Basic Principles and Types of Animations

Brief presentation on Basic Principles and Types of Animation

1. Basic Principles and Types of Animation By Abhaya basnet

2. INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER ANIMATION Computer animation is the process of creating moving images through the use of computers with specialized software . T he previous image is replaced with a new image which is a little bit shifted. It involves creating a series of static images or frames, which, when played back in rapid succession, create the illusion of movement . Computer animation is often used in movies, television shows, and video games to create special effects, characters, and environments .

3. Basic Principles of Animation There are 12 major principles of animation that are followed by animators in order to create believable and effective animations . Created in the 1930s (and first introduced in The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation) by the pioneers of animation, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, these 12 principles of animation adhere to the basic laws of physics and also account for emotions and appeal . While originally developed for pencil sketching, the same principles apply to digital animation as well.

4. 1. Timing and Spacing Timing and spacing are two important principles of animation that help to create a sense of realism and movement in an animation . Timing refers to the speed at which an animation occurs, and how long it takes for different actions to take place. Proper timing is important in order to create a sense of realism and to make sure that the animation flows smoothly. Spacing refers to the distance between different elements of an animation, and how they move and change in relation to each other. Proper spacing helps to create a sense of depth and movement in the animation .

5. For example, if a ball travels from screen left to screen right in 24 frames, that would be timing. It takes 24 frames or 1 second (if you’re working within the film rate of 24 rates per second) for the ball to reach the other side of the screen . For instance, in the same example, the spacing would be how the ball is positioned in the other 23 frames. If the spacing is close together, the ball moves slower. If the spacing is further apart, the ball moves faster.

6. 2. Squash and Stretch Squash and stretch is what gives flexibility to objects. It is used to give a character or object the appearance of having both weight and flexibility.  The easiest way to understand how squash and stretch work is to look at a bouncing ball. As the ball starts to fall and picks up speed, the ball will stretch out just before impact . As the ball impacts the ground, it squashes before stretching again as it takes off. 

7. 3. Anticipation Anticipation is used in animation to set the audience up for an action that is about to happen, and is required to sell believable movements . An easy way to think about this is before a baseball player pitches the ball, they first need to move their entire body and arm backward to gain enough energy to throw the ball forward. So, if an animated person needs to move forward, they first must move back. Or, if a character is reaching for a glass on a table, they must first move their hand back. This not only gets up their momentum, but it lets the audience know this person is about to move.

8. 4 . Ease In and Ease Out Or sometimes addressed as “Slow In and Slow Out” the principle suggests that almost every movement needs time to accelerate and slow down . When you start your car, you don’t get up to 60 mph right away. It takes a little while to accelerate and reach a steady speed. In animation speak, we would call this an  Ease Out .   Likewise , if you brake, you’re not going to come to a full stop right away. (Unless you crash into a tree or something.) You step on the pedal and decelerate over a few seconds until you are at a stand-still. Animators call this an  Ease In .

9. 5. Flow Through and Overlapping A ction Follow-through refers to the way that certain parts of an object or character continue to move after the main action has occurred. Overlapping action refers to the way that different parts of an object or character move at different speeds and in different ways. If your character is running across the scene, their arms and legs may be moving at a different rate from their head. This is overlapping action. Likewise, when they stop running, their hair will likely continue to move for a few frames before coming to rest – this is follow through.

10. 6 . Arcs Arcs are a principle of animation that refers to the natural, curving paths that objects and characters tend to follow as they move . For example, when you toss a ball into the air, it follows a natural arc as the effects of the Earth's gravity act upon it.

11. 7 . Exaggeration Exaggeration deals with the physical features and emotions . Exaggeration is used to push movements further, adding more appeal to an action, and should always be implemented to some degree . Exaggeration can be used to create extremely cartoony movements including physical alterations or supernatural elements.

12. 8 . Solid Drawing Solid drawing is all about making sure that animated forms feel like they’re in three-dimensional space .

13. 9 . Appeal Animation should be appealing to the audience and must be easy to understand . The syntax or font style used should be easily understood and appealing to the audience . Lack of symmetry and complicated design of character should be avoided. 

14. 10. Straight Ahead Action and Pose to Pose S traight A head and Pose to Pose are two ways to handle drawing animation. Each has its own benefits, and the two approaches are often combined . Straight ahead action involves drawing frame-by-frame from start to finish. If you're looking for fluid, realistic movements, straight ahead action is your best bet . With the pose to pose technique, you draw the beginning frame, the end frame, and a few key frames in-between. Then you go back and complete the rest. This technique gives you a bit more control within the scene and allows you to increase the dramatic effect of the motion .

15. 11. Secondary Action Secondary actions are used to support the primary or main idea. For Example, A person drinking a hot tea, then his facial expressions, movement of hands, etc comes under the secondary actions.

16. 12. Staging It directs the audience’s attention toward the most important elements in a scene in a way that effectively advances the story. Staging is how you go about setting up your scene, from the placement of the characters, to the background and foreground elements, the character’s mood, and how the camera angle is set up.

17. Types of Animation There are many different types of animation but most of them fall into five major categories . Traditional Animation 2D Animation (Vector-Based) 3D Animation Motion Graphics Stop Motion

18. 1. Traditional Animation Traditional animation, also known as  cel  animation, is the oldest form of animation . According to traditional style, an animator will meticulously hand-draw each frame on paper, which is then photocopied or retraced onto transparent acetate sheets called cels . Paint is applied and each  cel  is photographed one-by-one to produce an animated sequence . This kind of animation was frequently used by Walt Disney Animation Studios in the production of many of their early films, including  The Lion King (1994),   Sleeping Beauty (1959)  and  Cinderella (1950).

19. 2 . 2 D Animation (Vector Based) 2D Animation is a two-dimensional animation where characters and backgrounds are designed on the computer in a two-dimensional flat space . With Vector-based, the motion here can be controlled by  vectors   rather than  pixels . It is used extensively for creating animated movies ,  cartoons, marketing videos, advertisements,  corporate presentations , educational materials, video games, and so much more. Some well-known popular 2D animations include: SpongeBob SquarePants (Patrick Star, SpongeBob SquarePants , Squidward Tentacles, Mr. Krabs ) Looney Tunes (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd ) The Simpsons (Homer Simpson, Bart Simpson, Marge Simpson, Lisa Simpson) Tom and Jerry (Tom Cat, Jerry Mouse, Topsy Cat)

20. 3. 3D Animation 3D Animation is when objects generated on the computer move in a three-dimensional space . 3D animation involves creating 3D models and then animating them using computer software. This movement or rotation of the items gives a real-life movement feeling. The animation uses 3D computer graphics to formulate two-dimensional moving pictures that portray three dimensions. 3D Animation is used in various industries like gaming and medicine etc. It is ordinarily used for presentations and marketing crosswise all industries . Some well-known popular 3D animations include: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck) Toy Story (Sheriff Woody, Buzz Lightyear , Mr. Potato Head, Hamm) Despicable Me (Dave the Minion, Stuart the Minion, Felonious Gru , Vector) Big Hero 6 (Hiro Hamada, Baymax , Honey Lemon, Wasabi)

21. 4 . Motion Graphics Motion graphics involve creating 2D or 3D graphics and then animating them to convey information or tell a story . They’re often combined with sound for multimedia projects. This visual effect technique involves moving graphic elements such as text or logos, mostly using software such as After Effects. Works Best For: Those working in the advertising industry or doing multimedia projects, or even designing the opening of film titles .

22. 5. Stop Motion Also called stop frame animation is an animation that is made by capturing one frame at a time, with physical objects that are moved between frames . When you play back the sequence of images rapidly, it may create the illusion of movement. It is like traditional animation, except instead of drawing, you have clay models and a set that you have to carefully manipulate to produce animation . Stop motion artists work with animation studios, television, advertisements, films, gaming studios, and the advertising industry.