FROM STILL IMAGE TO LIFE: HOW THE 12 PRINCIPLES OF ANIMATION BREATH INTO CHARACTERS

How many physics defying stunts have you seen animated characters pull?

Isn’t it interesting how much imagination people must have to be able to make those whacky and distorted movements?

Some of the scenes capture our imagination and their whimsical nature never leave our minds and are as memorable to the animated TV show, series or film.

They say a big aspect of animation that makes it distinct, is its ability to express abstract worlds and movements that cannot be seen in real life. So, how is this all achieved?

Just like you have a manual after you open a new television or microwave, so does animation have a set of rules in which they lay the foundation for animators to work their magic.

 They are known as the 12 principles of animation based on the Disney animators, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. These principles helps animators have a guideline on how to create dynamic and believable animation. The principles include:

 

Squash and stretch

Like the name suggest, the principle involves making objects or figures mimic the movement, of real-life objects when they are landing on surfaces. When objects often hit surface, they sometimes get squashed and stretch when they move away from the surface.

An example, can be when a ball is kicked, rolls on the floor or bounces on a surface. Another example, can be when people smash their faces or bodies on surfaces. A momentary disfigurement occurs which squash and stretch attempts to capture.

The impact of the force can distort an object, temporarily for short while, even though, it may not be clear to the naked eye. Squash and stretch can also be used to exaggerate these movements of figures or bodies, in order to capture or emphasize an emotion or attitude. For example, when a character is angry and shouting, they can squeeze their face which can be exaggerated with a squash, and a shout which can be exaggerated with a stretch, showing an extremely loud shout.

The principle of squash and stretch is also used when trying to demonstrate or emphasize the speed, momentum, mass, weight of an object or figure to describe their nature, which could be light, heavy, elastic or stiff/rigid, viscous or nimble.

 

Image source: https://jp.pinterest.com/pin/714453928356400865/?send=true

 

An example of squash in the face of Tom when punched in the episode of Tom and Jerry called “Love That Pup (1949)”

Image source: https://delviewmedia.weebly.com/stretch--squash.html

An example of squash and stretch used for facial expressions

Below is a video explaining the concept of squash and stretch.

https://youtu.be/haa7n3UGyDc?si=sXXs6kOybNIC39_B

 

Anticipation

This principle, involves being able to have characters perform an action, that helps them prepare for a major action. An example, can be when someone winds up for a jump or a leap. The person may need to squat or bade time and prepare to generate enough force to jump.

Anticipation, helps actions feel less awkward and robotic, and in turn more realistic and natural.

Image source: https://blog.cg-wire.com/anticipation-principle/

The image shows one primary action before the main action

Below is an explanation of the concept of anticipation in animation

https://youtu.be/F8OtE60T8yU?si=LZqlLYmjEun14vkN

 

Staging

The principle involves being able to direct the audience to the intended actions within a scene. It mostly uses, the camera movements or placement of actions within the frame of a screen. It is often used to be able to make an idea or expression unmistakably clear to the audience or even get the audience to anticipate the character’s action.

Image source: https://juliocsoto.com/understandingtheprinciples

The image shows how elements of a scene are presented

Below is a video explaining the concept of staging and its use in animation.

https://youtu.be/u-SXLaQGg50?si=FRy2rTznUb-aEHBF

 

Straight ahead and Pose to Pose

The principle involves the two main ways in which, animators intended to work on creating images on their frames in order to have an illusion of movement. In our second post we talked about the various types of frames laid out for one to achieve a nice and smooth animation, and the same concept applies in creating it with either Straight ahead or Pose to Pose.

Straight ahead involves being able to create one drawing or image after another as the sequence progresses. The use of Straight ahead, often applies to objects or figures that may have random and erratic movements. Some of these examples, include, flames, smoke, steam, water streams, electricity and many more.

Pose to pose, involves the use of placing, key frames, as the important poses that are needed to show the action of your object or figures. extremes, which are drawings or images placed to show the furthest extent in which your object or character moves. After the extremes are done, they are breakdowns, which are able to other poses that help to smoothen out the action being perform. Finally, they are in-between frames, which help in being able to add any other extra movements that are needed to help bring the action being performed to life.

Image source: https://animost.com/tutorials/straight-ahead-action-and-pose-to-pose/

Image of the layout of straight-ahead action and pose-to-pose action

Below is a link to a video, explaining the concept of Pose to Pose and Straight ahead in animation

https://youtu.be/v8quCbt4C-c?si=4UggvuHlMWZD8B2o

 

Follow Through & Overlapping action

The principle involves capturing the movement of objects and characters, after the influence of speed in their movement.

Follow through refers to the principle that objects or characters undergo inertia in their movement and can have other parts of themselves moving when the body comes to rest. Thus, the term “follow through” as objects follow the same motion that initiated their motion.

Image source: https://darvideo.tv/dictionary/overlapping-action/

The image shows the follow through of the dog’s mouth parts

Overlapping action, refers to the movement of the objects or characters parts in a particular motion that often do not go at the same rate. For example, when you run or stand up and sit down, not all parts move in the same rate, and there for they are actions that happen before or after each other.

Image source: https://darvideo.tv/dictionary/overlapping-action/

In each drawing, the image shows how different parts of a movement can happen at different rates

Below is a link explaining the concept of Follow through and overlapping action

https://youtu.be/4OxphYV8W3E

 

Slow in-Slow out/Ease in-Ease out

In our everyday life, objects or people move at a gradual rate and also decrease their pace in a gradual rate in several actions. This could be the difference in a beginning and stopping a sprint, a jog or trot. It could also be the difference in a stretch, a quick glance at something or also a nod.

This principle is able to capture that by being able to emphasize the gradual spacing of frames at the beginning and end of an action.

 

Image source: https://darvideo.tv/dictionary/ease/

An image showing the gradual spacing of frames at the beginning and end of an action

Below is a link explaining the concept of ease in-ease out

https://youtu.be/fQBFsTqbKhY?si=bhdWNtmlXOiztdod

 

Arcs

The principle involves attempting to make objects or characters move in a particular arc or orbit, given that most organic objects and characters are not bound to robotic movement.

This is achieved by having a rounded path of motion for an object or character

 

Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1147362442569489635/

The image shows the path of motion which resembles an arc

 

Below is a link, explaining the concept of arcs.

https://youtu.be/I1_tZ9LhJD4?si=SOjzH3OHVMW49uKS

 

 

Secondary action

The principle involves having an action, that complements or further supports the idea of the main action. An example can be a bouncy walk, which will have a swinging arm to further extend the idea of the loose nature of the walk.

Another example, can be a character snooping around the house, with their eyes constantly moving around to see the place, or them moving their head up and down or side to side, to show their clumsiness.

Image source: https://darvideo.tv/dictionary/secondary-action/

The image shows different actions supporting the idea of the characters attitude or emotion

Below is a video explaining the concept of secondary action in animation

https://youtu.be/MjBHWw1TbP4?si=EzEaVl19ggw3bq_f

 

 

 

 

 

 

Timing and spacing

The principle involves the use of a particular number of frames in an object or characters action, in a particular spacing, which affects the speed of the animation, and can suggest the nature of the action performed.

The general rule suggests that, the closer frames are grouped together, the slower the action will be performed, while the further apart frames are, the quicker the action will be.

Image source: https://animost.com/tutorials/timing-and-spacing-principle/

The image shows the effect of spacing of frames on the timing of an action

Below is a link to a video explaining the principles of timing and spacing in animation

https://youtu.be/BarOk2p38LQ?si=VUZXpOQWvpP8Giud

 

 

Exaggeration

This principle involves the elevation of an expression of an emotion, attitude or action, beyond its realistic capabilities, to be able to emphasize them to the audience or explain more about a character or object.

Image source: https://hallucinationrain.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/principles-of-animation-exaggeration-timing/

The image shows how actions by characters are pushed beyond their actual extent to further emphasize their idea or emotion

Below is a link to a video which explains the principle of exaggeration in animation

https://youtu.be/HfFj-VQKiAM?si=ZWHhTHuX413RuNgh

 

Solid drawing

The principle suggests that animators should be able to draw objects and characters, with volume weight and in three-dimensionality. This helps to be able to draw and represent characters in various poses, angles, and perspectives, which can make them represent themselves in 3-dimensional space.

Although we have many types of animation today, the understanding of working characters in a 3-dimensioniality space, is highly crucial

  

Image source: https://dsource.in/course/principles-animation/solid-drawing

The image shows characters represented in 3-dimensionality

Below is a link to a video explaining solid drawing for animation

https://youtu.be/7An0jukOkCI?si=lvQoE8Wiyym1dSRj

 

 

Appeal

This principle states that animators, must make their characters distinct with their looks to be able to make them interesting and engaging to looks at. This doesn’t mean that they should all look flashy but they embrace the character that they are with the design that they are given.

 

Image source: https://dsource.in/course/principles-animation/appeal

 

The image shows real-life characters and animal, designed in a specific way to bring out their distinct nature.

 

Below is a link to a video explaining the concept of appeal in animation.

https://youtu.be/_SplEuWp0Yw?si=5IxeyCb5jBgAW3De

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

The principles of animation are mostly meant to serve as a guideline to how motion and movement of objects and characters can be achieved. They can be countless number of ways in which objects and characters in can be brought to life, through a combination of principles and use of only a couple of them.

However, it is important that the principles are understood well, to be able to effectively use them in various scenarios when trying to work out an animated scene.