Unit 6: Critical Study : The first type of Animation

Cave paintings

Animation dates back to Paleolithic a time which is over 35,000 years ago when attempts were made to capture motion in drawings. The cave paintings of that time depict animals in super imposed positions these were drawn with an aim of conveying the perception of motion.

In cave paintings across France, animals appear to have multiple limbs, heads and tails, but according to the archaeologist and film maker Marc Azema of the University of Toulouse Le Mirail, who spent over two decades studying the phenomenon, the paintings are actually primitive animations. When these animations are viewed unsteady light or flickering flames the image appears to move.

The Egyptians and The Greeks

Byrne (2008, p.9) states that although the phrase "cartoon" is very recent, cartoons goes back to the Ancient Greeks and the Egyptians where they used imagery to tell a story and decorate their vases as for the Egyptian hieroglyphics some consider these to be to be the first type of comic strips. (John, B., 2008., need to know? Cartooning. London, HarperCollins)

In 1600 BC the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses built a temple to Isis. The temple had 110 columns on it and, on each column, was a progressively changed image of Isis. People on horseback riding by would perceive Isis moving.

The Ancient Greeks sometimes decorated pots with figures in successive stages of action. Spinning the pot would create a sense of motion!

The images below are a good example of Disney’s influences for instance the Muses from "Hercules", is inspired by the art found on Greek vases and urns, among the other art from Greece. And how they based the "Lion King's” villain, Scar, from African art. One can notice the similarities of the eyes.