2D- Path Animation

Path Based animation is the simplest form of animation and the easiest to learn. It moves an object along a predetermined path on the screen. The path could be a straight line or it could include any number of curves. Often the object does not change, although it might be resized or reshaped.

Figure below shows path animation used to create the illusion of a bouncing ball. This can be relatively easy process, because you need only one object (the ball), rather than several objects as in cel animation.

  

Path animations can often be created using a multimedia program by simply dragging the mouse pointer around the screen, or by pointing to different locations on the screen and clicking the mouse button.

Figure below shows part of a screen of the Macromedia Authorware animation program. The prop of figure forms the background, and the actor (surrounded by dotted line) will be animated.

The path of the animation, shown as the dotted line, is specified by clicking the mouse at each sequential point you wish the animation to follow.

By combining cel and path animation, a realistic animation is obtained.