Animation Principles

Squash and Stretch

Animation technique that portrays an object’s durability, mass, and elasticity. If an object moves quickly, it should be ______. If it stops and loses its momentum, it should be____. Example: Bouncing ball

Timing

The speed of an animated scene; the scene's pace. Fewer frames mean fast movement, while more frames mean slow movement. For example, a person slowly looking over their shoulder requires more frames, but a person quickly looking over their shoulder requires fewer frames.

Ease in and Out (or Slow in and out)

Principle that states that most movement is not linear—most things start moving slowly, speed up, and then slow down before stopping.

Arcs

Directional curves that help your objects move in a fluid, smooth direction. Example: Butterflies move in a curved direction; dashed lines on the arc indicate where the butterfly will move.

Anticipation

Preparation for what will happen next in a scene. Includes a small movement/ action leading up to a larger one.

Exaggeration

A Strategy used to create a dramatic tone and improve storytelling. Helps the audience make a general understanding of the scenario.

Secondary Action

Action that enhances storytelling and reinforces primary action, the most crucial element of the shot.

Follow Through and Overlapping Action

The opposite of anticipation. The principle in which the subject (or at least parts of it) should continue to move after the main body has stopped moving. Details HOW certain parts of a subject should start and stop moving at different times.

Straight Ahead Action

includes drawing all frames in order one at a time.

Pose-to-Pose Action

what includes planning out the critical poses and frames.

Staging

The combination of different things such as composition, action and timing, exaggeration, and characterization. These characteristics come together to form what?

Appeal

The dynamic and expressive characteristics of animation. Basically, a combination of the 12 principles of animation. More focused on conveying a message behind the animation.

Solid Drawing

Rendering animation as if it were a 3D drawing to add a greater sense of weight, balance, and realism to the movements.