Ease in and Ease OutĮase in and out refers to the gradual changes of an object’s speed to convey realistic movements. Bodies in motion won’t move at different speeds, certain character features might follow through the main action or overlap to slowly settle to a stop. When a character suddenly stops moving, certain character features, such as the hair, flesh folds, clothing, or a jiggly belly, continue to move due to the force of the forward momentum.įollow through refers to the movement after the action itself to convey weight and realism. These animation techniques are meant to give the impression that the characters are following the laws of physics.

If say, you want to catch major mistakes early, this technique works the best.Ī good animator should, however, master both techniques and learn how to combine both principles to achieve structure and spontaneity at the same time. But because the action is planned, the effect isn’t as spontaneous. Since you can see where your character is going on early on, you can set the timing perfectly. This technique gives you more control over the action in a scene. Pose to Pose is all about taking the extremes at the beginning and end of the action then filling the frames in between. If you want to create fluid, realistic movements, Straight Ahead is a great technique to try. This technique is more spontaneous so the effect is fresh, surprising. Straight Ahead involves illustrating each frame of an action, one after another. When applied, these animation techniques give you control over the scene, allowing you to enhance the dramatic effect of the motion. Knowing how to use staging effectively allows you to control the attention of the viewers and drive the story. Staging is applied through acting, timing, setting, and cinematography. This animation principle eliminates extra details in the background so the audience is focused on what’s happening in the scene even if the center of the scene is always moving. Staging is a principle that’s based on theatrical values to set the mood and draw the viewer’s attention to the important elements of the scene to advance the story. The movement is unrealistic and downright comical because one cannot jump without moving the joints. To illustrate anticipation in animation, imagine a character jumping in the air without the knees being bent.

The Illusion of Life by Frank Thomas