Paige Maddox- Introduction to Animation

The 12 Principles of Animation:

I've started to research the 12 Principles of Animation so that I can effectively apply them within my own work. I believe that all of these principles will help to make my own work successful because they will present a variety of ways of how to portray an inventive narrative.

Squash and Stretch- This technique is used to present the speed, weight and mass of a character or object. For example, this can used when drawing a bouncing ball. Also, this technique can be used to add more expression to a character's face.

Anticipation- This shows a movement that leads up to the main action within a scene. For example, swinging a bat away from yourself as you get ready to hit the ball. Another example could be a character bending their knees before they jump.

Staging- You can use this technique to guide viewers on where they should look within a scene. This makes sure that the scenes aren't chaotic and this helps the viewers to know what elements are important. Timing is also important when using this technique.

Straight Ahead & Pose to Pose- Straight ahead refers to drawing your animation frame by frame. Pose to pose means that you draw the first and last frames and fill in the rest later on. Straight ahead is useful when making sure that the proportion and scale are accurate in each frame. However, pose to pose can have more of an advantage as it's a quicker process. Also, it can help you to know how the action within the scene is going to end.

Follow Through & Overlapping Action- Follow through reveals how certain elements within a scene can continue to move whilst the character has stopped moving. Overlapping action shows the timing between the elements and the character. Both of these techniques present the uses of drag. Drag delays the movement being shown compared to the other elements that are within the scene.

Slow In & Slow Out- This technique is used to show how something within a scene starts moving slowly, speeds up and then slows down.

Arcs- This allows you to apply realism and character to the elements within a scene. For example, to suggest gravity and the weight of a ball when being thrown, it should be drawn by using an arc.

Secondary Action- This technique is applied to show a reaction to the main action that is happening within the scene. For example, the main action is a water droplet that is falling. The secondary action would be the droplet turning into ripples.

Timing- This is important within a scene because it can determine the speed, weight and personality of a object or character. This can be determined by how many frames are used between each main action. The more drawings you make, the slower the speed. The less drawings you make, the faster the speed.

Exaggeration- This adds an impact to the facial expressions and movements of a character. By doing this, viewers are able to see how the character's are feeling. For example, to show a that a character is angry, you could draw steam coming out of their ears.

Solid Drawing- Solid drawing involves drawing 3D shapes that help us to understand the perspectives, angles, weight, volume and balance of an object or character. This is useful when applying realism and spacing.

Appeal- Appeal is used to make a character, whether they are the hero or the villain, to appear believable, likeable and interesting. This technique is important because the appearance of a character can reveal their personality. Experimenting with shapes and proportions can be useful so you can make a character that is unique. When designing these characters, the designs should be simple so they are easy to re-draw.

This research has been beneficial as it has allowed me to learn how to apply weight, mass, speed and likeability to designs. I'm now going to use what I've learnt by creating short animations that use these principles.

Reference List:

AlanBeckerTutorials

2015

1. Squash & Stretch- 12 Principles of Animation

Available at: 1. Squash & Stretch - 12 Principles of Animation - YouTube

(Accessed: 13th February 2021)

School of Motion

2019

Anticipation: The Animation Principle You Didn't Expect

Available at:Anticipation: The Animation Principle You Didn't Expect - YouTube

(Accessed; 13th February 2021)

AlanBeckerTutorials