Animatrix
Beginner

What Is Animation?

Discover the magic behind moving images. Perfect for absolute beginners.

5 lessons45 min4.9 rating12,842 students
Maya Okonkwo
10 years at Pixar working on character animation.

What you'll learn

  • Why a sequence of still images feels like motion
  • The 12 Principles of Animation
  • How frame rate shapes the feel of a shot
  • When to choose 2D vs 3D
  • How to make your very first flipbook
  • Where to take your skills next

Requirements

  • Curiosity — nothing else required.
  • A notebook helps for the flipbook lesson.

About this course

Discover the magic behind moving images. Perfect for absolute beginners. This course breaks the topic down into 5 digestible lessons — about 9 minutes each. Every lesson has a hands-on exercise and a short quiz so the ideas actually stick. By the end you'll have practiced everything in Animatrix itself, not just watched it happen.

Lesson plan

  1. 01The History of Animation
    8 min
  2. 02The 12 Principles of Animation
    10 min
  3. 03Frame Rates Explained
    7 min
  4. 042D vs 3D Animation
    10 min
  5. 05Your First Flipbook
    10 min