Animation Timeline for Teachers

Home , Cutout animation, History of animation, Thaumatrope, Zoetrope

A simplified timeline of animation throughout history. In this document we’ve outlined some of the key moments in history. Spend some time working your way through the timeline below. The links will exemplify each selected key moment in the history of animation.

http://zoetrope.org/zoetrope-history

180 AD: A type of zoetrope is invented by Ting Huan.

http://www.slides.uni-trier.de c. 1650: Magic Lantern is developed.

http://courses.ncssm.edu/gallery/collections/toys/html/exhibit06.htm#video

1824: Sir John Herschel invents the thaumatrope.

http://www.mediacollege.com/glossary/p/persistence-of-vision.html

1824: Peter Roget presents his paper: ”The persistence of vision with regard to moving objects.”

http://www.howcast.com/videos/148840-How-to-Create-a-Phenakistoscope

1831: Dr. Joseph Antoine Plateau and Dr. Simon Rittrer construct a machine called a phenakitstoscope.

1868: The first flipbook is patented in 1868 by John Barnes Linnett as the kineograph.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrRUDS1xbNs

1872: Eadweard Muybridge starts his photographic gathering of animals in motion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dRe85cNXwg

1906: J. Stuart Blackton makes the first animated film, which he called "Humorous phases of funny faces."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEAObel8yIE

1908: In France, Emile Cohl produces a film, Phantasmagorie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjHaj4rLqgA

1910: Emile Cohl makes En Route, the first paper cutout animation, which saves him time because he doesn’t have to redraw each new cell. He only has to reposition the paper.

https://vimeo.com/48709533

1914: Winsor McCay produces "Gertie, The Trained Dinosaur," which consists of 10,000 drawings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBgghnQF6E4

1928: Walt Disney creates the first cartoon with synchronized sound, "Steamboat Willie."

1964: Ken Knowlton, working at Bell Laboratories, starts developing computer techniques for producing animated movies.

1995: Toy Story is the first full-length 3D CG feature film.

For a more in depth study please see: http://www.joshuamosley.com/UPenn/courses/Ani/AnimationHistory.html