3.1 Overview of the 12 principles of animation
3 min read•july 25, 2024
Animation principles are the backbone of creating lifelike, engaging visuals. These 12 guidelines, from to , help animators craft believable characters and captivating scenes. They're essential for bringing drawings to life and creating memorable animations.
These principles apply across various animation styles, from hand-drawn to 3D computer graphics. Developed by Disney animators in the 1930s, they've evolved with technology but remain crucial. Understanding and applying these principles can significantly improve the quality and impact of any animated work.
The 12 Principles of Animation: Fundamentals and Application
12 principles of animation
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- Squash and Stretch gives characters and objects sense of weight and flexibility enhances believability (bouncing ball, facial expressions)
- prepares audience for upcoming action builds suspense and engagement (character winding up before throwing)
- presents ideas clearly to audience through composition and focus (character spotlight, contrasting colors)
- and offer two different approaches to animation process spontaneous vs planned (fluid water animation, structured character walk cycle)
- and creates natural movement and continuity adds realism (character's hair continuing to move after stopping)
- adds realism to movement by controlling acceleration and deceleration mimics natural physics (car starting and stopping)
- make actions more natural by following curved paths instead of straight lines (pendulum swing, character's arm motion)
- adds depth to scene by including supplementary movements enhances primary action (character whistling while walking)
- controls speed and rhythm of actions affects emotional impact and believability (quick movements for excitement, slow for sadness)
- emphasizes actions and emotions for greater impact amplifies key elements (cartoonish take, overstated facial expression)
- ensures characters and objects have volume and weight in 3D space maintains consistency (character rotation, foreshortening)
- Appeal creates charismatic and engaging characters or designs attracts viewer attention (iconic character designs, pleasing color schemes)
Contributions to animation quality
- Squash and Stretch enhances illusion of life and elasticity gives sense of mass and flexibility
- Anticipation improves audience engagement and comprehension prepares viewers for upcoming actions
- Staging ensures clear communication of important elements guides viewer's eye to focal points
- Straight Ahead Action and Pose to Pose allows for spontaneity or planned precision depending on scene requirements
- Follow Through and Overlapping Action increases realism and fluidity adds complexity to movements
- Slow In and Slow Out mimics natural physics and movement creates more believable acceleration and deceleration
- Arcs create more organic and pleasing motion avoid robotic or stiff movements
- Secondary Action adds complexity and richness to scenes enhances character personality and world-building
- Timing controls pacing and emotional impact influences audience perception and reaction
- Exaggeration amplifies emotions and actions for greater effect makes characters and scenes more memorable
- Solid Drawing maintains consistency and believability in characters ensures proper perspective and volume
- Appeal ensures audience connection and enjoyment makes characters and designs more likable and relatable
Application across animation styles
- Traditional hand-drawn animation exemplifies all 12 principles (Disney's Snow White)
- Stop-motion animation utilizes principles like timing and exaggeration (Wallace and Gromit)
- 3D computer animation adapts principles for digital environments (Pixar films)
- Motion graphics applies principles to abstract shapes and text (title sequences, infographics)
- Anime often emphasizes exaggeration and appeal (Studio Ghibli films)
- Limited animation focuses on specific principles to compensate for fewer frames (South Park)
Historical context of animation principles
- Origins at Studios developed in 1930s by Disney animators revolutionized animation quality
- Codification by and formally outlined in their 1981 book "The Illusion of Life"
- Influence of early animation pioneers 's contributions to timing and cycles laid groundwork
- Evolution from silent era to sound synchronization principles adapted to incorporate audio cues enhanced storytelling
- Transition from black and white to color animation principles expanded to include color theory added depth
- Adaptation to new technologies principles applied to computer animation and digital tools remained relevant
- Global influence adoption and adaptation by animation studios worldwide spread artistic techniques
Key Terms to Review (18)
Anticipation: Anticipation is a fundamental animation principle that involves preparing the audience for an action about to take place. It enhances the storytelling by creating a sense of expectation, making the subsequent movement more believable and engaging. By incorporating anticipation, animators can effectively set up actions, allowing viewers to follow along more intuitively and emotionally.
Appeal: In animation, appeal refers to the quality that makes a character or image engaging and likable to the audience. This can encompass various aspects such as design, personality, and movement, which work together to create a strong emotional connection. Appeal is essential in animation as it helps captivate viewers and ensures characters resonate with them across different styles and techniques.
Arcs: In animation, arcs refer to the natural curved paths that objects follow when they move, adding realism and fluidity to motion. This concept helps in creating believable animations by mimicking how real-world objects and characters move, which enhances the overall appeal and effectiveness of animated sequences.
Exaggeration: Exaggeration is a technique used in animation to enhance the appearance of movement and personality by amplifying certain features or actions beyond their normal limits. This approach makes characters and scenes more dynamic and engaging, allowing for a stronger emotional response from the audience.
Follow Through: Follow through refers to the principle in animation where parts of a character or object continue to move after the main action has stopped. This creates a sense of realism and adds depth to animations, making movements appear more natural. It connects closely with other principles and techniques to enhance the overall fluidity and believability of animated sequences.
Frank Thomas: Frank Thomas was a legendary animator and one of the original Nine Old Men at Disney, known for his work on classic animated films like 'Bambi' and 'Cinderella.' His contributions to the field of animation helped establish many foundational techniques, particularly in character development and the application of the 12 principles of animation.
Ollie Johnston: Ollie Johnston was a pioneering animator and one of the original Nine Old Men at Walt Disney Studios, known for his contributions to classic animated films and the development of animation principles. His work emphasized the importance of character personality and emotional depth in animation, aligning with foundational concepts in animation theory, such as the 12 principles, easing techniques, slow in and slow out, and solid drawing practices.
Overlapping action: Overlapping action refers to the animation technique where different parts of a character or object move at different rates, creating a more realistic and fluid motion. This principle enhances the believability of movement by ensuring that not all elements of a character or object follow the same timing, which helps to convey weight, flexibility, and natural behavior.
Pose to Pose: Pose to pose is an animation technique where key poses are created first, and the in-between frames are filled in later. This method allows animators to establish the main actions and character expressions clearly before refining the motion, making it easier to visualize how the animation will flow. By focusing on significant poses, animators ensure that important moments are highlighted, resulting in a more dynamic and visually appealing animation.
Secondary Action: Secondary action refers to the additional movements that complement and enhance the main action of a character or object in animation, adding depth and realism. This concept helps to create a more believable portrayal of motion by showing how various parts of a character respond naturally to the primary action, thus enriching the overall performance and engagement of the audience.
Slow In and Slow Out: Slow In and Slow Out is an animation principle that describes how objects accelerate and decelerate as they start and stop moving. This technique creates a more natural motion by allowing for a gradual build-up of speed at the beginning and a smooth decrease in speed at the end, making animations feel more realistic and appealing. It enhances the overall flow of movement and contributes to the believability of animated sequences.
Solid Drawing: Solid drawing is a fundamental concept in animation that refers to the ability to create drawings that have a sense of three-dimensionality, weight, and volume. This skill helps animators create characters and objects that appear believable and physically grounded in their environment, enhancing the overall realism of animated scenes. Solid drawing connects directly to the principles of animation by ensuring that animated figures move in a way that reflects their physical structure and spatial relationships.
Squash and Stretch: Squash and stretch is a fundamental animation technique that creates the illusion of weight, volume, and flexibility in animated objects or characters. This principle allows animators to give life to their creations by exaggerating their movements, making them appear more dynamic and believable while enhancing their personality.
Staging: Staging is a principle in animation that refers to the presentation of an idea so that it is unmistakably clear to the audience. It involves the arrangement of characters and objects within a frame to focus the viewer's attention on what is important, enhancing storytelling and emotional impact.
Straight Ahead Action: Straight ahead action is an animation technique where the animator creates a sequence frame-by-frame in a linear manner, without planning out the entire sequence beforehand. This approach allows for spontaneity and fluidity in movement, often resulting in more dynamic and organic animations. It contrasts with pose-to-pose animation, where key frames are established first, and in-betweens are filled in later.
Timing: Timing in animation refers to the placement and duration of frames that define the motion and emotional impact of animated sequences. It affects how viewers perceive speed, weight, and realism in animation, connecting directly with principles that enhance storytelling and character expression.
Walt Disney: Walt Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, and entrepreneur, renowned for pioneering the animation industry and co-founding The Walt Disney Company. His vision transformed the landscape of 2D animation in both film and television, setting the foundation for modern animated storytelling.
Winsor McCay: Winsor McCay was an American cartoonist and animator, widely recognized as one of the pioneers of animation during the early 20th century. He is best known for his innovative work in animation, particularly with his short film 'Gertie the Dinosaur,' which showcased character animation and storytelling techniques that laid the groundwork for modern animation. McCay's contributions significantly influenced both early animation techniques and the development of principles that govern animated performance.