Curriculum Animation
Optical toys: making drawings move using techniques based on optical toys
Print this page Print this page

Movement paths

Though you can show a ball bouncing by drawing the ball at each stage of the bounce, it is easier to plan the path of the ball. When the path has been drawn you simply put the drawings along the path.

Ball path
 

Search: Movement Path
 

Types of movement

There are four basic types of movement:

1.

A regular path like a car moving along at the same speed in the same direction. It would come in on one side of the screen and disappear off the other side.
   
 

Search: Animated car
   
2.

The cycle. This is where the movement continuously repeats itself such as a propeller or windmill. Once it has gone all the way round it repeats itself in the same direction.The cycle. This is where the movement continuously repeats itself such as a propeller or windmill. Once it has gone all the way round it repeats itself in the same direction.

Windmill propeller
   
 

Search: Animated windmill
   
3.

A ping-pong cycle where the movement reverses and repeats itself such as a pendulum or a piston.

 Pistons
Pendulum
   
 

Search: Animated engines - Animated Pendulum
   
4.

A random path. This might be a kite, or a snooker ball bouncing around the table. It never repeats itself, and changes speed and direction.

Try drawing the path of a frog jumping. Each bounce will be the same size.

Frog jumping

Here is the path of a ball bouncing. The ball is bouncing to a halt so each bounce gets smaller.

Ball bouncing

Now try drawing the path of a kite flying. Its movements will be random.

Kite
 

Search: Animated kite
 
Part 2 Contents Previous Page Next Page

Email: stan@makemovies.co.uk. Page last updated:

© 2002-2009 Stan Hayward. All rights reserved.