Schlüsselbildanimation

Schlüsselbildanimation, also known as keyframe animation, is a fundamental technique in animation. It involves defining the start and end points of a transition or motion. These points are called keyframes. The animator creates these keyframes, which represent significant poses or positions of an object or character. Between these keyframes, the animation software or another animator calculates and generates the intermediate frames, known as in-betweens. This process makes the animation appear fluid and smooth.

The concept of Schlüsselbildanimation originated in traditional hand-drawn animation. Animators would meticulously draw the most important frames, and a team of in-betweeners would fill in the rest. With the advent of digital animation, software has largely automated the creation of in-between frames through algorithms like interpolation. This allows for faster production and greater precision.

Schlüsselbildanimation is used across various forms of animation, including 2D, 3D, and stop-motion. It is essential for bringing characters to life, animating objects, and creating dynamic visual effects. The quality of the final animation heavily relies on the animator's skill in defining expressive and well-timed keyframes. Precise placement and timing of keyframes are crucial for conveying emotion, weight, and personality to animated elements.