← Animation Glossary

Timeline

A timeline in animation is a list of frames or elements from a movie or show that make up the story

Animation is a complex process that involves the creation of moving images through the manipulation of individual frames or keyframes. These frames or keyframes are arranged in a specific sequence to create the illusion of movement, and the timeline is the tool that allows animators to control this sequence.

The timeline is essentially a visual representation of time, with each frame or keyframe designated a specific point on the horizontal axis. Animators can then add and manipulate individual frames or keyframes within the timeline to create complex animations with multiple moving parts and synchronized sound effects.

In Brush Ninja animated gif maker the timeline is the horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen and each frame is a separate image. It shows all the frames in your animation and allows you to move them around, add new ones, and delete old ones.

One of the primary advantages of using a timeline in animation is that it allows animators to adjust the timing and speed of individual frames or groups of frames. This feature enables them to create different effects such as slow-motion or fast-paced action.

Moreover, many animation software programs offer advanced timeline features that allow animators to create complex animations with ease. For instance, some tools enable them to adjust curves for motion paths, which can make movements look more natural and fluid.

Another useful feature offered by timelines is the ability to work with audio tracks. Animators can synchronize sound effects or music with specific frames or moments in their animation by adding audio clips to the timeline. This way, they can ensure that every aspect of their animation works together seamlessly.

Timelines are an important element in the creation of any animation. They enable animators to control the timing and duration of each frame or keyframe, adjust speeds and layers, use advanced features for motion paths curves, and synchronize audio tracks with specific moments in their animation. With these tools at their disposal, animators can create complex and engaging animations that captivate audiences and bring their stories to life.

Animation Terms

2

2D Animation

3

3D Animation

A

Alpha Channel

Ambient sound

Animation

Anti-Aliasing

Anticipation

Aspect Ratio

B

Bezier Curve

Bitmap

Blue Screen

Bone Animation

Bounce

Broadcast Standards

C

Camera Angle

Camera Shake

Casting

Cel Animation

Character Animation

Character Design Sheets

Cinematic lighting

Claymation

Clean-up

Close-up

Color Correction

Color Grading

Compositing

Composition

Concept Art

Continuity editing

Cross-cutting

Cut

Cutout nimation

D

Depth of Field

Dialogue

Dissolve

Distributed Rendering

Dolby Atmos

Dope Sheet

Dutch Angle

E

Easing

Emitter

Exaggeration

Eyedropper

F

Foley

Follow through

Forward Kinematics

Frame Rate

Frame

Framing

Freeze Frame

G

Ghosting

GIF File Format

Golden Ratio

Graph Editor

H

High key lighting

Hue and Saturation

I

Inertia

Infographic Animation

Inverse Kinematics

J

Joint

JPEG File Format

Jump cut

K

Keyframe Interpolation

Keyframe

Kinetic typography

L

Layers

Lens distortion

Level of Detail

Lighting

Line of action

Lip syncing

Low key lighting

M

Match cut

Matte painting

Montage

Morphing

Motion blur

Motion capture

Motion graphics

Motion path

Motion trail

Mouth shapes

MP3 File Format

MP4 File Format

N

Network rendering

Non-linear editing

O

Occlusion culling

Onion skinning

Overlapping action

P

Pan

Parallel rendering

Particle system

Persistance of Vision

Phonemes

Playback speed

Plot

PNG File Format

Pose-to-pose animation

Props

Puppet animation

R

Render farm

Rendering

Resolution

Rigging

Rotoscoping

Rule of thirds

Run cycle

S

Safe zone

Scene

Score

Screenplay

Script

Shot

Silhouette

Skeletal animation

Slow Motion

Smears

Sound Design

Sound effects

Soundtrack

Special Effects

Split screen

Squash and Stretch

Staging

Stop Motion Animation

Storyboard

Straight-ahead Animation

T

Time Remapping

Timeline

Timing

Title Card

Title Sequence

Tracking shot

Tweening

V

Vector graphics

Visemes

Voice acting

Voice-over Narration

W

Walk cycle

WebM File Format

Weighting

Wide shot

Z

Z-depth

Zoom

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