Expert Speaks: Memorizing Animation Principles

While evolving this art of animation at Disney Studios, artists noticed themselves mentioning few “things” and asking each other if that “thing” has been taken care of in animation.

Those “things” then got listed and became principles of animation.

Not precisely but these can be broadly categorised to make them more digestible. This will help memorizing them.

Out of 12,

– 6 principles take care of physics and mechanics to make the series of drawings/poses look believable animation/movement that follows laws of physics.

Stretch and squash, timing and spacing, slow in slow out, arcs, overlapping/follow through, secondary action

– 3 take care of aesthetics

Exaggeration, Staging and Appeal

– and 3 are concerned with methodology and technique

Straight ahead, Pose to pose, Solid drawing.

All 12 should become second nature of an animator. CG animators may not have to confront the last 1.