When motion becomes animation

Ryan Woodward, on animation:

The Illusion of Life. This is where it’s at. […]

If the movement doesn’t help the viewer to believe that this character or object has life, then by definition, it’s not animation. That is the distinction between motion graphics and animation. Animation is hard to accomplish.

Motion can be decorative, technical or impressive in its own right. Animation has to do something more difficult: it has to make the viewer believe there is life behind the movement.

Bonus: Ryan Woodward’s brilliant short 2D animation, Thought of You.

Via Steven Scott (@stv_scott).