The Animator's Survival Kit

01Understanding the Basics of Animation: From Principles to Drawing Techniques

Animation is like a magic trick. It's a sleight of hand that brings inanimate objects to life, making them move, express, and tell stories. But behind this magic, there's a science, a set of rules and principles that animators must master to create believable, lifelike animations. Let's start with the 12 principles of animation, the holy grail for any animator. These principles were first introduced by Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas, and they are beautifully explained in Richard Williams' book "The Animator's Survival Kit". The first principle, squash and stretch, gives the illusion of weight and volume to animated objects. Think of a bouncing ball. It squashes when it hits the ground and stretches as it bounces back up. Anticipation is the second principle. It's the small action that prepares the audience for the main action. For example, a character bending its knees before jumping. Staging is all about directing the audience's attention to the right place at the right time. Straight ahead action and pose to pose are two different approaches to animating. The first involves drawing frame by frame from start to end, while the second involves drawing key poses and then filling in the in-between frames. Follow through and overlapping action add realism to the movement of characters. For instance, when a character stops running, their clothes or hair might continue to move for a few frames. Slow in and slow out refer to the acceleration and deceleration of an action. Arcs, the seventh principle, are about the natural movement of objects in an arc shape. Secondary action is a smaller action that supports the main action, like a character tapping their foot while talking. Timing is crucial in animation. It determines the speed of an action and can convey a character's mood or reaction. Exaggeration is used to accentuate an action or expression, making it more dynamic and appealing. Solid drawing is about creating three-dimensional characters in a two-dimensional space. And finally, appeal is about creating characters that the audience can connect with, whether they are heroes, villains, or sidekicks. Now, let's talk about timing and spacing. Timing in animation is like the rhythm in music. It sets the pace of the action and can reveal a character's personality. A slow, deliberate movement can show that a character is calm or cautious, while quick, abrupt movements can show that they are nervous or excited. Spacing, on the other hand, is about the distance between frames. It creates the illusion of speed and weight. For example, a heavy object will have smaller spaces between frames, showing that it moves slower, while a light object will have larger spaces, showing that it moves faster. Anticipation and follow-through are two more principles that add realism to animations. Anticipation is like the wind-up before a pitch. It prepares the audience for the main action. Follow-through is the aftermath of an action. It's what happens after the main action has been completed, like the dust settling after a car zooms by. Drawing for animation is another crucial skill. It's not just about creating appealing characters, but also about understanding how to convey movement and emotion through lines and shapes. The line of action, for example, is a technique used to create dynamic poses. It's a single line that represents the main direction of a character's pose. In conclusion, understanding the basics of animation is like learning the alphabet before writing a novel. It's the foundation upon which all other skills are built. And just like any other skill, it takes practice, patience, and a lot of trial and error. But once mastered, these basics can open the door to a world of creativity and storytelling.