New Web Animation Techniques Your Clients are Pining For
According to web animation critic Lee Dannacher, “There’s a cultural energy splashing over the Internet these days, generated by the zillions of animated images coming at us with virtually every click, wherever we go.” The industry has been embraced by the Internet as multi media applications continue to develop at an exponential rate. And the catalysts for growth are the tools and techniques that web animators employ to bring web sites to life.
3D Animation Actors: Cases in Point
- Animated Motion. Performance animation is not new to the scene, but the boundaries have been pushed back to allow greater flexibility.
- CGI. The capabilities of CGI allow web animation pros to combine real-life characters’ expressions and mannerisms with a special blend of motion sensor and computer artistry.
- Shockwave. Shockwave, now appearing on millions of web pages across the Internet, allows for engaging and involving content to be applied across a broad menu of audience choices like games, animations, music, and creativity applications.
A report in the December edition of animation think tank uiGarden called “Human-Computer Interaction: Guidelines for Web Animation” provides some useful information for animators looking for a holistic improvement to their projects.
Flash Animation and the Dating Game
- Avoid Distractions. There’s affine line that animation artists walk between necessary web animation and unnecessary clutter. As a rule, don’t allow your web animation to distract from salient information.
- Relieve Clutter. Another issue to contend with is the cluttered web page. Too many separate web animations tend to make a site look busy, and visitors to keep right on clicking.
- Adhere to Color. Animation pros should be cognizant of the implications of color as they build their web animations. Try to match the color with the mood and purpose of your site.
Of course, these are only recommendations. There are always cases in web animation where the rules must be bent or broken, to a certain degree. But adding advanced techniques in a sensible method will improve your prospects.
Sources
Dotcomix: Capturing Animated Motion On The Net
Human-Computer Interaction: Guidelines for Web Animation
Shockwave.Com: Fun and Games on a High-Flying Hub
