12 Principles of Animation

This movement prepares the audience for a major action the character is about to perform, such as, starting to run, jump or change expression. Examples are a pitcher's wind-up or a golfers' back swing.

• Anticipation
• Arcs
• Staging
• Slow In and Slow Out

Corresponds to what would be called charisma in an actor. A character who is not necessarily sympathetic – villains or monsters can also fall under this principle – the important thing is that the viewer feels the character is real and interesting

• Follow Through and Overlap
• Appeal
• Exaggeration
• Solid Drawing

Most actions follow a slightly circular path. This is especially true of the human figure and the action of animals. Give animation a more natural action and better flow. Examples are a pendulum swinging, arm movement, head turns and even eye movements.

• Arcs
• Anticipation
• Appeal
• Secondary Actions

This principle describes an action that remains true to reality, just presenting it in a wilder, more extreme form

• Exaggeration
• Squash and Stretch
• Straight Ahead Versus Pose to Straight Ahead Versus Pose to Pose
• Timing

The action that follows the main action; actions do not stop at the same time.

• Follow Through and Overlap
• Arcs
• Solid Drawing
• Secondary Actions

This action adds to and enriches the main action and adds more dimension to the character animation, supplementing and/or re-enforcing the main action.

• Secondary Actions
• Squash and Stretch
• Appeal
• Anticipation

Principle with more drawings near the beginning and end of an action, emphasizing the extreme poses, and fewer in the middle. Most objects need time to accelerate and slow down, this principle softens the action, making it more life-like

• Slow In and Slow Out
• Follow Through and Overlap
• Exaggeration
• Appeal

This principle means taking into account forms in three-dimensional space, or giving them volume and weight. The animator needs to be a skilled artist and has to understand the basics of 3D shapes, anatomy, weight, balance, light and shadow, etc

• Solid Drawing
• Staging
• Appeal
• Follow Through and Overlap

Gives the illusion of weight and volume to a character as it moves. It is used in all forms of character animation from a bouncing ball to the body weight of a person walking.

• Squash and Stretch
• Straight Ahead Versus Pose to Pose
• Exaggeration
• Slow In and Slow Out

Its purpose is to direct the audience's attention, and make it clear what is of greatest importance in a scene. This can be done by the placement of a character in the frame, the use of light and shadow, or the angle and position of the camera

• Staging
• Squash and Stretch
• Exaggeration
• Anticipation