The Visualization Quest is a history of computer animation that defines the types and uses of computer animation and traces the developments of this new communication field. This volume provides a unique look into the key individuals and issues that influenced and shaped the direction of this medium through the extensive use of personal interviews with pioneers and leaders in the field.

Animation, the apparent creation of movement of inanimate objects on film, has the ability to convey efficaciously statements, ideas, theories, and emotions. Computer animation, the newest genre in this field, continues in this tradition of communication: it is widely used to illustrate formulas and molecule structures, to advertise products, to instruct, to make social statements, and to entertain.

Computer animation has become a vital tool in many areas, including the medical sciences, the physical sciences, the biological sciences, mathematics, and art. It is used to aid in the visualization of mathematical concepts and weather patterns, as well as offering surgical teams visual illustrations for selected procedures.

The ability to communicate through computer animation is the result of the rare symbiotic relationship between science and art that exists in this medium. The mutual dependence bonds the creative abilities of two disciplines, whose epistemology is rooted in opposing camps. In order to discern the function this cooperative has had in the development of computer animation, it is necessary to understand how this medium developed, why it advanced this way and who was involved in its development.

The profiles included in The Visualization Quest outline the foundation of computer animation and provide insight into the projects that affected its development and growth and that defined the direction of this powerful medium.