computer animation

In Part Two Alan Kitching gives a detailed account of his own creation: Antics. In the last issue, I gave a general outline of the different types of computer graphics machines around today, and what relevance, if any, they might have for animators. The majority are “3-D” modelling systems, which aim to achieve a machine-made … Read more

Frame-grabbing is used to feed images direct into the machine with a video camera, scanner, or any similar gadget and there are facilities for retouching, tinting, colour balance, posterising, solarising, high-contrast, and enhancement. At present, this is used only for background images. Such backgrounds can also be full live-action, and perfectly matted to overlaying animation. … Read more

Camera FX are much the same as on a rostrum camera, but much more flexible, for example, drawings and cels can zoom independently of backgrounds and other drawings., so an “animated zoom” doesn’t need to be drawn, multi- plane effects are easy, and the zoom ratio can go to well over ten-thousand to one. Graphic … Read more

Cartoon production with Antics generally involves a blend of all these techniques. Some are extremely easy, others are quite difficult. Careful planning is essential, right from storyboard stage, to get the best balance of different techniques for the various different scenes. Basic decisions of style and story can make a great deal of difference to … Read more

In contrast, Antics began as a concept, a clear vision of an “ideal” animation machine, which grew out of my previous ten years experience in conventional animation, graphic design, and architecture. In effect, Antics has been a concept waiting for hardware to come along with sufficient power to handle it properly, and at an affordable … Read more

There are many myths and mis-conceptions about what computer animation can and cannot do. Alan Kitching attempts to clarify things and answer the commonest questions. “Animation” is often synonymous with “cartoons” in many peoples’ minds: “Animation? – Oh, you mean like Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny?” is a typical response, which can be frustrating for … Read more

There is now a huge variety of paintbox systems on the market, varying from low-cost PC systems for business graphics and slides, up to expensive high- resolution systems for full-colour print publishing. Most have little real animation potential other than frame-by-frame use, except that some of them (like Quantel or Bosch) can be combined with … Read more

They work by first creating a 3-D model of an object inside the machine. Various ways of doing this include building it up mathematically from geometric shapes like spheres, cubes and cones, or flat shapes like triangles or polygons, or drawing it as a set of matching plan and elevations, or by tracing with a … Read more