12 principles of animation

1. Squash and stretch: Emphasizes speed, momentum, weight, and mass. The more an object stretches the softer it is. Keep the volume consistent.

2. Anticipation: Adds power behind a movement and helps communicate actions to the audience.

3. Staging: Is the presentation of an idea so that it is completely and unmistakably clear. All about: Acting, timing, setting, camera angle, and position.

4. Straight ahead & pose to pose: Two ways of drawing animation. Straight ahead is a frame to frame process while pose to pose focuses on main positions of an action. pose to pose uses keys, extremes, and breakdowns

5. Follow through and overlapping actions: Follow through, overlapping, drag. Expresses how a light object will move due to another action connected to it. Takes longer than the main action to finish as to state it clearly the object it very light or to move.

6. Slow in & slow out: This principle is taking a frame by frame action and making it so it starts and ends slow. This works effectively on moving object like robots or cars as they move at a constant speed. It also allows the audience to find it easier to follow a moving object.

7. Arcs: Although is a hardly used principle, it gives an object a sense of gravity and weight. This principle allows you to keep the movement consistent, especially in size and weight.

8. Secondary Action: Gestures that support the main action to add more dimension to the character animation. This can help communicate character motivations or feelings.

9. Timing: The personality and nature of animation are greatly affected by the number of frames inserted between each main action. The more frames the slower and less lively the movement it.

10. Exaggeration: Every action and or expression can be “taken the next level” to increase the impact said action or expression and making them. This can make the animation more entertaining from how over the top it can be.

11. Solid Drawing: This principle focuses on making sure the drawings feel 3 dimensional. Using cubes, cuboid and spheres can help create this effect. This can also make an animation have more perspective and adventurous.

12. Appeal: The principle in which your animated character should be somewhat pleasing to the eye. Meaning to make your characters as interesting as the animation itself, make them more dynamic and easy to understand their role within the animation.