The 12 principles of animation

The 12 principles of animation were developed by Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston in the 1930s. These principles are still the foundation for creating engaging, dynamic, and believable animations. Here’s an overview of each:

1. Squash and Stretch: This principle gives the illusion of weight and volume to characters and objects. By stretching and squashing, you can show movement and flexibility, like a bouncing ball or a character changing shape during a jump.

2. Anticipation: Before a character makes a major move, they give a small preparatory movement. This helps the audience understand what is about to happen, such as a character crouching before jumping or winding up before throwing something.

3. Staging: This principle involves presenting an idea so that it is clear to the audience. The action or scene should be framed in a way that guides the viewer’s attention and clearly conveys the mood or message.

4. Straight Ahead Action and Pose to Pose:

   • Straight Ahead Action: Animating frame by frame from start to finish creates a more fluid, spontaneous feeling.
   • Pose to Pose: Animators create key poses first and then fill in the in-between frames. This approach gives more control over the timing and structure of the animation.

5. Follow Through and Overlapping Action:

   • Follow Through: This refers to the continuation of movement after the main action. For example, a character’s hair or clothes continuing to move after they stop.
   • Overlapping Action: This principle is about different parts of a character’s body moving at different times. For instance, when a character runs, the arms and legs don’t move together, but one follows the other.

6. Slow In and Slow Out: This principle involves having more frames at the beginning and end of an action, and fewer in the middle. It helps create a more natural, realistic feel to movement by mimicking how things speed up and slow down.

7. Arcs: Most natural actions follow a circular or arc-like path. By animating movements in arcs, you can make the action feel more fluid and lifelike.

8. Secondary Action: Adding secondary actions to the main action adds depth and complexity to the scene. For example, a character walking might have their arms swinging, or a character smiling while they speak.

9. Timing: This principle refers to the number of frames used for an action. More frames can make a movement slower and heavier, while fewer frames make it faster and lighter. Proper timing is crucial for conveying emotions and energy.

10. Exaggeration: Exaggerating certain actions or expressions can make the animation more dynamic and entertaining. For example, a character’s reaction to surprise might be exaggerated to make it more comical or dramatic.

11. Solid Drawing: This principle ensures that characters and objects are drawn with volume, weight, and balance. It makes the animation appear three-dimensional and more believable.

12. Appeal: This refers to creating characters and scenes that are engaging, interesting, and visually pleasing. An appealing design, whether through facial expressions, body language, or overall style, keeps the audience connected with the animation.

Together, these principles help animators create more lifelike, engaging, and emotionally resonant animations.