Animation Art Dictionary

Author: Sun Lijun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: Animation is a highly concentrated medium that encapsulates countless interesting, beautiful, real, or fantastical things within a compact space and time. It can be said that no other visual art form possesses the same level of imagination and impact as animation, as it can effortlessly reverse time, distort space, and allow artists to freely and unimpededly express their ideas. However, fully mastering animation and harnessing its potential to freely explore imaginative spaces is no easy task. Learning and creating animation requires one to become proficient in screenwriting, directing, character animation, and cinematography. It involves learning how to develop an event into a complete story, how to shape and portray the personalities of characters in the film, how to choose suitable media (such as paper, film, cut paper, clay, sand, claymation, and computers) and techniques for animation, as well as how to use appropriate camera language and visuals to bring the animation to life. Before creating any animated film, a story must first be in place. Once the story is well-conceived, how can one effectively and completely convey their ideas and the plot of the story through a series of shots? This is where storyboards come into play. A well-drawn storyboard establishes the temporal framework of events and character movements within the story, detailing the characters' states and positions.
Additionally, animation is an art of time. Each frame itself holds no meaning; it is only when shots of varying durations are arranged sequentially with purpose that animation is formed and meaning is created. Therefore, mastering time is the very soul of animation. Based on this, it can also be said that character animators in animated films bear the responsibilities of actors.
In light of the above, this book provides a comprehensive exposition of various aspects of animation technology. Beyond explaining animation techniques, it systematically introduces the history of animation and animated films from around the world, making it a "chronicle" of animated films. In summary, this book systematically and comprehensively introduces relevant knowledge about animation, covering a broad scope and including the latest and cutting-edge technologies in the field. It is an invaluable reference tool for anyone interested in animation.