Animation Key Terms

Understand animation key terms to increase knowledge of animation film production techniques

There are many techniques used to create animated films and there are key terms for each of them. These key terms describe each of these techniques and serve as creative shorthand in the creation of animated films. It is vital for all those who work as professional animators and animated film distributors to take the time to learn animation key terms.

Traditional animation

Traditional animation is sometimes called hand-drawn or cel animation. It is one of the oldest forms of animation. Images are hand-drawn on paper and then transferred to acetate sheets, called cels, where they are lined and colored. They are filmed one by one until it appears that the images are moving naturally. Some traditional animation films include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Pinocchio (1940).

Limited animation

Limited animation uses less intricate images than other forms of animation. This technique also uses fewer images and less movement than other kinds of animation. Hanna-Barbera created limited animation cartoons including The Flintstones (1960) and The Jetsons (1962).

Rotoscoping

Rotoscoping is a process in which an animator traces live action images to create realistic movements with a rotoscope projector. Today, there are computer programs that make this process easier to accomplish. Films created using rotoscoping include American Pop (1981) and Waking Life (2001).

Stop-motion

Stop-motion animation is a technique in which three dimensional objects are moved slightly and then shot one frame at a time until the finished sequence gives the illusion of movement. Some of the more famous stop-motion films are The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and any of the Wallace and Gromit films.

Cut-out animation

Cut-out animation is a stop-motion technique. Images can be hand-drawn or cut-out from magazines or art books and used to create visually exciting animated films. Monty Python's Flying Circus and the television show South Park both use cut-out animation.

Computer animation

Computer animation gives animators the ability to create realistic scenes and characters for their films. Computer animated images are used to create special effects in many live action movies. Examples of computer animated films include Toy Story (1995) and The Incredibles (2004).