In Spain, computer animation was first used as a means of artistic expression in the pioneer work “Menina", which grew out of a sponsored cultural technology project in 1986 - a short time after the establishment of the first commercially-oriented and computer-based post-production studio in Barcelona (Animatica, 1984) . From that time onward, there was basically a split- level development in computer animation. On one level, you have the small group of independent artists experimenting and producing material on their own equipment (mostly Amiga machines). Ignacio Pardo, who began by integrating computer animation in his video artworks and more recently has been producing solely on Amiga, must be mentioned first in this context. The other level is occupied by the production firms based mainly in Madrid and Barcelona and operating, with some exceptions, solely in the commercial sector. They number 50 at present, and some of them have already proved their international competitivity. Since the early 90s, moreover, computer animation has been on the curricula of more than 10 universities (incl. Universidad de las Islas Baleares, del Pais Vasco) and the same number of non-graduate public education institutions (incl.
C.I.N.T. - Victoria Gasteiz, Instituto de Formación - Madrid) as well as being taught by a small number of private colleges. The inclusion of the new technologies has opened them up to an incomparably larger public.
Iñaki Perez