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animation academy at the washington state history museum
For decades, animation has fascinated and delighted audiences gathered in front of movie screens and televisions to share laughs and thrills. This art form is also big business, from motion pictures to gaming and advertising. As technological tools have advanced, the work of animation has transformed from hand-illustrated cels to today’s hyper-realistic computer-generated imagery. Thanks to the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma, you can get a fun-filled look at the processes and history of animation, see original artwork from major studios and exclusive collections, and try hands-on animation activities this fall!
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Opening on October 6, 2022, The Animation Academy is a traveling exhibition from Stage Nine Entertainment Inc. and focuses on the unique world of animation. Display cases house iconic 3-D models, collectibles from the industry, and films that have made history. A six-foot spinning zoetrope shows such classics as The Simpsons, Felix and Gumby. Areas of the exhibit are dedicated to the various styles of animation, from the beginnings of American classic cartoon characters to Saturday morning cartoons, prime time TV cartoons and stop-motion animation.
Visitors will learn the basic theories of animation movements and study aspects of animation features and shorts, from 2-D peg board animation to 3-D stop motion, claymation, model work and computer generated imagery (CGI). Interactive stations explain the drawing, painting and layout of traditional animation, and there’s also a station for listening to sound effects in a traditional cartoon.
The Animation Academy invites the public to share in the wizardry that goes into animated movies and television, from concept to launch. It’s an opportunity to help educate the next generation of animators, with unprecedented access to archival examples and information about the top animation studios. The exhibition will be at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma from October 6 through January 12, 2023. In November, the museum will also open the exhibition Fine Lines, displaying cartoons from the museum’s collection; the annual Model Train Festival opens in December. There’s a lot to look forward to in the coming months (and WSHS members get FREE admission to all exhibits)!
v JULIANNA VERBOORT
For Additional Information Washington State History Museum
washingtonhistory.org
SHOWCASE MAGAZINE 23
