Animation is the rapid succession of a series of images in order to create an illusion of a moving picture. In other words, it is an optical impression of motion resulting from the phenomenon of persistence of vision. The moving pictures are produced through a string of consecutive images that reproduce motion by each image showing the next in a gradual progression of steps. If a series of 24 or less cartoon images run per second, it will result in a cartoon animation. Although animation is commonly demonstrated in the form of a motion picture or video program, any other forms of presenting animation also exist, including computer animation like 2D and 3D animations which encompasses a variety of techniques where the animation is created digitally on a computer.
In case of 2D animation, pictures are created and/or edited on the paper or computer screen in a two-dimensional environment such as cel animation or in computerized animation software. The two dimensional (2D) animation software gives movement and action to static images. These figures are created and edited using 2D bitmap graphics or by using 2D vector graphics including automated computerized versions of conventional animation techniques like tweening, morphing, onion skinning, blurring, cell animation, path animation and interpolated rotoscoping. Three dimensional representations of geometric data is stored in the computer to enable calculations and deliver 2D images.
2D animations such as Analog Computer Animation, Macromedia Flash, PowerPoint etc. can be produced using software tools. To give an element of motion to the object, a digital framework process called rigging is applied. The process of 2D Animation involves complete story boarding including each shot of the animation, background design, character design, cell animation, perfect voice synching and flow of the animation including the background music. Every shot in a 2D animation involves multiple single drawings of characters.