animationImages

animationImages refers to a collection of still images that are displayed in rapid succession to create the illusion of movement. This technique is a fundamental principle in animation, used across various mediums from traditional hand-drawn cartoons to modern digital animation and even in the creation of animated GIFs and short video loops.

The core concept behind animationImages is the persistence of vision. When still images are presented quickly enough, the human eye and brain retain the image for a fraction of a second after it disappears, leading to a seamless blending of successive frames. This creates the perception of smooth motion. The number of images displayed per second, known as the frame rate, significantly impacts the fluidity of the animation. Higher frame rates generally result in smoother, more realistic movement, while lower frame rates can create a more stylized or choppy effect.

The creation of animationImages typically involves a process of drawing or rendering each individual frame. In traditional animation, this meant artists would meticulously draw each frame by hand. Digital animation allows for more automated processes, such as tweening, where software can generate intermediate frames between key poses. For simple animations, such as animated GIFs, a sequence of images is compiled and played back in a loop. The effectiveness of animationImages lies in the subtle differences between consecutive frames, which when played back rapidly, depict action, character performance, and storytelling.