Animation History

Status: public · Confidence: medium (0.89) · Basis: verified_sources

## TL;DR

Animation history spans optical toys, hand-drawn and stop-motion production, computer animation, and hybrid digital workflows. For public evidence use, this entry keeps only a small set of source-mapped claims: the 12-principle vocabulary, the transfer of traditional principles into 3D computer animation, and Toy Story's milestone status in CG feature production.

## Core Explanation

The 12 principles associated with Disney animation provide a practical vocabulary for motion, staging, timing, appeal, and related craft decisions. John Lasseter's 1987 SIGGRAPH paper made the bridge explicit by describing how those traditional ideas apply to 3D computer animation. Pixar's own history places Toy Story's 1995 release as a milestone for feature-length CG animation.

This article avoids treating animation history as a single studio lineage. Anime, stop-motion, television animation, independent work, and regional traditions are substantial topics that need dedicated sources before they should be summarized as public claims.

## Further Reading

- [The Illusion of Life](https://books.disney.com/book/the-illusion-of-life/)
- [Principles of Traditional Animation Applied to 3D Computer Animation](https://doi.org/10.1145/37402.37407)
- [Pixar: Our Story](https://www.pixar.com/our-story)

## Related Articles

- [Architecture History](./architecture-history.md)
- [Digital Art and New Media Art History](./digital-art-history.md)
- [Film History](./film-history.md)