Elements of animation
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[edit] Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose
Main article: Animating Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose
Explains and compares 3 methods of animating.
[edit] Anticipation
One of the most important elements of animation is anticipation. Anticipation is as it sounds, going back before rushing forward. Going one way before going the opposite way. For example, say a character is going to sprint away, or jump into the air. Before running, the character would wind back, or anticipate the run, and then run forward, in the opposite but intended direction. When jumping, a character would first crouch down and then spring up, storing up energy or anticipating the jump upwards.
While anticipation does make actions feel snappier and filled with a bit more vitality, it doesn't have to be used in every case of animation. For example, we have a cartoon take and a subtle head turn. With the wild take, the character would look the other way and then "snap" his/her attention to whatever he/she is reacting to.
With a more realistic version of this take, the same character's head could subtly swivel to turn attention to whatever it its the character is looking at. But that is not to say this doesn't have any anticipations at all. If the character was looking the opposite way before looking at the object that needs attention... lets say the object makes a sound that grabs our character's interest. That character's head could perk up a bit, reacting to the sound, and then turn to face the object of attention. It looks a lot better than just turning around to see the object, and it has a very subtle anticipation in the movement.
Of course, how one uses anticipation is entirely up to taste. Some will use it subtly and realistically, other will use it in a comical and exaggerated fashion.
[edit] The Arc
Main article: Arc
Arcs are used to help create a consistent length, help with 3d movement, and to produce smoother frame by frame.
[edit] Counteraction
When one thing goes one way, something else goes the other way. As Richards Williams states in "The Animator's Survival Kit," it's how we keep balance. It helps give the animation more change, more sense and avoids stiffness. One could speculate if feels more believable because it's a sense of balance we're being given as well.
There are two types of Counteraction, the first is in movement. Any "soft bits" attached to a moving object or person go the opposite direction of where the main object/person is going. This is like a secondary action. Basically, let's say a fat man is walking. When he takes a step, his body is going down, but his gut --the soft bit-- goes up. When the man pushes off the ground, his body is going up, but his fat is going down. Counteraction at work. Anything soft of flappy is subjects to counteraction: fat, buttocks, hair, breasts, tails, hats, clothes, etc. It gives a good feeling for weight and keeps everything loose.
Counteraction is also used to show a sort of balance in the animation. Every action as a complete and opposite reaction, so if one thing goes one way, there's going to be something else going the other way. For example, let's say we have a character bent forward, with his hips back and his head forward. When he bends back, his head will go back, and his hips will go forth. Simple counteraction and balance.
[edit] Exaggeration
Exaggeration is when an animator will have characters do over the top gestures and movements, to help convey a point to the viewer.
For example, if a character is nervous and hiding something, instead of merely having the character be a tiny bit jumpy and slightly shakey, he would convey to the viewers that the character is nervous, by having him constantly shake, whistle "innocently", hide his hands behind his back, and speak like he has a speech impediment, constantly avoiding any questions.
[edit] Following through
Having characters follow through on actions is the counterpart to anticipation, in having the character move in a reaction to the action. For instance, when a character lands from a fall (on his feet), he should gravitate downwards with his knees bent in a squat-like position. After recovering from the force of gravity and his weight, the character should move to a standing position (or whatever new position is desired). Without this step of following through, the character lands in a stiff and completely unrealistic manner.
[edit] Overlapping Action
Having two or more actions overlap is key to lifelike motion. In just one body, several actions can take place. For example, when walking, not only would the characters feet move, the knees would bend, the arms would swing, the torso would move, and the head would bob up and down. Performing only one or a few of these actions can portray the characters as robot-like.
On a more complex scale, complicated actions like a punch or a kick would require additional overlapping actions in the reaction. In several instances, more than 3 characters can perform intricate actions all at the same time, each needing the same attention to detail.
[edit] Secondary Action
Secondary actions are the result of another action. For example, the object of our main focus hits another object and bounces off, the effect it has on the object it his is a secondary action. They should not take away the focus from the object of our attention, but should be present enough to bring more life to the scene.
[edit] Squash and Stretch
Also known as Compression and Distension, Squash and stretch is one of the most vital elements of animation. It gives a greater feeling of weight and mass and keeps characters and objects from gliding around weightlessly or "floating." However, one must take great care not to "over-animate" and make everything seem rubbery and mushy, unless it is the intended to look so.
Squashing and stretching is, as it sounds, making an object wider or thinner to convey that it's mass isn't made of rock, and is behaving with proper uniform motion. For example, a ball squashing as it hits a wall, and then stretching to show that it's expending the stored kinetic energy.
An animated example of squash and stretch in action.
[edit] Staging
Staging is the second part to Anticipation, being that instead of predicting and setting up for a characters actions in its movements, staging is having the scenery set for certain events to happen. Proper staging can relieve the stress of adding on new characters and props later on in an animation.
Proper planning out of the scene is a major part of staging. For example, if an explosion is to occur, the scenery should incorporate something explosive, as well as something to cause the reaction. If the animator forgot to include explosive scenery, he would have to find an appropiate way to have the veiwer understand why an explosion happened. If the creater does not explain the explosion, this can cause fustration on the viewer's part, not to mention how it reflects a lack of skill.
Similarly, most other props should be included in the back or foreground before a scene is to take place, whether it is a puddle in which someone might slip, or a door through which someone might come through.
Staging is not limited to props. Also important is properly layering your background. Keeping all objects on differently marked layers keeps authors from embarassing images, like a misplaced limb or a vanishing head.
Proper staging is an important part of animating, giving the creator a professional image.
[edit] Timing and Spacing
Main article: Timing and Spacing
Timing helps create more natural movement, and spacing shows off energy trade.
