​ ​ ​Creating Animation​ 

Introduction

In this lesson, you will learn about the backdrop and costumes in PictoBlox, which helps you to create amazing animations.

Animations are created, when a set of images changes quickly and repetitively creating a sense of motion.

What is a B​ackdrop?

As of now, the Stage looks quite plain and simple, doesn’t it? What can we possibly do to make it more lively? Come in: backdrops!

A backdrop is one of the many frames, or backgrounds, that a Stage can have.  The Stage can change its look to any of its backdrops.                       

Choosing a Backdrop

You can choose a backdrop from -

1.The backdrop library

2.Uploading a file from the computer

3.Creating one using the paint editor

                                   

What are Costumes?

A costume is one out of possibly many “frames” or alternate appearances of a sprite. Sprites can change their look to any of their costumes.

How to Create Costumes?

There are four ways of getting a costume for a sprite or stage.

1. From the costume library
2. Drawing one yourself using the inbuilt paint editor
3. Getting an image or multiple images from your desktop
4. Taking an image using a webcam

 Making an Animation in PictoBlox

In this activity, we are going to create animations with costumes.

Let’s Code

Follow the steps below:

1. Create a New file in PictoBlox.
2. Follow the step if you are working on Windows, macOS, or Linux.
3. Open PictoBlox and create a new file.
4. Select the coding environment as Block Coding.

5.Click Choose the Backdrop and select any backdrop you want. We’re choosing the Forest backdrop.

   

Create the script of the walking animation.

                                                   

To change a sprite’s costume, PictoBlox has the switch costume to () block available in the Looks palette.

                                          

To make a walking animation of Tobi switch between the following two costumes Tobi:

• Tobi Walking 1
• Tobi Walking 2

Make the script shown below. You will find the blocks used in the mentioned palettes:

• when the flag clicked – Event
• Forever – Control
• Switch costume to () – Looks
• Wait () seconds – Control

                                      

 

Click the green flag to start the animation.

Learning Outcomes

Plan and design simple animations with characters and stories.

Use basic animation tools to create and play animations.

Express ideas and simple stories through animation.

Fix mistakes and sequence frames correctly.