About the 12 Principles of Animation

The 12 principles of animation are guidelines that were developed from the 1930s and eventually introduced in the book The Illusion of Life by Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas in 1981. These guidelines help animators create believable and solid performances in their work, and can be applied to multiple forms of animation.

In this article we will briefly cover each animation principle. It is recommended you spend additional time researching each one.

Take note that all principles are equally important to the animation process.

Solid Drawing

Solid drawing means having a good grasp of 3D shapes in a 2D space, adding weight and dimension to drawings while keeping characters on model. It is paramount for drawings to have a strong underlying structure; without it, drawings will deform and progressively go off model. Even in 3D or stop motion, characters and puppets have an underlying skeleton and structure.

Staging

Staging refers to the placement of elements in a scene to frame the action and lead it in a way that is clear to the audience. It is important that nothing overlaps or obscures the important elements, and that space is left open for characters to move in. Good staging can be achieved through thoughtful character placement, the use of light and shadow, and/or the angle and position of the camera.

Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose animation

There are two ways to animate an action: straight-ahead (drawing sequentially from frame 1 to the end) and pose-to-pose (drawing key poses first, then filling in the breakdowns and in-betweens). Straight-ahead works great for fluid elements like smoke or water, while pose-to-pose is better for actions that require tight timing and structure. Most animators combine both methods depending on the scene.

 

Squash and Stretch

Squash and stretch gives elasticity and flexibility to animation, making it look smoother and bouncier. It is important to maintain the volume of the object throughout: when you squash something down, you need to proportionally stretch it sideways. It can be outrageously exaggerated for a cartoony look, or kept subtle for more realistic movement.

Anticipation

Anticipation is the preparation for an action, such as a jump or a punch, giving the audience time to see and understand what is about to happen. The stronger the anticipation action, the more cartoony and fluid the animation will be. It also gives insight into the thoughts of a character, so that each action does not come as an abrupt surprise.

Follow Through and Overlapping Action

This principle describes how secondary parts of a character or object respond to the main action with a slight delay. "Drag" refers to body parts or clothing that trail behind the main motion, while "overlapping action" refers to parts that continue to move past the stopping point before settling. Adding these to your animations will go far in making them look less mechanical.

Slow In and Slow Out 

Also known as “Ease-in” and “Ease-out”, or acceleration and deceleration, this principle refers to the natural slowing down and speeding up of an object as it moves. To reproduce this effect, more drawings are added closer together (clustered) where the movement needs to be slower, and farther apart where the movement is faster. Slow/ease-in means the object is gradually picking up speed; slow/ease-out means it is gradually slowing down.

Arcs

The human body moves from its articulations, and all limbs rotate from a pivot point and naturally follow a curved path rather than a straight line. Most actions in animation follow the shape of an arc; throwing a ball, swinging a bat, or nodding the head all result in arc-shaped motions. A path of action helps map out the position of each drawing at each frame. Keeping the motion along the arc will prevent jitter and confusing movements.

Secondary Action

Secondary actions are the other limbs or objects moving along with the main action, adding another layer of realism and quality. They are not follow-through actions; they are active movements, such as a character's arms swinging while walking, nodding in time to music, or an old vehicle shuddering as it drives. Secondary actions should support the main action, not distract from it - they enhance the story and the character’s/object’s personality.

Timing

Timing is the duration, speed, and velocity of an action, and also defines the timing that secondary objects follow the main action. If the timing is off (too slow, too fast, or too linear), the animation will not look realistic. The way a character moves and the weight of an object all influence timing, and elements like story development, gags, and reactions all depend on timing to be effective

Exaggeration

Exaggeration takes an action and pushes it past its realistic boundaries to add life to animation. This can translate to body positions, facial expressions, and movement. The results can be hilarious and very cartoony, and even a subtle exaggeration on a more serious character can help communicate emotion more effectively.

Appeal

Appeal is all about creating charisma, charming the audience and pleasing the eye, whether it's a hero or a villain. Good character design uses shape, proportion, feature exaggeration, and simplicity to convey personality and captivate the audience. A good character design and animation can even save a mediocrely written character, just because the character is fun to watch.