Bit map transformations in computerized 2D animation

Abstract This paper introduces problems that professional animators have to solve before the computer can be used to assist them in the production of cartoons. Many animation effects rely on simple transformations such as zoom, pan and rotation. In scan-and-paint systems, most drawings that are to be animated are scanned in and manipulated as bit maps. However, when transformations apply to bit maps, the use of simple transformation matrices does not work and more sophisticated computations are required to achieve smoothness in the animation and prevent object distortion. The paper presents the details of the computations that smooth rotation requires. It does not show, however, how such computationally intensive transformations can be optimized so that production time can be minimized.