history of animation
ANIMATION BEFORE FILM. With the spread of the Industrial Revolution in Europe and North America in the 18th and 19th centuries came experimentation with ...
history of animation

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[**Early Ways   of Showing   Motion**](#Section-1)

[**Animation   Before   Film**](#Section-2)

[**THE   SILENT  ERA**](#Section-3)

[**The Golden   Age of American Animation**](#Section-4)

[**The American  Television   Era**](#Section-5)

[**Modern   American   Era**](#Section-6)

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You
don’t have to be a cartoonist to have animation be a big part of your life. Animation
is everywhere—in our homes, schools, work, and everywhere there’s a screen. And
if you grew up in the United States, chances are you’ve witnessed seminal
accomplishments in animation history without even knowing it.



Does Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ring a
bell? What about Toy Story…or The Flintstones? These works marked
important milestones in animation, an art form that continuously challenges its
creators to push technology so artists can to bring to life what the mind can
imagine. Let’s celebrate it.

Y

ou
don’t have to be a cartoonist to have animation be a big part of your life. Animation

is everywhere—in our homes, schools, work,

and everywhere there’s a screen. And
if you grew up in

the United States, chances are you’ve witnessed seminal
accomplishments in animation history without even

knowing it. Does _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_ ring

a
bell? What about _Toy Story_…or _The Flintstones?_ These

works marked
important milestones in animation, an

art form that continuously challenges its
creators to

push technology so that anything that can be imagined

can also be brought to life.

1

30,000 B.C. – 1500 A.D.

# Early ways  of showing  motion

Archeological artifacts prove that we’ve been attempting to depict things in motion as long as we’ve been able to draw. Some notable examples from ancient times, as well as an example from the

European Renaissance, include:

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d8e1d5673830fd185e41ea_Shar_Pottery_Small.png)

## 3,000 B.C.

### Shahr-e Sukhteh

A bronze-age pottery bowl depicts goats leaping

(Shahr-e Sukhteh, Iran).

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d8e1d5673830fd185e41ea_Shar_Pottery_Small.png)

# 30,000 B.C.

# SHAHR-E SUKHTEH

A bronze-age pottery bowl depicts goats leaping

(Shahr-e Sukhteh, Iran).

## 1500 A.D.

### Vitruvian Man

Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man drawing shows

multiple angles, implying movement.

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d18ad496ddd0e94489455c_Davinci_Book.jpg)

2

1600 – 1877

# ANIMATION  BEFORE   FILM

With the spread of the Industrial Revolution in Europe and North America in the 18th and 19th centuries came experimentation with machines that would make images appear to move.

1603

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d4560344a5e15c6a21076c_Magic_Lantern.png)

### Magic lantern

The Magic Lantern is an image projector using pictures on sheets of glass. Since some sheets contain moving parts, it is considered the first example of projected animation.

1603

1824

1831

1834

1868

1877

1824

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54e17b47691f69a5629aa5f9_thaumatrope.png)

### Thaumatrope

The thaumatrope housed a rotating mechanism with a different
picture on each side.

When rotated, you saw a combined picture (known as persistence
of vision).

1603

1824

1831

1834

1868

1877

1831

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54e180bc0eb2d7a462aed99c_Phenakistoscope_3g07692b.gif)

### Phenakitoscope

The phenakitoscope featured spinning disks reflected in
mirrors that

made it seem like the pictures were moving.

1603

1824

1831

1834

1868

1877

1834

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54e17de10eb2d7a462aed987_phena_head_bash_HQ.gif)

### Zoetrope

The zoetrope was a hollow drum that housed images on long interchangeable

strips that spin and made the images appear to move.

1603

1824

1831

1834

1868

1877

1868

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54e1834d0b1a5d3055c49bb3_Untitled-3a.png)

### Flip-book

The flip-book, also known as the kineograph, reached a wide
audience and is credited

with inspiring early animators more than the machines
developed in this era.

1603

1824

1831

1834

1868

1877

1877

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54e1869498a59a2e55a4634a_Praxinoscope-2.png)

### Movieola/praxinoscope

The praxinoscope expanded on the zoetrope, using multiple
wheels to rotate images.

It is considered to have shown the first prototypes of
the animated cartoon.

1603

1824

1831

1834

1868

1877

3

1900 – 1930

# THE  SILENT  ERA

The early 20th century marks the beginning of theatrical showings of cartoons, especially in the United States and France. Many animators form studios, with Bray Studios in New York proving the most successful of this era. Bray helped launch the careers of the cartoonists that created Mighty Mouse, Betty Boop, and Woody Woodpecker.

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d5aeb89698023e0801f723_Homorous_Faces_Sample.png)

# 1906

### Humorous phases of funny faces

marks the first entirely animated film, using stop-motion

photography to create action.

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d5ae0ba267e33f089fffb9_Fantasmagorie.png)

# 1908

### fantasmagorie

is the first animated film using hand-drawn animation, and is considered

by film historians to be the first animated cartoon.

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d57b5418751c436be25271_Gertie_dinner_party.jpg)

# 1908

# GERTIE THE DINOSAUR

A bronze-age pottery bowl depicts goats leaping

(Shahr-e Sukhteh, Iran).

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d5876818751c436be252e5_Felix.jpg)

# 1914

# Felix the cat

Musical Mews and Feline Follies introduced Felix the Cat—often

considered the first animated movie star.

# 1914

### Gertie the dinosaur

is considered the first cartoon to feature

an appealing
character.

# 1919

### Felix the cat

Musical Mews and Feline Follies introduced Felix the Cat—often
considered the first animated movie star.

# 1928

### STEAMBOAT WILLIE

featuring Mickey Mouse—becomes the first cartoon with the sound printed on the film,

and is the first notable success for Walt Disney Studios, founded in Los Angeles in 1923.

#### Original Sketch

Rare original layout drawing featuring Mickey

and Black Pete from Steamboat Willie.

#### Original Storyboard

This original page from the script of Steamboat Willie,

was found in Walt Disney’s files years after he died.

“

# If you can dream it, you can do it.

– WALT DISNEY –

”

FEATURED ARTIST

Walt Disney

D

isney was born on December 5, 1901, in Hermosa

Illinois. He and his brother Roy co-founded Walt Disney Productions, which became one of the best-known motion-picture production companies in the world.

Disney was an innovative animator and created the cartoon character Mickey Mouse. He won 22 Academy Awards

during his lifetime, and was the founder of theme parks Disneyland and Walt Disney World. As an animator and

entrepreneur, Disney was particularly noted as a filmmaker and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. He and his staff created numerous

fictional characters including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. Disney himself was the original voice for Mickey. In addition to his Academy Awards, Disney won seven Emmy Awards. Today, there are Disney theme parks around the world, including Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong.

7

Emmy Awards

22

Academy Awards

19

Animated Features

4

1930-1950s

# THE GOLDEN  AGE OF AMERICAN  ANIMATION

During what many consider to be the “Golden Age” of animation, theatrical cartoons became an integral part of popular culture. These years are defined by the rise of Walt Disney (Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Silly Symphonies), Warner Brothers, MGM, and Fleischer (Betty Boop, Popeye).

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d6c11436ecab51050e4363_Cel_Depth_1.png)![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d6c129ac8c83601ea3e999_Cel_Depth_2.png)![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d6911b5172ab50051556d1_Cel_Depth_3.png)

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d8ebb5e83f58fe18e7b128_Cel_Depth_all.png)

# 1937

### SNOW WHITE

Walt Disney releases Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first animated

feature to use hand-drawn animation.

FIRST HAND-DRAWN

Animated Feature Film

#### Did you Know?

The voice of the Wicked Queen, was able to achieve

the raspy Old Hag’s voice by removing her dentures.

#### Fun Fact

It took almost two years to come up with

the final renderings of the Seven Dwarfs.

5

1960-1980s

# The   American   Television   Era

The animation industry began to adapt to the fact that television continued its rise as the

entertainment medium of choice for American families. Studios created many cartoons for TV, using a “limited animation” style. By the mid ‘80s, with help from cable channels such as The Disney Channel and Nickolodeon, cartoons were ubiquitous on TV.

# 1960

### FlintsTones

Hanna-Barbera releases The Flintstones, the first animated

series on prime-time television.

# 1961

### Yogi Bear

The Yogi Bear Show, a spin-off of Huckleberry Hound

(another Hanna-Barbera production), debuts on national TV.

ACADEMY AWARD WINNER

# Best Short Film

# 1964

### The Pink Phink

DePatie-Freleng Enterprises wins the Academy Award for Best Short Film

for The PinkPhink (of the Pink Panther series) and continues to

create shorts for theatrical release.

# 1964

### Fritz the Cat

Fritz the Cat is released—the first animated

adult (X-rated) feature film.

# 1964

# FRITZ THE CAT

Fritz the Cat is released—the first animated

adult (X-rated) feature film.

6

1980 – 2014

# Modern   American   Era

The CGI (computer generated imagery) revolutionized animation. A principal difference of CGI animation compared to traditional animation is that drawing is replaced by 3D modeling, almost like a virtual version of stop-motion. A form of animation that combines the two and uses 2D computer drawing can be considered computer aided animation.

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d7dc8c4a860305378020ac_Tell-Us-About-Your-First-Mac-Apple-Asks-for-Your-Feedback-420432-2.jpg)

# 1984

### The Adventures of Andre & Wally B

This short film was the first fully CGI-animated film,

created by The Graphics Group, the precursor to Pixar.

# 1964

# THE ADVENTURES OF ANDRE & WALLY B

The Adventures of Andre and Wally B., the first

fully CGI-animated film short

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d7f75be83f58fe18e7a0d6_Cloud_1.png)![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d7fd439dd758043771adb0_Cloud_2.png)![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d7fdd94a860305378022e7_Cloud_3.png)![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d7fd439dd758043771adb0_Cloud_2.png)![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d7fdd94a860305378022e7_Cloud_3.png)

# 1987

### The simpsons

The Simpsons is an American adult animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is the longest-running American sitcom, the longest-running American animated program, and in 2009 it surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest-running American scripted primetime television series.

![](https://assets.website-files.com/54c9bf9111623c837b0e76a5/54d80d0a673830fd185e28c9_Smaller_BG_Simpsons.png)

LONGEST-RUNNING

# American  Animated  Program

FIRST FULLY

# Computer Animated Feature

# 1995

### Toy story

Toy Story, the first fully computer-animated

feature film, was released.

# 2014

### BIG HERO 6

Big Hero 6 is the first Disney animated film

to feature Marvel Comics characters

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