Difference Between Traditional Cutout Animation and Computer Cutout Animation

raditional and Computer Cutout Animation

Cutout animation

Cut out animation is one of the simplest and oldest animation techniques and has many forms and variations. Cutout animation is a form of stop-motion animation. Cutout animation is much exactly what it sounds like: cutout shapes arranged on a flat surface and manually moved and repositioned to simulate the animation.

Cutouts can be the white paper, colored paper with drawing on it, even photographs and can be completely flat or can sometimes be 3D objects, though this ventures away from cutout animation and into stop-motion animation. Many often use cutout animation to make photographs of animals and people to make it seem as if they are moving or talking, often resulting in a 2D marionette effect.

Difference between Traditional Cutout Animation and Computer Cutout Animation

Traditional Cutout Animation

The main building blocks for this type of animation are figures that are a cutout of larger pictures or drawn on a piece of paper or cardboard specifically for use as cutout figures. These sectioned images are reassembled on a flat background and photographed one frame at a time. Between shooting each frame, the figure’s position is slightly changed. Its slight movement, accumulated over the length of the film, gives the illusion of motion.

Equipment Use in Traditional Cutout Animation

For traditional cutout animation, the minimum equipment required includes a flat, well-lit work surface, pictures, paper, scissors and a movie camera capable of exposing one or two frames at a time. A flat sheet of glass is often used to hold the figures in place for each shot.

Computer Cutout Animation

Computer cutout animation works on the same principle as the traditional method but eliminates the need for paper, cardboard or scissors. Instead, a picture is loaded into a graphics software package and separated into discrete elements. Each element is placed on the individual layer of a frame where the part can be manipulated without disturbing the remaining pieces of a picture. As with the traditional method, each small change has to save separately. Unlike the traditional way, animation software can be used to smooth transitions between frames, reducing or eliminating jerky, unnatural movement and to compile the collection of individual pictures into an animated cartoon.

Equipment Use in Computer Animation

The Computer method requires a computer and animation software. Figures can be drawn on the computer by hand or imported from clip art, graphic pictures or any other source capable of being stored digitally.

Examples of Cutout Animation

The animated series “South Park” is one example of cutout animation. Early episodes of this cartoon were generated using the traditional animation method. Current episodes are computer generated using the cutout method to maintain the look and feel of the original. The animated shorts created by Terry Gilliam used to link sketches in “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” episodes and films were created using the traditional method only.

Cutout Animation Is Popular With New Animators

Despite the difficulty of cutout animation, it is still a relatively simple animation technique that quite popular among the beginners because it requires little drawing or application of complex animation principles although, in the hands of more advanced animators, the technique can produce some surprisingly spectacular results. Some choose to add in special effects after filming, using programs like Adobe Aftereffects, Adobe Photoshop.

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