This document outlines 12 basic principles of animation that are essential for creating engaging animated content, such as squash & stretch, staging, straight ahead action, pose to pose, and appeal. Each principle is explained with examples to illustrate its application in 2D and 3D animation. Understanding these principles enhances the animator's ability to create realistic and compelling movements in characters.

1. Animation
Multimedia

2. At the end of this slide, you will know :
• Animation concept of squash & stretch
• Animation concept of staging
• Animation concept of straight ahead action
• Animation concept of pose to pose
• Animation concept of appeal
• Animation concept of slow in & slow out
• Animation concept of arc
• Animation concept of secondary action
• Animation concept of timing
• Animation concept of solid drawing

3. Introduction
• There is about 12 basic principles of animation
that we should know about
• These basics principles are always used in every
animation that we have watched whether it’s
2D, 3D or any genre of fantasy film
• More animation principles are being created
and added as the world continues to advance
• Eg : Walt Disney Studio, Studio Ghibli
Animation, Animonsta Studio, etc.

4. 1. Squash & Stretch
• Is a technique that is applied to an animated
or in-motion characters to give them a more
exaggerated movement.
• To give a feeling of fleshiness, flexibility, and
life in animation.

5. Example of Squash & Stretch

6. 2. Staging
• Is a presentation of an idea so that it is clear.
• Can be action, personality, expression, or
mood.
• Key idea = is made clear to viewers
• Important objective => to lead the viewers
eye to where the action will occur so that
they do not miss anything

7. Example of Staging#1 Halves & Thirds
A physician is trying to
help the sick people
by treating them
inside the prison.
This shot is from the
Korean drama
Hwarang Episode 14
Pretty clothes = physician
Ragged clothes = sick
people

8. Example of Staging#2 Lines of Focus
This shot is taken
from Studio Ghibli’s
Kiki’s Delivery
Service movie
All people at the
street looked at the
girl with the flying
broom in the
advance city.

9. Example of Staging#3 Consistent Screen Direction
This scene is an important silent
eye to eye talk as Wei Ying (dark
robe) asked Lan Zhan (white robe)
to not question his action and just
go with him
This technique keeps the
audience from becoming
distracted during the
conversation
This shot is taken from
The Untamed Live Action
Series Episode 10

10. 3. Straight Ahead
• Is drawn from the first position to the last linear
sequence.
• Where the character ends up and how it gets there
can be a surprise for both the audience and the
animator
• This approach is a lot more spontaneous and
creative, it can create inaccurate results

11. Example of Straight Ahead

12. 4. Pose to Pose
• Is characterized by the process of first
drawing of the key poses at significant points
in the action, refining the key drawings, and
doing the in-betweens.
• This process gives the creator more control
and ensures the accuracy of the final result

13. Example of Pose to Pose

14. 5. Appeal
• To create interesting characters that appeal
to the audience
• Appealing animation doesn’t mean making
everything fluffy and cute but creating a
clear visual design that will capture the
audience’s interest

15. Example of Appeal

16. 6. Slow In & Slow Out
• Refers to the time taken for the object
movement at the beginning and sequence
suffixes
• Making object movements look more
realistic
Slow In Slow out
Movement begins slowly Movement ends quickly

17. Example of Slow in & Slow Out#1

18. Example of Slow in & Slow Out#2

19. 7. Arc
• Visual path of an object or action is called
“arc”
• One of the most important tool to make
movements realistic and pleasing to the eye.
• Eg : projectile of a bouncing ball, path of a
moving arm, etc.

20. Example of Arc#1
- curved movements
- more realistic
- straight line
– mechanical movements

21. Example of Arc#2

22. Example of Arc#3
• Describes the energy of an object

23. Example of Arc#4
• Objects with different builds and weights travel in
their “signature” arcs.
Basketball – more realistic
Bowling ball – mechanical
movements

24. Example of Arc#5
• When lifting an object, the path of a lighter object tends to be
outward while the heavy one moves closer to the lifter’s body.
- Heavy object
- Moves
towards the
body
- Light object
- Moves away
from the
body

25. 8. Secondary Action
• An additional movements that occur to
complete the main movements that existed
• Is merely complementary and does not take
over the main movement
• It is important to make the movement more
realistic

26. Example of Secondary Action#1

27. Example of Secondary Action#2
• Facial expressions are performed after the main action is
completed so the audience can see the changes clearly
From shocked & confused to
mad & angry

28. Example of Secondary Action#3
• Main action and facial expressions at the same time make the
audience hard to know the change of character’s expression

29. 9. Timing
• Refers to the number of drawings or frames
for an action
• It involves in all elements such as, weight,
gravity, mass, speed, lightness and energy.
• How quickly something moves & how long it
stays
• Slowing something down & speeding
something down

30. Importance of Timing
Timing is important to know
When a
movement has
to be done
Weight Size
Scale
Speed Personality
Mood
Emotion

31. Example of Timing#1

32. Example of Timing#2
• The time difference taken by the character to stand reflects the difference
in weight

33. 10. Solid Drawing
• Refers to the ability to render a three-
dimensional character in two-dimensional
space & give it weight, depth, and balance
• Is more fundamental for a traditional
animator
• Traditional animator = has to be able to draw
a character from any angle

34. Definition of Solid Drawing#2

35. Example of Solid Drawing#1 Line of Action
• Strong line of action goes through the body, illustrates the
force of action, unifies the pose, and makes a clear statement.

36. Example of Solid Drawing#2 Twists
• Give more dimension and interest to the pose

37. Example of Solid Drawing#3 Twinning
• Avoid symmetry in a pose as it will make the character looks flat

38. Example of Solid Drawing#4 Counterpose
• When the hips tilt in one direction, the shoulders tend to tilt
in the opposite direction to keep the body in balance

39. Example of Solid Drawing#5 Silhouette
• A clear silhouette helps the viewer to instantly understand a pose.
• Can also get a surprising amount if information from just the silhouette
such as the gender, age, attitude, costume, etc.
Sebastian from The Little Mermaid
King Arthur/Saber from Fate Stay Night

40. Thank you for lending us your ear
and time for hearing us out!
Group members :
Afroza
Siew Ting