12 principles of Animations;

12 principles of Animations;

Squash and Stretch, Timing.

This technique is applied to make an animation more cartoon like or surreal. Squash and Stretch can make the animation flow better, as opposed to realistic juddering motion. It can keep the volume of the character constant and make the animation funnier. When Squash and stretch is applied it creates the illusion that a drawing has dimension and volume. We can also use squash and stretch to make an animation more realistic for example when we crouch down in anticipation for a leap we squash, and as we jump into the air me stretch.

Anticipation

Anticipation can be the anatomical preparation for the action, e.g., retracting a foot before kicking a ball. It can also be a device to attract the viewer's attention to the proper screen area and to prepare them for the action, e.g., raising the arms and staring at something before picking it up, or staring off-screen at something and then reacting to it before the action moves on-screen. A properly timed anticipation can enable the viewer to better understand a rapid action, e.g., preparing to run and then dashing off-screen. Anticipation can also create the perception of weight or mass, e.g., a heavy person might put their arms on a chair before they rise, whereas a smaller person might just stand up.

Staging

Staging is used to focus the viewer’s concentration on one particular thing or person. For example father looks at son, the attention is shift to son. It is a presentation of an idea to make the idea clear. An important objective of staging is to lead the viewers eye to where the action will occur so that they do not miss anything. This means that only one idea at a time occur, or else the viewers may be looking at the wrong thing.

Follow through & over lapping

Follow through is the end part of an animation. An example is in throwing a ball - the hand continues to move after the ball is released. In the movement of complex object different parts of the object move at different times and different rates. For example, in walking, the hip leads, followed by the leg and then the foot. As the lead part stops, the lagging parts continue in motion. Overlapping means to start a second action before the first action has completely finished. This keeps the interest of the viewer, since there is no dead time between actions.

Straight ahead

This is when an animator draws every frame in sequence until he reaches the end of the scene. It gives a spontaneous and unique animation, which is used for wild action.

Pose to pose

This is when an animator draws the key frames of the animation and hires someone else or uses the computer to fill in the blanks. This is when the animation needs careful planning or lots of detail. This allows the animator to map out the action in advance with ‘sign posts’ by charting up these key poses onto ‘exposure sheets’ or ‘dope sheets’, or indeed into the timeline of computer software. It is a particularly useful animation method when a character must perform certain tasks within a predetermined time or where a series of actions must synchronise accurately with a recorded sound track. The technique helps ensure that characters arrive at a particular place on screen at a precise point in time.

Slow in slow out.

This refers to the spacing of the in-between frames at maximum positions. It is the second and third order continuity of motion of the object. Rather than having a uniform velocity for an object, it is more appealing, and sometimes more realistic, to have the velocity vary at the extremes. For example, a bouncing ball moves faster as it approaches or leaves the ground and slower as it approaches its maximum position. The name comes from having the object or character "slow out" of one pose and "slow in" to the next pose.

Arcs

This used to show motion in a realistic movement for example, a bouncing ball moves in an arc across the ground making the animation look less stiff rather than straight up and down. In nature, arcs are the most economical routes by which a form can move from one position to another.

Exaggeration

Exaggeration does not mean just distorting the actions or objects randomly, but the animator must carefully choose which properties to exaggerate. If only one thing is exaggerated then it may stand out too much. If everything is exaggerated, then the entire scene may appear too unrealistic. Exaggeration should be an action that directly results from another action. It can be used to increase the complexity and interest in a scene.

Secondary Action

Secondary action should always be the follow-on to and not compete with the primary action in the scene. An example might be the facial expression on a character. The body would be expressing the primary action while the expression adds to it.

Appeal

Audiences like to see a quality of charm, pleasing design, simplicity, communication, or fascination. A weak drawing or design lacks appeal. A design that is complicated or hard to read lacks appeal. Clumsy shapes and awkward moves all have low appeal. An example of animation that would be appealing in a character is when various parts of the body are moved slightly, and also including the facial features.