Updated Articles and Resources

By Adrien-Luc Sanders, About.com Guide since 2005

Reader Question: What Is Drawn-on-Film Animation? Created: Monday, May 21, 2012 Updated: Monday, May 21, 2012
Cels? Who needs cels? Drawn-on-film gets rid of the cels, the paint, and the cameras to take animation to a micro - and very hands-on - level.
What Is Pin / Pinscreen Animation? Created: Monday, May 21, 2012 Updated: Monday, May 21, 2012
Creating an animation using pointillism would be insanely difficult...but even more difficult if all those
What Is Sand Animation? Created: Monday, May 21, 2012 Updated: Monday, May 21, 2012
You've probably heard the term
What's The Difference Between Japanese and American Animation? Created: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 Updated: Wednesday, February 29, 2012
I'm not about to throw my towel in the ring over the fight between which is better, Japanese or American animation...but nonetheless, let's take a look at a comparison between the two and what make..
What Are Structural Lines and Center Lines? Created: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 Updated: Wednesday, February 29, 2012
It's almost impossible to draw a perfectly balanced character in symmetrical perspective without a few guidelines, let alone animate them accurately. The most basic of guidelines are called structu..
Animation Careers Outside of Entertainment: Forensic Animation Created: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 Updated: Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Not every animator ends up producing for the big (or small) screen. More interested in solving problems? Forensic animation may be for you.
ActionScripting Challenge: Flash Candy Heart Explained Created: Friday, February 08, 2008 Updated: Monday, February 13, 2012
This lesson breaks down the various functions involved in the ActionScripting Challenge to make a custom candy heart generator in Flash.
How Do I Get Into Animation School? Created: Tuesday, February 07, 2012 Updated: Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Trying to figure out how to get into animation school? Just like any other college, there are a few requirements - and while some are the same, others are wildly different.
Seven Ways To Tank Your Animation Created: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Updated: Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Oh, sure, you've heard of seven ways to improve your animation or seven ways to make a blockbuster animation, but maybe you're one of those people who's addicted to failure. Or you like obscurity. ..
Flash Color Quiz: What's Your Mood? Created: Sunday, January 13, 2008 Updated: Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Learn how to make a basic color quiz that analyzes one's mood based on split-second color choices.
Storytelling For Animation Created: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Updated: Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Animating is about much more than just sequencing frames together to create motion. It's about telling a story - and it takes quite a bit of thought, imagination, and planning to make sure it's a g..
Animating With Purpose Created: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Updated: Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Realistic animation isn't just about perfectly capturing animated motion and facial expressions. It's about imbuing characters with an intangible sense of life that makes them real. One of the most..
How Do I Vary Line Weight In My Animations? Created: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 Updated: Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Line weight is a subtle but invaluable way to add depth and polish to your animation, as long as it's properly used. But how do you create line weight? How do you change it?
Creating An Animation Sample Sheet As A Companion For Your Resume Created: Saturday, December 31, 2011 Updated: Saturday, December 31, 2011
Sample sheets can be an invaluable supplement to any animator's resume.
How To Create An Animation Resume Created: Saturday, December 31, 2011 Updated: Saturday, December 31, 2011
Never written a resume for an animation career? Here's a few tips to help you out.
What's the Difference Between AutoCAD and Other 3D programs? Created: Saturday, December 31, 2011 Updated: Saturday, December 31, 2011
CAD programs seem like just another type of 3D animation software - but really, what's the difference? Why do CAD programs get their own special classification?
As a Freelance Animator, Should I File My U.S. Taxes As Self-Employed, or Register as a Corporation? Created: Saturday, December 31, 2011 Updated: Saturday, December 31, 2011
It's hard to deal with self-employment taxes, as a freelance animator. In some cases registering as a corporation can help, but you should be aware of the specifics and whether or not you qualify t..
Animation Careers Outside of Entertainment: Science & Engineering Created: Saturday, December 31, 2011 Updated: Saturday, December 31, 2011
Want to be an animator but not interested in the entertainment industry? You may be more at home in one of the many science or engineering disciplines that make copious use of 3D animation tools.
2D Animation Tricks for a Distinctive Style Created: Saturday, December 31, 2011 Updated: Saturday, December 31, 2011
You've probably seen some pretty cool 2D animations that use style tricks a little different from the standard side-scrolling, black-lined textbook animation. There are tons of ways to make your an..
Animation Software Review: Pivot Stickfigure Animator Created: Saturday, December 31, 2011 Updated: Saturday, December 31, 2011
Creating a stickfigure animation isn't as easy as it looks, especially in detailed programs such as Flash. In a custom-built program just for that, though, it's so simple it's painful - and that's ..
How to Use a Light Table for Animation Created: Saturday, December 31, 2011 Updated: Saturday, December 31, 2011
So you have a light table - but are you using it to its full potential to help you in your traditional animation work?
Flash Fortune-Teller/Random Sentence Generator with User Input Created: Monday, January 22, 2007 Updated: Monday, December 26, 2011
Similar to the Magic 8-ball but building on the techniques used, you can create a random sentence generator that can take user-input words and string them together into funny sentences.
Ask the Magic 8-Ball: Using Flash to Create a Magic 8-Ball Application Created: Sunday, December 24, 2006 Updated: Monday, December 26, 2011
Will you have a merry Christmas? Will 2007 be a good year? Will you get that promotion? Ask the magic 8-ball....or use Flash and Actionscripting to make your own.
Five Inexpensive Animation Solutions for the Mac Created: Monday, January 15, 2007 Updated: Monday, December 19, 2011
Frustrated by the dearth of inexpensive animation solutions compatible with the robust and powerful Macintosh platform? Take a look at this list of five software packages that will let you animate ..
Dynamic eCard with Flash and PHP Created: Sunday, December 17, 2006 Updated: Monday, December 19, 2011
Combing Flash animation, ActionScripting, and PHP to create an eCard with user-defined messages taken from input fields, and then dynamically generate a URL that allows users to share their custom ..
Custom Christmas Tree Ornaments that Move with Drag & Drop or Arrow Keypresses Created: Sunday, December 03, 2006 Updated: Monday, December 12, 2011
With Flash, you can enhance user interactivity by creating objects - such as the ornaments on this
Flash Tip: Flash vs. Flash Player - What's the Difference? Created: Saturday, October 15, 2005 Updated: Saturday, December 03, 2011
When referring to
Why Do My 3D Models All Look Like Plastic? Created: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 Updated: Wednesday, November 30, 2011
If you don't know how to use maps and lighting in your 3D modeling program, you're doing yourself a disservice. If you've perfected your modeling skills yet can't get rid of that plastic look, this..
What Is Attraction in Animation? Created: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 Updated: Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Attraction in animation isn't quite the same as when you meet someone hot at the club, but it involves the same principles: something catches your attention and lures you to look its way. How does ..
How To Create An Animation Flip Book Created: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 Updated: Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Ever tried to make a animation flip book? It's not nearly as complicated as it seems, and can be a good way to practice your animation principles by using unorthodox sequential animations instead o..
What Animation Myths Do You Hate? Created: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 Updated: Wednesday, November 30, 2011
There are more myths about the animation industry than I can count. Which ones would you like to see dispelled?
Top Five Animation Myths Created: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 Updated: Wednesday, November 30, 2011
People have the strangest ideas about animation and the animation industry. Here are a few myths I've encountered, and the truth behind them.

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