The 12 principles of animation are a set of guidelines for animators to follow when creating animations. They were first introduced by Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas in their book titled 'The Illusion of Life'. The principles were developed during the early days of animation when animators were still learning how to create believable and engaging animations. The 12 principles are as follows:

Squash and Stretch

Squash and stretch is the principle of stretching or compressing an object to give it the illusion of weight and mass. This principle is commonly used in character animation to exaggerate movements and make them more dynamic.

Anticipation

Anticipation is the principle of preparing the audience for an action by showing a small movement or action before the main action takes place. This principle is used to make actions appear more natural and believable.

Staging

Staging is the principle of presenting an idea or action clearly and effectively. This principle is used to make sure the audience knows what is happening in the animation and to guide their attention to the most important elements.

Straight Ahead Action and Pose to Pose

Straight ahead action is the principle of animating an action frame by frame from beginning to end. This method is used for creating fluid and spontaneous animation. Pose to pose is the principle of creating key poses and then filling in the in-between frames. This method is used for creating more controlled and precise animation.

Follow Through and Overlapping Action

Follow through is the principle of creating secondary actions that continue after the main action has finished. This principle is used to make actions appear more natural and fluid. Overlapping action is the principle of creating multiple actions that overlap each other. This principle is used to create more complex and interesting animations.

Slow In and Slow Out

Slow in and slow out is the principle of starting and ending an action slowly and accelerating in the middle. This principle is used to make actions appear more natural and realistic.

Arcs

Arcs is the principle of creating movements that follow an arc. This principle is used to create more natural and fluid animation.

Secondary Action

Secondary action is the principle of creating additional actions that support the main action. This principle is used to make actions appear more natural and interesting.

Timing

Timing is the principle of creating the right amount of time for an action. This principle is used to make actions appear more natural and believable.

Exaggeration

Exaggeration is the principle of exaggerating movements and actions to make them more dynamic and interesting. This principle is commonly used in character animation.

Solid Drawing

Solid drawing is the principle of creating the illusion of three-dimensional objects in a two-dimensional space. This principle is used to make objects appear more realistic and believable.

Appeal

Appeal is the principle of creating characters and designs that are visually appealing and interesting. This principle is used to make characters and designs more memorable and engaging.

Examples

Let's take a look at some examples of the 12 principles of animation in action. In the classic Disney animation 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', the principle of squash and stretch is used to give the characters a sense of weight and mass. In the scene where Dopey is trying to climb up onto the table, his body stretches and squashes as he tries to pull himself up.

In the Pixar animation 'Up', the principle of anticipation is used in the scene where Carl and Ellie first meet. Ellie leans in to kiss Carl, but then hesitates and pulls back slightly before finally kissing him. This small action prepares the audience for the main action of the kiss and makes it more natural and believable.

Conclusion

The 12 principles of animation are a set of guidelines that every animator should be familiar with. By following these principles, animators can create animations that are believable, engaging, and visually appealing.

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