Traditional animation is a timeless craft that has driven the countless works of films, television, and media harnessing the globe today. The process involves animators creating sequences of hand-drawn action and are then photographed and played back rapidly. Some iconic examples are Who Framed Roger Rabbit and The Lion King.

This form of artistry has roots from the late 1800s, with Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs being its first worldwide successor in 1937. However, there were other examples before this film, such as the phenakistoscope and zoetrope, which created the illusion of motion through moving discs. The introduction of celluloid sheets came around 1913, causing a significant leap through traditional animation. Despite Disney's popularity with Snow White, Winsor McCay's short film Gertie the Dinosaur in 1913 was the real ground breaker for traditional animation, marking a pivotal moment in the industry.

To create a smooth motion, animators follow a principle known as "on twos", which is capturing two frames per drawing for 24 frames per second, resulting in 12 drawings per second. Alternatively, there is a principle named "on ones", the aforesaid especially present in Richard Williams' work, who is a well renowned animator.

Despite advancements in technology, the charm of labor-intensive traditional work still perseveres through an animator's personal touch when illustrating on celluloid. Some techniques pivotal to cel animation include yet are not limited to; story-boarding, rotoscoping, inbetweening, and key frames.

However, the line work and use of monochrome is not the only impressive feat that animators face. Colorists add vibrancy through paint and ink departments, meticulously filling each cel before photography takes place. This time-consuming bedding of color creates depth and brings illustrated worlds to life. Think of color stylists and art directors as the unsung heroes behind the scene, as they determine the overall style and color schemes.

Lastly, optical printing combines layers of imagery for composite shots, such as the background, characters, and foreground. This rendering of the animation can implement special effects and camera techniques to apply dimensionality and depth.

While computer animation now dominates the industry, hand-drawn animation still bleeds through a few industries, with Disney's and Studio Ghibli's work highly regarded around the world.

As with all forms of animation, it is the art of manipulating frames to provide the illusion of motion. However, 3D animation takes it a step further by illustrating scenes in a three-dimensional plane. This provides a consistent depth and takes into account of all the limbs of a character, whilst 2D animation only draws what the eye can see.

Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, computer scientists worked on the principles of 3D animation and how to apply it onto bigger projects such as films and television. Designers Edwin Catmull, who would go on to co-found Pixar, and Frederic Parke were some of the first to create realistic humanoid hands and and faces on digital rigs. 

Software continued to flourish and update well into the 1980s and 3D animation soon became the primary medium in the early 1990s. Veggie Tales was the first fully 3D animated television series in the United States in 1993, and Hollywood blockbusters Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park both used the method extensively.

By 1995, 3D animation was tested vigorously through a feature-length film, with Pixar's Toy Story. However, the movie received a wide array of critical support and worldwide success, remembered as the first-ever completely computer animated film.

This process is completed with a series of polygons, edges, and vertices in a simulated 3D space. Whilst cel animation is more reliant on individual artistic skill and creativity, this form of animation is more technical and requires the knowledge of computers and rendering software.

3D models are fitted over a 'skeleton' to create more realistic and solid forms. While being more convenient over the laborious cel animation, it could be more time-consuming and expensive due to the several development stages involved. There are 11 primary steps in 3D animation;

• Concept and storyboards — Creation of several designs to refine the final product and visualize ideas.

• 3D modelling — The process of taking several shapes and forming an efficient model, be it a character or prop.

• Texturing — Also known as mapping, the process of adding appropriate texture, detail, and color to a model.

• Rigging — Setting up a controllable skeleton for the model to prepare for animation.

• Animation — The process of taking the 3D object and creating action with it.

• Lighting — Applying simulated lighting to make a scene convincing and more refined.

• Camera setting —To establish and manipulate camera angles.

• Rendering — Creating a final render of the scene.

• Compositing and Special VFX — Bringing final renditions into compositing programs to edit, touch up, and add special effects.

• Music and Foley — Adding music and sound effects that line up with the scene. 

• Editing and final output — Combining all elements of effects, music, and animation to make sure everything is synchronized.

The origins of stop-motion animation has traced back to the early days of film-making in the late 19th century, flourishing from cel animation. One significant milestone for stop-motion animation history was Albert E. Smith and J. Stuart Blackton's The Humpty Dumpty Circus in 1898. The short film featured a variety of circus acts performed by miniature figures which came to life through stop-motion techniques.

In the following years, stop-motion became more prominent in the animation industry as filmmakers experimented with different techniques and narratives. One notable mention came about in 1925 with The Lost World, worked on by Willis O'Brien. However, it was his production on the 1933 King Kong that truly propelled stop-motion into the spotlight. The film's portrayal of a convincingly realistic ape captured audiences worldwide and set a new standard for visual effects in cinema.

In the 1960s, replacing interchangeable parts or constructing clay models became favored over manipulating physical objects frame-by-frame, which made animators' work more fluid and smooth in movement.

The digital and technological advancements throughout the 20th century created more opportunities for stop-motion. Filmmakers, namely Henry Selick and Tim Burton, embraced this new medium, combining traditional stop-motion techniques and CGI to create compelling and visually stunning films such as Coraline and Nightmare Before Christmas.

In modern-day stop-motion, it only continues to thrive with fascinating and surreal approaches. Wes Anderson, a well-known filmmaker, harnessed this form of animation later on and created the famed  Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs, which both received critical success for their deeper meanings woven into emotionally strung scenery.