Character animation is a special aspect of the animation process, in which life is breathed into an artificial character. One of the most difficult aspects of both the traditional animation process and the computer animation process, character animation involves creating the nuances, gestures, distinct movements, and patterns of speech that will make an audience believe that the character is actually alive. 12 drawings per second is the typical rate for an animated cartoon. ... Traditional animation, sometimes also called cel animation or hand-drawn animation, is the oldest and historically the most popular form of animation. ... Computer animation is the art of creating moving images via the use of computers. ...

Historically, Winsor McKay's Gertie the Dinosaur, 1914, is often considered the very first example of true character animation. Otto Messmer imbued his Felix the Cat with an instantly recognizable personality during the 1920s. The following decade, Walt Disney made character animation a particular focus of his animation studio, best showcased in productions such as Three Little Pigs, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and Dumbo. Disney animation artists such as Bill Tytla, Grim Natwick, Fred Moore, Ward Kimball, Les Clark, John Sibley, Marc Davis, Wolfgang Reitherman, Hal King, Hamilton Luske, Norm Ferguson, Eric Larson, Johnny Lounsbery, Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston all became masters of the technique. Winsor McCay (September 26, 1871 - July 26, 1934) was a prolific artist and pioneer in the art of animation. ... Gertie the Dinosaur is a 1914 animated film short that inspired a generation of animators to bring their cartoons to life. ... Otto Messmer (August 16, 1892 - October 28, 1983) was an American animator, best known for his work on the Felix the Cat cartoons and comic strip produced by the Pat Sullivan studio. ... The famous Felix pace as seen in Oceantics (1930) Felix the Cat is a cartoon character from the silent-film era. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Social issues of the 1920s. ... For the company founded by Disney, see The Walt Disney Company. ... The wolf lands in the cooking pot The third pig builds a house of brick Three little pigs and their mother sow Three Little Pigs is a fairy tale featuring talking animals. ... Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is the first animated feature in the Disney animated features canon. ... Pinocchio is the second animated feature in the Disney animated features canon. ... Dumbo is the fourth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon. ... Vladimir Peter Tytla (October 25, 1904–December 30, 1968) was one of the original Disney animators and is considered by many to be the best character animator working during The Golden Age of Hollywood animation. ... Myron Grim Natwick (August 16, 1890 - October 7, 1990) was an American animator and film director, regarded as one of the greatest of all time. ... Fred Moore was an American character animator for Walt Disney Productions, best known for being the resident specialist of the animation of Mickey Mouse. ... Firehouse Five Plus Two LP album cover. ... Marc Fraser Davis (March 30, 1913 - January 12, 2000) was one of the most talented artists at and a main animator for Disney Studios. ... Wolfgang Reitherman (June 26, 1909 - May 22, 1985) was a famed Disney animator and one of Disneys Nine Old Men. ... Eric Larson (September 3, 1905-October 25, 1988) was an animator for the Walt Disney Studios in the early 20th century and was one of the Disneys Nine Old Men. ... Milt Kahl is often considered the finest draughtsman of the Disney animators. ... Franklin Thomas (September 5, 1913, Fresno, California - September 8, 2004, Flintridge, California) was one of Walt Disneys team of animators known as the Nine Old Men. ... Oliver Martin Johnston, Jr. ...

Other notable figures in character animation include the Termite Terrace/Warner Bros. staffers (Chuck Jones, Robert McKimson, Tex Avery, Friz Freleng), independent animator Richard Williams, John Lasseter at Pixar, and latter-day Disney animators Andreas Deja and Glen Keane. Termite Terrace is the nickname for an old building on Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA where Looney Tunes were created frm 1935 to 1937. ... Warner Bros. ... Charles Martin Chuck Jones (September 21, 1912–February 22, 2002) was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of animated films, most memorably of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts for the Warner Brothers cartoon studio. ... Robert Bob McKimson, Sr. ... Frederick Bean Fred/Tex Avery (February 26, 1908 – August 26, 1980) was an American animator, cartoonist, and director, famous for producing animated cartoons during the Golden Age of Hollywood. ... Isadore Friz Freleng (August 21, 1905–May 26, 1995) was an animator, cartoonist, director, and producer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros. ... Richard Williams stinks like shit. ... John A. Lasseter (born January 12, 1957) is a founding member of Pixar, where he currently serves as Executive Vice President, Creative. ... Pixar Animation Studios is an award-winning American computer animation studio based in Emeryville, California (USA). ... Andreas Deja (born in 1957 in Gdańsk, Poland) is a Polish-born German character animator for The Walt Disney Company. ... Glen Keane (born on April 13, 1954)[1], is the son of Bil Keane, an illustrator best known for the daily comic strip The Family Circus, and Thelma Thel Carne Keane [2]. He is perhaps the most famous traditional (2D) lead character animator in recent history. ...

Character animation is augmented by special effects animation, which creates anything that is not a character; most commonly vehicles, machinery, and natural phenomena such as rain, snow, and water. Special effects animation (or simply effects animation) is a specialization of the traditional animation and computer animation processes. ... Vehicles are non-living means of transportation. ... A machine is any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of tasks. ... Rain falling For other uses see Rain (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Snow (disambiguation). ... This article focuses on water as it is experienced in everyday life. ...