Animation is an art form that has been brought to life through several animation devices.  We commonly think of animation being presented on a big screen, but this was not always the case.  Prior to the creation of the photographic film projector, by the Lumière brothers, animation was viewed differently.  Animation was brought to life through the use of animation devices.  This week, I felt it would be interesting to talk more about some animation devices we’ve learned about in class.  In particular, I will focus on the zoetrope and its successor the praxinoscope. Minute changes between the zoetrope and the praxinoscope vastly improved the viewing experience of animation.

The modern zoetrope was invented in 1833 by William George Horner.  The name derives from the Greek words “zoe” and “tropos.”  The word “zoe” means life and “tropos” means turn.  The zoetrope was cylindrical in shape and had slits cut vertically in the sides.  Inside of the cylinder there were frames of drawings or photographs that would come alive when the device was twirled.  The device was used to form an illusion through a rapid series of still pictures.  In order to use the device you would look through the slits on the cylinder while it twirled.  The pictures would blur together and create the illusion of movement.  The zoetrope’s name is very fitting because it essentially created a sense of life through turning.  The animation device was well received when it debuted, but interest declined after the invention of its successor, the praxinoscope.

The praxinoscope was invented by Emile Reynaud in 1877.  Like most other things animation devices were improved upon.  The creation of the praxinoscope allowed users to see a clearer picture than the zoetrope had.  The toy was set up similarly to how the zoetrope had been.  For example, it was still cylindrical in shape and was lined with images inside.  The viewing slits were taken away and replaced with an inner circle of mirrors.  As the device turned the mirrors helped create a smoother, brighter, and clearer sense of motion than the zoetrope.

Advancements in animation devices are much like advancements in other things.  Gradually, people find ways to improve upon the things we use in everyday life.  The differences between the zoetrope and praxinoscope were very small and yet they created a vast improvement upon the animation viewing experience.  The way animation is created is continually changing.  For example, traditional cell drawing is seemingly being replaced by the less time constraining art of computer animation.  The advancement of technology and ideas are linked directly to the improvement of animation and many other things.  I wonder how we will be viewing our beloved animations in five to ten years.

This week I commented on James & David this week.

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