Unit 31 M2 Rob Adams

Rob Adams

Unit 31

M2 - Compare different animation formats 

There are many advantages and disadvantages to using a certain animation format. Some will be smaller in file size, whilst others may provide better quality. This blog post will cover the advantages and disadvantages of three different animation formats, and compare all three of them. 

Animated GIF
Animated GIFs (Graphical Interchange Format) are a series of 4 or more images that are played in frames one after another to create the illusion of movement. The first advantage of animated GIF's is that they are extremely small in file size. This is because they can only benefit from 256 colors. They can also reap the benefits of lossless compression, meaning their file size can be lowered even further, without the GIF actually losing any quality. 
However GIF's doe have disadvantages. They can only benefit from 256 colors, which is not a huge amount at all. If the GIF does have a lot of colors, the process of lossless compression can actually decrease the quality. With the tiny file size and lack of quality that GIF's provide, they are not really suitable for a bigger project, and so are generally used as logo's or images on a web page. 

Flash
Flash animations are created using a timeline. They are played in adobe flash player and have a wide range of uses. From web page animation, to television animations, Flash is used in a wide range of formats. The first advantage of Flash is that it allows the user to use a number of effects to their advantage. Blurring and expanding image are just a few of the features that allow for more artistic expression with flash animation. Another advantage is that flash can create 3D effect, meaning animations are much more intricate and can be used for a wider range of purposes than GIF's. 
However the disadvantages are that Flash files cannot be used on iPhones or iPads, which are very popular in modern society. Another disadvantage is that Flash animations can actually slow the loading time of a website, which would drive potential viewers of the site away. 

Dynamic HTML
Dynamic HTML allows website to become more 'dynamic'. Users can execute a function that, when supported by DHTML, becomes much more dynamic. AN example of this would be the drop down box on a website. This drop down animation means that web designer can store their links to other pages around the website, creating much more room on the main page. One advantage of DHTML is that most we browser already support it. This ensures that it is accessible to everyone, unlike Flash, which is not accessible to users who are trying to view via an iPad or iPhone. Another advantage is that, as stated before, web designers can create pages where link are stored, rather than listed, saving loading time and giving the page a much more professional look. 
DHTML does have some disadvantages however, one being that it can be very expensive. Becomes DHTML provides so much functionality, it is a very expensive tool. The coding for DHTML can also be very complex, meaning users may have to be an expert in it before they can acctually implement it ont their webpage. 

Comparisons
It is a difficult task to choose which of these 3 animation formats is the best. They all have their advantages and disadvantages, and are all suitable for different kinds of projects. If the user wanted to create a dynamic web page for their personal business, DHTML would be the best option. This is because DHTML provides the detail and functionality that GIF's do not, and also ensures that all users can see the animations, something which Flash cannot guarantee. If the user wanted to make a short animated movie, they would be best off using Flash. This is because Flash can provide the tools and effects that the animator needs to express their artistic ideas in the animation, and also allows for 3D effects. DHTML and GIIF's cannot boast these attributes. Finally, if the user wanted to create an animated logo that they could display on their web page, then animated GIF would be the best format. As they are simple and very small file size, the logo culd be easily animated and displayed on the webpage. GIF would be better than Flash for this task because not only is the file size much smaller, but the GIF can be displayed in pretty much every web browser. Flash however cannot be seen on iPhones or iPads, meaning the web designers logo could not bne viewed by users of these products. GIF would also be better than DHTML for an animated logo, because GIF the details and lengthy coding that DHTML requires is simply not needed for a small aniamted logo on a web page. 

Rob Adams Unit 31 M1 Persistence of Vision

Rob Adams

Unit 31

M1 - Explain the Theory of Persistence of Vision.


The theory of the Persistence of Vision is the phenomenon where the retina of a persons eye actually retains an image it sees for a very short time. When images are shown one after another in at a certain rate, the human eye supposedly retains the image it see's, meaning that the space between each image is not noticeable, giving the illusion of animation. As seen in the video to the right, an illusion of constant movement can be created when images are played one after another. To create the animations shown in this video, the creator would have spent a lengthy amount of time slightly adjusting the image and then adding it to the next frame, before moving on and doing the same thing. The theory of persistence of vision would say that the retention of an image within the retina, ensures that when these frames are played in a sequence, it would create the illusion of animation, as the human eye does not see the pause pause between each frame.

Harvard Referencing:

Glossary: Persistence of Vision. 2013. Glossary: Persistence of Vision. [ONLINE] Available at: http://animation.about.com/od/glossaryofterms/g/pervision_def.htm. [Accessed 04 November 2013].

 Persistence of vision. 2013. Persistence of vision. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Persistence_of_vision.html. [Accessed 04 November 2013].