How does 2D animations work?

2D animation works by creating a series of images, called frames, that are played back quickly to create the illusion of movement. The first all-animated film in history A Fantasy (Fantasmagorie) was made in 1908.

But the principals of animations actually go way back. The Phenakistoscope and flip books were popular in the early eighteen hundreds. On the right you can see an illustration of a flip book from 1868

A flipbook is a small book or notepad that contains a series of images that, when flipped quickly through with the thumb, create the illusion of movement. It’s like a primitive form of animation. You can make your own flipbook by drawing a series of images on small sheets of paper, such as a post-it note, and then stapling them together along one edge. Then you can flip through the pages to see your animation come to life.