Principles of Animation

How to create maximun impact

Principles of traditional Animation

• Early animators worked from scratch to analyze and improve upon silence live action films.

• Anticipation• squash and strech• characters move at

differerent speeds • lines of action• secondary actions • follow through• staging• inbetweens

Anticipation

• Anticipation• Means before the character

commits himself by moving in one direction, he first draw back in the opposite direction.– It is used in all motions

in animation-big and small.

– The result is more emphatic motion.

– During anticipation the whole body gets into anticipatory movement.

– Train your eye to look for anticipation when you watch cartoons.

Anticipation-1-17 Frames

Anticipation-2- 3 to 10Frames

Anticipation-3- 3 Frames

Squash and stretch• Human bodies squash

and stretch when performing different actions.

• Heavier characters Squash more than thin ones.

• Squashing and • stretching gives the

character a sense of weight.

characters move at different speeds

• Tall guys move slowly than short guys

• fat characters slower than thin ones.

• Small characters will have to take more steps to keep up with taller characters.

lines of action

• Each figure has its own direction.

• To strengthen your poses, begin by drawing the line of action as a guide.

secondary action- follow through

A secondary action is like a chain reaction.Secondary actions are a beat behind the main action.

secondary action- follow through

Follow through is when a secondary action runs its course. For example the pooch with long ears leans forwards and stop but the ears continue swinging back and forth.

Overlapping Action

• Stage your action in modern stylistic surroundings.

• Research for info.on styles.

KEYS & InbetweensAnimators first draw key drawings, follow

by inbetween drawings to keep the continuity of action in shape and form.