The animated TV series ‘Minuscule’ is a mixture of real video footage and 3d elements (the characters).
Minuscule revolves around the day-to-day existence of insects which are presented in burlesque situations, with a fair amount of philosophical contemplation thrown in. A cross between a Tex Avery cartoon and a National Geographic documentary! Created by Thomas Szabo and Hélène Giraud.

An impressive wall painted stop motion animation from 2010.
An unscientific point of view on the beginning and evolution of life … and how it could probably end.

direction and animation by BLU
http://blublu.org/ 

Beautiful 3D animation that scored high in 2010, including the 2011 Academy award for “Best Animated Short Film.

A boy finds a strange creature on a beach, and decides to find a home for it in the world where everyone believes there are far more important things to pay attention to.

http://www.thelostthing.com/ 

Because today, June 2, The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2014 starts. I thought it would nice to post the beautiful opening animation from last year.

One man’s life story told via a one-take live action shot in one giant zoetrope holding 36 people.

more on this http://www.animateprojects.org/films/by_date/2007/life_size_z

Artist Mark Bischof worked for six years on a giant marble track.
His desire is to start a kinetic art museum in the Netherlands.

http://www.markbischof.nl/

Reuben Margolin, a Bay Area visionary and longtime maker, creates totally singular techno-kinetic wave sculptures. Using everything from wood to cardboard to found and salvaged objects, Reubens artwork is diverse, with sculptures ranging from tiny to looming, motorized to hand-cranked. Focusing on natural elements like a discrete water droplet or a powerful ocean eddy, his work is elegant and hypnotic. Also, learn how ocean waves can power our future. Learn more about Reuben at http://www.reubenmargolin.com/

Learn more about Reuben at http://www.reubenmargolin.com/

In the real world, the basic laws of physics were first described by Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. In the world of animation, however, we owe the laws of physics to Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. Working for the Walt Disney Company in its heyday of the 1930s, these two animators came up with the 12 basic principles of animation, each of which can be used to produce the illusion of characters moving realistically in a cartoon.

Which is why the 12 Basic Principles of Animation are so important. Thomas’ and Johnston’s 12 principles have now been turned into a wonderful animated primer, thanks to motion artist Cento Lodigiani. Using just a cartoon cube, Lodigiani makes the 12 principles of animation–from squash and stretch to secondary action-immediately understandable, regardless of your training.

A Rube Goldberg machine is a contraption, invention, device or apparatus that is deliberately over-engineered or overdone to perform a very simple task in a very complicated fashion, usually including a chain reaction. The expression is named after American cartoonist and inventor Rube Goldberg (1883–1970). http://www.rubegoldberg.com/

OKGo – This Too Shall Pass -Rube Goldberg Machine version –

Peter Fischli & David Weiss – Der Lauf der Dinge –

Nominated for an Oscar and for a BAFTA award, Jasper Morello is a short feature made in a unique style of silhouette animation developed by director Anthony Lucas and inspired by the work of authors Edgar Alan Poe and Jules Verne.

This is a custom walking machine built entirely out of LEGO components. It is styled as a steampunk/post apocalyptic trading ship and features several play features, including the functional cargo crane. By Jason Alleman 2013.

The walking mechanism is based on the Strandbeest kinetic sculpture created by Theo Jansen. Be sure to check out his amazing work here: http://www.strandbeest.com/

Sculptor and engineer Arthur Ganson talks about his work — kinetic art that explores deep philosophical ideas.

http://www.arthurganson.com/