Persistence of Vision
There is a theory called 'Persistence of Vision'. The Definition of this theory is that an image will remain on your retina for just a fraction of a Second after seeing it. This means that when another image a number of images are shown in quick succession after each other, it tricks the brain that it is a moving image. This of course only applies when the images are made to follow each other. If the images were completely random, It would look like just a bunch of random images popping up one after another very quickly.
To explain it better, it is simply the way an image or succession of images are perceived by the brain.
Celluloid
You have the, what could be referred to as, 'the tradition Animation', being Celluloid or Cel Animation. Animation cels are sheets of clear plastic with individual objects, characters or characters body parts drawn on them. When you lay different sheets on top of another, you are able to create an animation. Celluloid Animation has been used for decades since the very early 1900's. Although i have been doing my research into when the first Cel Animation was produced, i have yet to find a conclusive answer. My findings seem to suggest that an animation called 'Bobby Bumps' was possibly the earliest Celluloid Based Animation Made. Before 'Bobby Bumps', animation was simply Paper Based. - Winsor McCay's, 'Gertie the Dinosaur' was a Paper Based Animation - The Creators and producers of Bobby Bumps, Earl Hurd and J.R.Bray received Patents for Celluloid Animation because of their work on Bobby Bumps. Cel Based Animation has been widely used and is still in use today. It became very popular and has been used on a number of different platforms of entertainment. Some of the most famous and most well known Cel-Based Animations were created by Walt Disney. This includes the Likes of 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', and Mickey Mouse. But have in recent years, began using computers to create their animations. Still using the same methods of Tradition Cel based animation, but its all digital and the majority of the process is completed on Computers now. 
During the 1930's it was the 'Fleischer Brothers' who were the leading Animation Studio. They were creating some of the better looking and smoothest looking animation at the time, other studios were struggling to compete, including Disney. Max Fleischer patented the 'Rotoscope' technique. The Rotoscope Technique is where you trace over a real image and create an Cartoon drawing that can, if done correctly look fairly realistic but still have its cartoon look. Both Disney and The Fleischer Bros used what is called a 'Setback' Technique. This technique is used to add a sense of depth to an otherwise 2D Image. This Diagram above shows what the Setback Camera basically is and does. It is there to create a sense of forced perspective, however with limited technology in the 1930's, this effect was not exactly affective, so therefore it wasn't exactly seen to be pioneering or particularly special or needed. Cut Out
One of the most famous modern Cut Out Animations is South Park. Albeit, only the pilot was actually made with real cut outs, but the show is basically built on the simplistic style of cut out animation. South Park is created on Computers these days but it is created in a way that simulates traditional cut out animation. Cut out animation is a seemingly simple form of animation but it can be quite complicated when needing to consider the amount of individual cut out pieces you may need to use. As with Cel Animation, you may need separate cut outs for one character. One piece for the characters body, and another separate one for their arms. It is easier than having two or more different character models for slight movements of their arms or legs.
Some other well known cut out creations are, 'The Miracle of Flight', by Terry Gilliam. "It was created in the same style as Monty Python's Flying Circus, but was created separate from Monty Python." You can view the 5 minute short, below.
Model Based
Model Based animation is possibly my favorite kind of animation. More specifically, Clay Animation or, Claymation. I think it's fair to say that most people have at least heard of Wallace and Gromit. Wallace and Gomit being the well loved creation of Aardman Animation Studios. It has a popular following around the world, and it's not hard to see why. People love the art style of Wallace and Gromit. Everything is obviously made out of Clay or plastic, yet when you watch some of the Wallace and Gromit episodes and movie of course, there is a sense of familiarity, especially with British audiences because of course, the show is set in England. Aardman of course create other well known model based animated shows such as, Shaun the Sheep and Morph. Each are all popular and well received in their own respect to their own audience. I believe people enjoy watching Clay animations because you can create virtually anything from modeling clay/Plasticine. If they are made well and are well written it can almost be like watch an alternate reality, because some Claymations, Despite their obviously exaggerated and wacky appearance, can feel very real. This is in terms of creating a somewhat realistic story like with Wallace and Gromit or even Chicken Run, despite it being from the chickens' perspective.
Just to add, there are also plenty of Independent film makers and Animation enthusiasts who create their own Claymations and you can view them on video sharing websites such as YouTube and Vimeo.
Pixilation
Pixilation is a form of animation which instead of using objects or Modelling Clay as the main focus, Real people are used instead. And of course, as this is still animation, that means that these people are animated the same way that any other animation would be, meaning that they have to move tiny amounts every frame. In pixilation, because of human error, it can be a frustrating process but generally in professional shoots, there wouldn't be much more error than that in any other kind of professional filming shoot. The Concept is rather simple and can be used very effectively, especially when you have a unique idea that can work very well.
Look at this Pixilation Animation called, 'Neighbours', by Scottish-Canadian Filmmaker, 'Norman Mclaren'. 'Neighbours' is an anti-war film created in 1952. It uses the Pixilation technique to create rather humorous looking movements in terms of how the actors move as well as any inanimate objects. Obviously with any type of animation, you are looking at individual frames in quick succession, this gives the appearance of movement. This i have covered, is called, 'Persistence of Vision'. They use this to create funny looking situations and vision gags that couldn't possibly exist in real life.
Georges Melies used some Pixilation Techniques in some of his work. I wouldn't call it animation exactly, but he has been known to use some Stop Motion Techniques to create specific effects in his work; mainly when wanting a person or an object suddenly appear or disappear out of nowhere. But of course, Georges Melies was a Making films very early on in the Timeline of Film Making.
You can see some Pixilation Techniques being Used at times during many of his Films. You can watch one of his most famous films below:
Timelapse.
Although it isn't thought of as a form of animation, Timelapse is technically a form of Stop-Motion. It fulfills the definition of what a Stop-Motion Animation is. In case you're unfamiliar, To create a Timelapse, you have a camera take a photo at specific intervals and after taking enough, you can play the images back and hopefully it will look smooth enough to not look like you are watching separate images or frames. Here is a video of a Timelapse below:
This is the magic that timelapse photography can create. You can take photos of something at specific intervals, something like the Sun-Set in the video above. It probably took between one and two hours to film those sun sets individually, yet we were able to watch them in just a matter of seconds because all of the photos that were taken have been placed together to be played as a video, the same way in which any animation would be created.
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