Principles of Animation and Image Formats Flashcards

Flashcards covering the 12 Principles of Animation and various digital image formats and their characteristics.

What is the first principle of animation?

Squash and Stretch

What sense does Squash and Stretch add to characters or objects?

A sense of weight, flexibility, and life

How is Squash and Stretch achieved?

By changing the shape of characters or objects during movement

In animation, what does the term Timing refer to?

How quickly or slowly an action occurs

What three things does Timing affect in animation?

Mood, energy, and emotion

What is the purpose of the Anticipation principle?

Prepares the viewer for an upcoming movement by showing a small action beforehand

Give an example of Anticipation mentioned in the notes.

A character bending their knees before jumping or pulling back their arm before throwing

What does the principle of Staging ensure?

That the action or idea is presented clearly so the audience can easily understand the scene

Which principle describes parts of the body (like clothing or hair) continuing to move briefly after a character stops?

Follow Through and Overlapping Action

How is Straight Ahead Animation performed?

Frame by frame from beginning to end

What kind of motion is created by Straight Ahead Animation?

Fluid and spontaneous motion

What is the process for Pose-to-Pose animation?

Drawing the main key poses first, then filling in the in-between frames

What are the advantages of Pose-to-Pose animation for an animator?

It gives the animator more control and precision

What happens during a Slow In and Slow Out movement?

Movements begin slowly, speed up in the middle, and slow down again at the end

How is the Slow In and Slow Out effect created?

By adding extra frames at the start and finish

Why do animators animate along Arcs?

To make movements look more believable and visually appealing

What does the principle of Exaggeration involve?

Pushing actions, poses, or expressions beyond real-life limits

What is the purpose of Exaggeration?

To make actions more interesting, clear, and expressive

Define Secondary Action.

Smaller motions that support the main action

How do secondary actions like swinging arms during a walk help animation?

They enhance the overall movement, add personality, and make the animation feel more dynamic

What does the principle of Solid Drawing stress the importance of?

Strong drawing fundamentals such as anatomy, structure, weight, and perspective

What is the goal of Solid Drawing?

To ensure characters and objects look believable and three-dimensional

What does Appeal mean in animation design?

Creating characters or designs that are interesting, charming, or visually engaging

Does Appeal always mean a character must be beautiful?

No, even villains can have appeal through strong design and personality

What are the common file extensions for JPEG/JPG?

.jpg, .jpeg

What is the common use for JPEG/JPG in animation?

Background images, reference images, scanned artworks

What are the primary characteristics of a JPEG/JPG file?

Compressed file size; good for photographs and detailed images; does not support transparency

What is the file extension for PNG?

.png

What are common uses for PNG in animation?

Character drawings, clean-up drawings, animation assets, digital illustrations

What characterize a PNG file?

Supports transparency; maintains image quality; widely used for animation elements

What is the extension for GIF?

.gif

What is the common use for GIF?

Simple animated images, web animations, short loops

What are the characteristics of GIF?

Supports basic animation; limited colors; commonly used for simple web graphics

What is the extension and characteristic of BMP?

.bmp; High-quality uncompressed format with a large file size

What are common uses for BMP?

Raw digital drawings and scanned images

What are the extensions for TIFF?

.tif, .tiff

What is the use of TIFF in professional animation production?

Professional animation production and scanned traditional drawings

What defines a TIFF file?

High-quality format; supports layers and transparency depending on software

What is the extension and common use for PSD?

.psd; Editing animation assets in Adobe Photoshop

Why is PSD useful for animation assets?

It supports layers, which is useful for separating characters, backgrounds, and effects

What is the extension for SVG?

.svg

What are the uses and characteristics of SVG?

Used for vector-based animation graphics, logos, and icons; scalable without losing quality

What is the extension and use for AI files?

.ai; Vector illustrations created in Adobe Illustrator

What is a key characteristic of the AI format?

Maintains editable vector paths for animation design

What is the extension and use of WEBP?

.webp; Web-based animation assets

What are the characteristics of WEBP?

Smaller file size with good quality; supports transparency and animation

Which format is specifically mentioned as preferred for character drawings due to transparency support?

PNG (.png)

Identify the full name for the acronym JPEG / JPG.

Joint Photographic Experts Group

Identify the full name for the acronym GIF.

Graphics Interchange Format

Identify the full name for the acronym PSD.

Photoshop Document