Companion website of the book: http://createtolearn.online Rooted in drawing and the visual arts, animation is the oldest of the genres and is an important part of the history of film. In animation, two‐dimensional drawings or three‐dimensional objects are presented in sequential order at 12, 18, or 24 frames per second, which creates an illusion of movement. Animation creates meaning through the imaginative use of symbols that move in time and space, creating a suspension of disbelief that compels viewer attention. Powerful story structures explain why some animated films seem timeless. Branded animated videos are widely used in the online marketplace to promote products and services. Non‐narrative videos use rich content, visual style, and clear temporal structure to attract and hold viewer attention and create learning. Today with simple drag‐and‐drop digital tools, anyone can create a simple animation. Animation is perhaps the most powerful way to represent the uncontainable diversity of the human imagination.

1. CREATE to
LEARN
Renee
Hobbs@reneehobbs
Introduction to Digital Literacy
Chapter 13
Animation
Pages 207 - 222

2. Drawing as
Abstraction
• The act of drawing is not just a way of expressing
thought: it’s a way of thinking.
• Because the physical act of drawing aids in the -
formation of long‐term memories, sketching is the
essence of the creative design process.
• Because animation lets you visualize the impossible,
it taps the limitless imagination of the human being.
• Drawings abstract our experience of reality through
representation. Through pictorial images, we can
appreciate how the formal structure of representing
objects and events shapes our understanding of the
world.

3. Education
and the
Imagination
• Schooling expands thinking, but it also limits it.
• Through animation, students convey an idea, concept, or thought in a way that
words, still pictures, and audio can’t.
• Animations help students internalize the information they are expected to learn.
• As they develop the story and script for an animation, students are naturally
encouraged to write narratives that include descriptive details and clear event
sequences.
• When students create story-boards, it helps them master sequencing, visualization,
details, conflict, and narrative structure

4. Some Types
of Animation
Flipbook Animation: Using a small book, animators draw a series of images, with little variation to
the image so that it appears to move when the pages of the book are flipped.
2D Animation: A limited number of drawings are created using software and the computer is used to
make variations that create the illusion of movement.
3D Animation: Many animated films use this style where computer software is used to create
characters that appear to have depth and often look highly realistic.
Stop‐Motion Animation: Static objects are moved, a little at a time, to create a fluid sense of
movement. Moving puppets, clay objects, or cut‐out pieces of paper all use this style of animation.
Whiteboard Animation: This style can be produced simply by videotaping a person using a
whiteboard.
Typography Animation: When letters and words are animated, different font faces and types, plus
the use of color and space, create a visual look that captures viewer interest and often accompanies
the spoken word.

5. The Power
of
Animation
• Animation is a powerful tool for
persuasion and propaganda.
• Video animations are effective in
persuading people to take action – 90
percent of online users say a video is
effective in making a decision about
purchasing a product or service. In the
first three months of 2015 alone, viewers
watched over 4.1 billion branded videos.

6. Computer animation is essentially a digital
version of stop‐motion animation that
enables a graphic artist to produce scenes at
the computer without the use of actors,
sets, or props.
Today the tools of computer‐generated
animation are available in low‐cost versions
that even young children can learn.
Create Your Own
Animation
OSnap!
PowToon
Moovly

7. Create Your Own
Animation with
7 Easy Steps
1. Develop A scope of Work
2. Identify a Mentor Text
3. Select an animation Production Tool
4. Create Storyboard
5. Create, find or edit the images you need for
your production
6. Show and Receive Feedback
7. Revise and Edit

8. Step 1: Develop
a Scope of
Work
Develop a Scope of Work
where you identify your
purpose, your audience,
and your point of view.

9. Step 2:
Identify a
Mentor
Text
Identify a mentor text that you
admire, one that influences your
thinking about the design of your
work. Study how it has been
constructed, paying special attention
to the use of time.

10. Step 3: Select an Animation Production Tool
Select an animation production tool from thae many free
and low‐cost tools available. You may enjoy exploring
tools like Moovly or PowToon for drag‐ and‐drop
animations or OSnap! for photo animations. You can see
a complete list of simple animation tools on the Create
to Learn website. You may find it useful to experiment
with different tools until you find one that works best for
your purpose.

11. Step 4:
Create
Storyboard
Use storyboarding as a planning
tool for moving image media. A
template of four or six rectangles
per page can be helpful in
visualizing what the viewer will see
and hear. Storyboarding helps you
design visual interest into your
project while enabling you to think
more deeply about the content,
sequence, and structure of your
project.

12. Step 5: Create, find or
edit the images you need
for your production
Produce the images you need
for your production, editing
as you go. Add language,
music, and sound.

13. Step 6: Show
and Receive
Feedback
Show your production to some
people who can offer you frank and
candid feedback. Check to see if the
messages and feelings they get
from your work are aligned with
your purpose and goals.

14. Step 7:
Revise and
Edit
Revise and edit as
needed, adding titles
and credits. Choose
how to distribute
your animation and
use a well‐written
description and
metadata to help it
become more
findable.

15. Animated
Interviews
• Animation is both a genre and a production technique
that is incorporated into many different genres of moving
image media. Many short interview clips have been
illustrated using animation.
• Using stop‐motion animation, the objects move across
the screen in ways that suggest both the emotional
depth and sheer evanescence of music as it affects our
conscious understanding as beings in time.
• Filmmakers makes a visual connection between the
genres of music and animation in order to express the
wildness and uncontainable nature of the human
imagination.

16. Activity: Create an
Animation
Create your own animation using with following steps:
1. Develop A scope of Work
2. Identify a Mentor Text
3. Select an animation Production Tool
4. Create Storyboard
5. Create, find or edit the images you need for your production
6. Show and Receive Feedback
7. Revise and Edit

17. Key
Ideas
• In animation, two‐dimensional drawings or three‐dimensional
objects are presented in sequential order at 12, 18, or 24
frames per second, which creates an illusion of movement.
• Animation creates meaning through the imaginative use of
symbols that move in time and space, creating a suspension of
disbelief that compels viewer attention.
• Non‐narrative videos use rich content, visual style, and clear
temporal structure to attract and hold viewer attention and
create learning.
• Today with simple drag‐and‐drop digital tools, anyone can
create a simple animation.