12 principles of animation
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This document discusses various animation techniques including anticipation, the use of shots in storytelling, straight ahead and pose-to-pose animation, follow through and overlapping action, arcs in movement, timing of drawings, exaggeration, solid drawing skills, and giving characters appeal. It provides guidance on techniques for movement, pacing, storytelling, character development and making animation appear natural and engaging.
12 principles of animation
- 4. This movement prepares the audience for a major action the character is about to perform, such as, starting to run, jump or change expression. The backward motion is the anticipation. A comic effect can be done by not using anticipation after a series of gags that used anticipation. Almost all real action has major or minor anticipation such as a pitcher's wind- up or a golfers' back swing. Feature animation is often less broad than short animation unless a scene requires it to develop a characters personality.
- 6. The effective use of long, medium, or close up shots, as well as camera angles also helps in telling the story. There is a limited amount of time in a film, so each sequence, scene and frame of film must relate to the overall story. Do not confuse the audience with too many actions at once. Use one action clearly stated to get the idea across, unless you are animating a scene that is to depict clutter and confusion. Staging directs the audience's attention to the story or idea being told. Care must be taken in background design so it isn't obscuring the animation or competing with it due to excess detail behind the animation. Background and animation should work together as a pictorial unit in a scene.
- 8. Straight ahead animation starts at the first drawing and works drawing to drawing to the end of a scene. You can lose size, volume, and proportions with this method, but it does have spontaneity and freshness. Fast, wild action scenes are done this way. Pose to Pose is more planned out and charted with key drawings done at intervals throughout the scene. Size, volumes, and proportions are controlled better this way, as is the action. The lead animator will turn charting and keys over to his assistant. An assistant can be better used with this method so that the animator doesn't have to draw every drawing in a scene. An animator can do more scenes this way and concentrate on the planning of the animation. Many scenes use a bit of both methods of animation.
- 10. When the main body of the character stops all other parts continue to catch up to the main mass of the character, such as arms, long hair, clothing, coat tails or a dress, floppy ears or a long tail (these follow the path of action). Nothing stops all at once. This is follow through. Overlapping action is when the character changes direction while his clothes or hair continues forward. The character is going in a new direction, to be followed, a number of frames later, by his clothes in the new direction. "DRAG," in animation, for example, would be when Goofy starts to run, but his head, ears, upper body, and clothes do not keep up with his legs. In features, this type of action is done more subtly. Example: When Snow White starts to dance, her dress does not begin to move with her immediately but catches up a few frames later. Long hair and animal tail will also be handled in the same manner. Timing becomes critical to the effectiveness of drag and the overlapping action.
- 12. All actions, with few exceptions (such as the animation of a mechanical device), follow an arc or slightly circular path. This is especially true of the human figure and the action of animals. Arcs give animation a more natural action and better flow. Think of natural movements in the terms of a pendulum swinging. All arm movement, head turns and even eye movements are executed on an arcs.
- 13. As action starts, we have more drawings near the starting pose, one or two in the middle, and more drawings near the next pose. Fewer drawings make the action faster and more drawings make the action slower. Slow-ins and slow-outs soften the action, making it more life-like. For a gag action, we may omit some slow-out or slow-ins for shock appeal or the surprise element. This will give more snap to the scene.
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- 16. Supporting the main action with secondary one adds more dimension to the character animation and gives a scene more life. The principle of staging is very important in applying the actions correctly. Make sure secondary action emphasizes the main action, rather than take attention away from it.
- 18. Referring to the number of drawings or frames for a given action, correct timing is critical for establishing a character’s mood, emotion, and reaction. Simply put, use more frames to create slower action and less frames for faster one.
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- 20. The classical definition of exaggeration, employed by Disney, was to remain true to reality, just presenting it in a wilder, more extreme form. As a perfect imitation of reality can look static and dull in cartoons, exaggeration is especially useful and livening for animation.
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- 22. Solid drawing considers an object following the rules of perspective in three-dimensional space. For an animator this means understanding the basics of academic drawing, anatomy, weight, balance, light, and shadow, etc. To benefit from it consider taking art classes and sketching from life even if most of your work is computer-assisted.
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- 24. Last but not least, appeal reflects compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others. The important thing is that the viewer feels your character not necessarily sympathetic, but always real and interesting.