Animation is created by displaying a series of drawings or photographs in rapid succession to give the appearance of movement. It works by an optical illusion known as persistence of vision. There are three main types of animation: cel animation where drawings are made on transparent sheets; stop motion where objects are manipulated and photographed frame by frame; and computer animation where shapes and colors are digitally created. Computer animation can be 2D or 3D and techniques like rigging are commonly used to manipulate 3D models. Animation is widely used in films, television, and online for entertainment and marketing purposes.