Takzicution Tales

Tag: 3D animation

  • Animation Evolution: From Cave Drawings to AI

    FRAMEBURST ACADEMY 9

    🎮 Summary (TL;DR)

     

     

    Animation didn’t originate with computers.

    Nowhere near.

    It started with people… observing movement…
    and trying to seize it.

    What you see today is merely the latest step in a very long journey.

    Let’s go through it together.

    🎬 The History of Animation: From Cave Drawings to AI Animation

    Instead of thinking of animation as something modern…

    Think of it as a novel.

    A narrative that gradually grew over time.

    Step by step.

    🎭 It All Started with Watching Movement:

    Long before animation…

    People watched performances.

    • Dance
    • Theater
    • Live acting

    They witnessed characters move, react, and tell stories.

    And they recognized something important:

    Movement + Story = Emotion

    That concept became the groundwork of animation.

    People desired to capture that feeling…

    Not just watch it once.

    🪨 Cave Drawings: The First Attempt

    Millennia ago, people painted on cave walls.

    They drew:

    1. Animals running
    2. Hunters moving
    3. Daily life scenes

    Sometimes, they even drew the same animal several times in slightly different poses.

    Why?

    Because they were trying to depict movement… using static images.

    It wasn’t animation yet.

    But it was the first step.

    🌀 The Zoetrope: Making Pictures Move

    Later, people invented something called a ‘zoetrope‘.

    It was a simple rotating object.

    Within it were drawings.

    When it spun…

    The drawings appeared as if they were in motion.

    No screens.
    No electricity.

    Just movement… deceiving your eyes.

    This was one of the first real ways people saw drawings move.

    📖 Flipbooks: Animation in Your Hands

    After that, flipbooks came.

    You draw something on each page.

    Every drawing is slightly altered.

    Now flip the pages swiftly…

    And immediately:

    The drawings come to life.

    You could literally grab animation in your hands.

    This made the idea much clearer to understand.

    📸 Stop Motion: Giving Life to Real Objects

    After Flipbook, people experimented something new.

    Instead of drawing…

    They used actual objects.

    They would:

    • Take a picture
    • Adjust the object slightly
    • Take another photo

    Repeat this numerous times.

    When played together…

    It seemed like the object was alive.

    This is called stop motion.

    Still simple.

    Yet powerful.

     

    ✏️ Traditional Animation: Drawing Every Step

    With the passage of time, people became more earnest about animation.

    They started sketching each movement carefully.

    Frame by frame.

    This enabled:

    • Better control
    • Longer stories
    • Smoother motion

    This is where animation started evolving to what we know today.

    Cartoons started to feel more closer to reality.

    🖥️ Computer Animation: 2D & 3D Animation

    Later, computers arrived in.

    This changed everything.

    Rather than manually drawing every page:

    • People used digital tools
    • Movement became more fluid
    • Details became easier to handle

    Next arrived 3D animation.

    Characters no longer looked flat anymore.

    They felt like they existed in 3D space.

    You could navigate around them…

    See them from different perspective…

    Animation

    Animation grew more lifelike.

    🤖 AI Animation:

    (Where We Are Now)

    Now we are in a new era.

    Animation through AI {Artificial Intelligence} also known as machine learning.

    This means:

    Computers can aid produce animation faster.

    They can:

    1. Help generate ideas
    2. Assist with movement
    3. Speed up the process

    Nevertheless, here is something crucial:

    AI assists…

    But it does not subsitute for creativity.

    The story still comes from you.

    🌱 What This Means for You?

    Look at this journey:

    • From cave drawings…
    • To spinning wheels…
    • To flipbooks…
    • To computers…
    • To AI…

     

    Animation did not emerge overnight.

    It grew slowly.

    And now…

    You are stepping in at a period where tools are more accessible than ever.

    You do not need to start from very beginning.

    You are building upon all that came before.

    💬 A Final Thought:

    Animation is not only a skill.

    It is a part of a long human narrative.

    A story of people trying to bring dreams to reality.

    And at this generation…

    You play a role in that story as well.

    ⏭️ What’s Your Next Step (Coming Thursday):

    Next blog: Why your animation looks stiff and how to fix it

    👉 Click here -> (Insert Link Here)

    You now know where animation animation all began…

    But why do beginner animations feel unnatural or “rigid”?

    And more importantly…

    How do you resolve that?

    We will reveal that next.

    See you until the next summon. 🎬

  • Types of Animation for Beginners: 2D, 3D, Story-time & More

    FRAMEBURST ACADEMY 8

    🎮 Summary (TL;DR)

     

    Animation isn’t just a single concept.
    It’s not one style.
    Not one approach.
    It is many different ways to convey a story… using movement.
    And the interesting part?
    A few of them might be easy to you…
    while others feel perplexing.
    Let’s examine them simply.

    🎬 What Are the Types of Animation?

    Before you start your animation adventure, there is something crucial to take in:
    There isn’t just one way to animate.
    There are many ways.
    And each one provides with a different style of narrating a story with motion.
    You don’t have to learn all of them.
    You just need to understand what they are… so you can choose what feels appropriate for you.

    🗣️ Story-Time Animation:

    (Our Main Focus Here)

    This is the primary type we emphasize at FrameBurst Academy.
    Story-time animation is simple:
    1. You tell a tale…
    2. And use drawings or images to illustrate it.
    Usually:
    1. The drawings are simple
    2. The emphasis is on your voice and story.
    The aim is to make people feel something (funny, relatable, emotional)
    It is like sharing a story with a friend…
    But with drawings.

    📖 Traditional Animation:

    (Flipbook Style)

    This is the classic method.
    You draw a single photo…
    Then another slightly distinct…
    Then another…
    When you see through them quickly, it appears as movement.
    Like those flipbooks people make on the back pages of their textbooks.
    Every step is drawn by hand.

    🖥️ 2D Animation:

    (Raster or Vector–Based Animation)

    This is similar to drawing…
    But done on a screen like computer, laptop or smartphone.
    You create 2D drawings (like cartoons)…
    And make them move employing tools.
    It makes it easier than drawing redrawing everything repeatedly…
    Because you can reuse component, make reusable assets, copy and paste, and manipulate.
    This is what many beginners utilize today.

    🧊 3D Animation:

    This type looks more real.
    Instead of 2D drawings…
    You work with characters and objects that feel like they exist in 3D space with left to right, up to down, and front to back angle.
    You can imagine:
    • Turning them
    • Resizing them
    • Moving around them
    • Seeing them from different angles
    It’s like creating a small virtual world.

    🎭 Gacha Animation:

    In this style, not all elements are draw.
    You use ready-made characters from applications.
    You:
    1. Select a character
    2. Change outfits or expressions
    3. Move them into settings
    It’s more about organizing and storytelling than drawing.

    🧩 Drag & Drop Animation:

    (Simple Tools)

    This is even simpler.
    You use preset just like in Gacha:
    • Objects
    • Characters
    • Backgrounds
    And just position them into a scene.
    Next, you make them move effortlessly.
    No drawing needed.
    Good for starters who just want to concentrate solely on storytelling.

    📸 Stop Motion Animation:

    This one is special.
    You do not draw.
    You utilize real-life objects.
    You:
    1. Take a photo
    2. Move the object slightly
    3. Take another picture
    Repeat this several times…
    And it appears like the object is in motion.

    🎞️ Types of Stop Motion:

    (Simple Breakdown)

    Let’s look at a few simple types:

    🟤 Claymation (Clay Animation):

    You use clay to create characters
    and shift them little by little.

    🧸 Chuckimation (Toy Animation):

    You use toys (like action figures or dolls)
    and develop stories with them.

    🧱 LEGO Animation:

    You utilize LEGO characters and sets
    to make scenes and stories.

    🧍 Pixelation

    You use real people.
    They move slightly between photos
    to create the illusion of movement.

    📦 Cardboard Cutout Animation:

    You make use of flat paper or cardboard characters and move them.

    🌑 Silhouette Animation

    You show only the shadow shapes of characters
    instead of full details.

    🍎 Object Animation:

    You use everyday objects (like cups, books, or fruits)
    and bring them to life.

    💡 A Simple Reminder:

    You don’t have to choose the “best” type.
    There is no best type.
    Only what works for you.
    If one style feels unclear…
    Try another.
    If one feels uninteresting…
    Switch.
    This is your journey, your life.
    You are allowed to explore.

    💬 A Final Thought:

    Animation is not a single road.
    It’s many routes.
    Some are simple.
    Some are harder.
    Some will suit you better than the rest.
    The goal right now is not to master all areas.
    It is to understand what exists…
    So you can choose your beginning point.

    ⏭️ What’s Your Next Step (Coming Thursday):

    Next blog: History of animation
    👉 Click here -> https://takzicution.com/history-of-animation
    Now that you know the different types…
    Have you ever wondered where it all started?
    What was the starting point of animation?
    That’s what will explore next.
    🎬 See you until the next summon.