Computer Animation

What is Computer Animation ?

Computer animation follow the same formats by filming a sequence of painted cells then using more layers, keyframes, and tweening techniques. Layers provide the capabilities to place one image on top of another and to allows all or part of the under lying images show through. This capability allow you to maintained registration between multiple frames of animation and to look how various images in an animation go together.Registration are crucial concept in computer animation. Registration point let you know whether your layers are combined. When you work with Macromedia Freehand, Adobe Illustrator, or another programs that support to layers, you can copy and paste the registration points into every layer in the drawings so that points exactly overlap. On the computer, paint is most filled or drawn with tools using features such as gradients and anti-aliasing (soft gray edges that the make lines appear smooths). The word
inks, in computer animations terminology, usually means special methods for computing RGB (Red, Green, Blue) pixel values, providing edge detection, and layering so that images can blend or otherwise mix their colors to produce special transparency,inversions, and effects.

Computer animation generally refers to any time sequence of visual changes in a scene.In adddition to changig object position with translations or rotations , a computer - generated animatiion could diplay time variations in object size , color, transparency, or surface texture . Advertising animation often transiton one object shape into another for example, transformaing a can of motor oil into a automobile engien . computer animation can also be generated by changing camera parameters, such as position , orientation, and focal length. And we can produce computer animations by changing lighting effect or other parameter and procedures associated with illumination and rendering.Many applications of computer animation requried realistic display.

Design of Animation Sequences:

1. Storyboard layout
2. Object definition
3. Key - frame specifications
4. Generation of in- between frames

The storyboard is an outline of the action. It defines the montion sequence as a set of basic events that are to take place .Depending on the type of animation to be produeced , the storyboard could consist of a set of rough sketces or it could be a list of the basic ideas for the motion.

An object definition is given for each participant in the action . Object can be defined in terms of basic shapas, such as polygons or splines In addition , the associated movements for each object are specified along with shape.

A key frame are detailed drawing of the scene at a certain time in the animation sequence. Within each key frame , each object is positioned according to the time for that frame.Some key frames are chosen at extreme positions in the action; others are spaced so that the time interval between key frame is not too great.

In betweens are the intermeiate frames between the key frames . The number of in - betweens needed is determined by the media to be used to display the animation .Film requires 24 frames per second, and graphics terminals are refreshed at the rate of 30 to 60 frames per second .

General Computer Animation Functions:

Some steps in development of animation sequence are well - suited to computer solution . These include object manipulation and rendering camera motions, and the generation of in - betweens.
One function available in animation packages is provided to store and manage the object database. Object shapes and associated parameters are stores and updated in the database.Other object functions include those for motion generation and thosefor object renderingg. Motion can be generated according to specified constraints using two dimensional or three dimensional transformations.

Another typical function simulates cammera movements . Standard motions are zooming , panning , and tilting.