Here in this blog we are going to discuss about anticipation which is an importance aspect of animation while an animator is animating characters. As we all know that animation is a technique where images are manipulated to appear as moving images.

1. Animating Character With Anticipation
Here in this blog we are going to discuss about anticipation which is an importance
aspect of animation while an animator is animating characters.
As we all know that animation is a technique where images are manipulated to appear
as moving images.
Animated images could be hand drawn or computer generated imagery.
The moving animated images tells us story through various actions and reactions.
And there is an animator who draws the every frame of character’s action and reaction
through his sketching talent.
Anticipation is just the introduction of an action that sets up a main action.
The preparation for the main action is the anticipation.
Anticipation In Animation Is About

2. During early Disney Studio days animators became aware that audiences face
difficulties in following the animation if there is a lack of planned series of events
guiding the eye.
Walt Disney told his animators to come up with ideas.
He insisted on visual gags and wanted that the audience should see every action clearly.
Walt Disney used to act the action himself so that the animators could clearly capture
the effect.
Les Clark one of the Disney’s animator mentioned that “Today it looks simple to us but
at those days it wasn’t. It was something completely new to us.”
The animators worked hard to improve their drawings.
To prepare the audience for an action, the animators started to add so-called
anticipation drawing.
The anticipation drawing allowed the audience to predict the main action in the scene.
This process of anticipation made the appearance of action more realistic.
The three major steps in any animation are:
 Anticipation (preparation for the action)
 Action
 Reaction
In animation; Anticipation can also be referred to as Preparation for an action.
Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston created the basic principles of animation which
includes Anticipation in their book named Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life in the
year 1981.
Both Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnson were American animators and belonged to the
Disney’s Nine Old Men.
Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life has 12 principles of animation among which
Anticipation is the one.

3. The above picture shows us the anticipation drawing which is the preparation of the
main action of an animated scene as different from the action and reaction.
Anticipation creates the perception of weight.
From the picture we can be assured that the man has lifted up a heavy hammer to hit
the ground hard; he stretches his hands and holds the hammer up to bang on the
ground.
Anticipation is an attempt to generate energy to perform an action.
While animating the character anticipation communicates what is going to happen.
The main points about the anticipation are:-
 Anticipation is always in the opposite direction from the main action is going to
happen.
 Slower anticipation = faster action i.e. anticipation is slower than the main
action.
 Action gets enhanced by the anticipation before the action.
Anticipation can be used for animating less physical actions such as a character is
looking outside the window to expect someone’s arrival or waiting for a phone call to
come etc.

4. The anticipation technique has been borrowed from the theatre long back to hold the
audience’s attention.
This technique prepares the audience for what he/she is going to watch.
Remember this famous anticipation pose of Donald duck with raised leg whenever he
used to run out of the scene.
Donald duck’s anticipation pose used to make us ready for the main action during the
show.
Animating With Anticipation Pose
While animating a figure if the animator omits the anticipation pose then there will be a
feeling of surprise in the viewer and the result will turn into comedy effect.

5. Anticipation Pose prepares the character for an action such as jump or run or punch.
In animation action happens very fast; for example a scene of throwing a ball will take
just two or three drawings to make the action complete.
These two or three drawings will not give the sufficient time to the audience to see the
action properly.
But if the character pauses for few seconds before the ball throwing action then the
event will become much clearer to the audience.
Anticipation is key element in the timing of any animation.
It prepares the audience for the main action.
Stronger the anticipation more cartoony and smooth the animation will be whereas
smaller anticipation will deliver more stiff animation.
The character should think before taking any action in the technique of animation.
A character who is about to jump must first crouch down low and then push off with its
feet.
In the above image the animator has drawn the anticipation pose for the jumping
character.
The crouch pose indicates the audience that the character is about to jump.
Pose of anticipation gives hint about the thought of a character.
Audience can easily get an idea about the action of the character (what he/she is
planning) from the anticipation.

6. Action of character doesn’t come as strange surprise with the pose of anticipation.
Anticipation simulates real motion.
Anticipation: Prepares The Viewer
It definitely looks odd if we jump without bending our knees or throw a ball without
moving our arms back.
Animating a character without the anticipation will make the motion awkward and
lifeless.
Anticipation prepares the viewer for the action to come.
It is used to direct the audience’s attention.
It makes the character’s action more realistic.

7. The above picture is another example of anticipation where a man prepares himself for
the main action to cut down the tree.
His posture and expression indicates us that he is going to apply huge strength to knock
down the mighty tree.
You can find the use of extreme anticipation in the animated characters like Tom and
Jerry to engage in powerful action such as sudden run or hitting with axe etc.
Many times anticipation pose of Tom used to give audience hint about the main action.
Hence like other aspects of animation, anticipation is also an important part of the
animation.
Animators must learn the art of anticipation to prepare the audience for an action.
Learn about Animation Techniques from our MAAC Centres.