination to life, creating worlds and characters limited only by your imagination. From traditional hand drawn frames to cutting edge CGI, animation is one of the most versatile and powerful storytelling mediums across entertainment, education and advertising.

With LTX, aspiring animators and experienced creators can access professional animation tools through AI powered platforms that eliminate traditional production barriers.

Whether you create 2D cartoons, 3D characters or experimental visual sequences, professional quality production is now available to all storytellers, everywhere.