The History of Animation

  • The Magic Lantern

    The Magic Lantern
    The Magic Lantern was the first early form of projector. It was developed by Christiaan Huygens. A small glass slide with an image printed on it was used to project light through. While being invented before the 18th century, it saw use in education through the century.
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    Text/Picture: "Magic Lantern." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.
  • Zoetrope

    Zoetrope
    The zoetrope is a cylinder with pictures painted in a series on the inside, and slits cut through the top used to view the images. William Horner invented the zoetrope in Great Britain. This was the earlier recorded animation device ever invented.
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    Image/Text: "Zoetrope, Top View." Zoetrope, Top View. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2016.
  • The Flip Book/Kineograph

    The Flip Book/Kineograph
    The flip book is still used today, since virtually anyone can make a flip book with a notepad and pencil. It is a series of images printed on pages, so when they flip through the book they "move." English lithiograph printer John Barnes Linnett originally patented the flip book under the name "kineograph."

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    Text/Picture: "Flip Book." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.
  • Praxinoscope

    Praxinoscope
    The Praxinoscope was invented in France by Charles-Émile Reynaud. It was the successor to the Zoetrope. Viewers look at a mirror in the center that reflects the images on the outside. The use of the mirror brought the world one step closer to modern day tech.
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    Info/Image: "Praxinoscope." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.
  • The Thaumatrope

    The Thaumatrope
    The Thuamatrope was a disk with two images, one printed on either side. When spun by being suspended on a string fast enough, it would create the illusion of the images mixing. It was invented by John Ayrton Paris in London.
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    Info: "Thaumatrope." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.
    Picture: "Experiments In Motion." Thaumatrope –. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.
  • The Enchanted Drawing

    The Enchanted Drawing
    The Enchanted Drawing was the first animation to ever be filmed on regular film. The creator was J. Stuart Blackton and the producer was Thomas Edison. This would start an era of animations using normal film, and being able to have not only pictures but also real life images.
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    Image: "The Enchanted Drawing." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2016.
  • Fantasmagorie

    Fantasmagorie
    Fantasmagorie was an animated film made by Émile Cohl, a French animator. The film uses pen and paper and was shot on negative to follow the adventures of a small clown. This was the first film comprised entirely of animation and no live action.
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    Picture/Info: "Fantasmagorie (1908 Film)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2016.
  • Gertie the Dinosaur

    Gertie the Dinosaur
    Gertie the Dinosaur was an animated film during the silent era. Creator Winston McKay would use this film on stage as part of a live action act. Eventually, McKay added the words he would have said in person for non-live shows. This was the earliest animated film to feature a dinosaur.
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    Picture/Info: "Gertie the Dinosaur." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2016.
  • Laugh-O-Gram Studio Files Bankruptcy

    Laugh-O-Gram Studio Files Bankruptcy
    Laugh-O-Gram Studios was a studio owned by Walt Disney before Disney Studios was created. After Bankruptcy, he moved to Hollywood to open the new studio. Without this failure, Disney Studios might not have every existed.
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    Info: "Laugh-O-Gram Studio." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2016.
    Picture: @SqueezeKC. "Laugh-O-Gram Studios | SqueezeBoxCity." SqueezeBoxCity. N.p., 13 June 2015. Web. 14 Sept. 2016.
  • Steamboat Willie

    Steamboat Willie
    Steamboat Willie was Disney's first major success as Walt Disney Studio. It featured Mickey Mouse. Walt Disney would go on to create the company still alive today off the success of this animation.
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    Picture: "Happy Birthday to Mickey and Minnie Mouse." The Hyperion Papers. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2016.
    Info: "Steamboat Willie." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2016.
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

    Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
    Snow White is often considered the first animated full length feature film, because it was the first one that was completely hand made. This was Disney Studios first full length movie as well, starting the era of disney princess movies.
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    Info/Picture: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 Film)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2016.
  • Color TV released/Television Era

    Color TV released/Television Era
    The color tv was released, making it easy to watch fully colored animations at home for Americans. This meant animators could now create cartoons in color, which is whee the world is today.
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    Info: "History of Animation." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2016.
    Picture: "March 25, 1954: RCA TVs Get the Color for Money." Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2016.
  • Pixar's Toy Story

    Pixar's Toy Story
    Toy Story was the first movie to use CGI, or Computer-Generated Imagery. Pixar was the first to feature this technique, which would go on to be used in millions of movies and is still being used.
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    Info/Picture: "Toy Story." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2016.
  • James and the Giant Peach

    James and the Giant Peach
    James and the Giant Peach was one of the first movies to use stop motion animations. This film started as fully live action, and then after the beginning the rest of the movie is entirely stop motion.
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    Info/Picture: Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2016.
  • Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

    Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
    Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi. This was the first attempt to create realistic 3d humans. It was subpar, and due to the difficulty of this technique CGI humans are not often attempted.
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    Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy:_The_Spirits_Within
    Picture: "Redirect Notice." Redirect Notice. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2016.