Principles of Traditional Animation applied to 3D Computer Animation

This reading is about the development of animation from 2D hand-drawn animation to the current 3D computer-based animation. The introduction of computer assisted animation initially helped in traditional methods such as Storyboarding, Keyframe Animations, Inbetweening, Scan/Paint and Multipane Backgrounds. As research into computer animation continued, image rendering became more prominent than animation itself, this lead to many traditional techniques not being applied to these new methods. This 3D based animation left out the more traditionally trained 2D animators.

As these 3D animation systems have become more user friendly. Many more people are now enabled to produce high quality computer based animation, while also allowing for more bad animations also, mainly due to the lack of the fundamental principles that were common among traditional animators.

Principles of Animation

Animation first grew significantly between the late 20's and 30's thanks to Walt Disney, his characters began to actually feel like characters, bursting with personality. Although is was still clear to Disney that these characters were limited in the actions they could do. No-one would be able to animate a convincingly lifelike human or animal.

Disney began to set up animation classes in Los Angeles. During it's initial classes, many animators used traditional cartoon styles of standardized shapes, sizes, actions and gestures with almost no reference to nature. The classes then began to involve studying live action film and real life motion, this became an important part of the development of animation.

Animators began to apply the research of this real motion into their animations, resulting in the animations themselves becoming more realistic. The animators continued to search for the ideal ways to communicate and the methods were gradually isolated, analyzed and perfected. These became the fundamental principles to traditional animation.

• Squash and Stretch

Defining the rigidity and mass of an object by distorting its shape during an action.

This principle can be very important in facial animation, such as chewing, smiling or talking. The most important rule however, is that no matter how squashed or stretched something gets, its volume must remain consistent.

• Timing

Spacing actions to define the weight and size of objects and the personality of characters.

Timing is important as it gives meaning to movement, but can also reflect weight and size, making it a very versatile principle. 

• Anticipation

The preparation for an action.

Actions happens in 3 parts: The Preparation, The Action and The Termination.

Anticipation is in the preparation. It is used to prepare the audience for the action and to make sure they don't miss it. It can also be used to indicate a heavy weight.

• Staging

Presenting an idea so that it is unmistakably clear.

Staging is set so that: actions are understood, personalities are recognizable, expressions can be seen and moods will affect the audience. The object of interest should also contrast the rest of the scene.

• Follow Through and Overlapping Action

The termination of an action and and establishing its relationship to the next action.

Actions rarely come to a sudden and complete stop, motion will continue after an action has taken place.

Overlapping Actions make the action seem more natural, this second action should overlap the first, this maintains a continual flow.

• Straight Ahead Action and Pose-to-Pose Action

The two contrasting approaches to the creation of movement.

Straight Ahead action is in which the animator works straight ahead from his first drawing in the scene, it can create wild and spontaneous scenes.

Pose-to-Pose Action is when the animator plans the drawings and figures out how the animation will happen between these planned points. It is useful where pose and timing are both important.

• Slow In and Out

The spacing of the in-between frames to achieve subtlety of timing and movement.

This is mainly used for the transition between to and from extreme poses.Slow in and out is achieved by changing aspects such as tension, direction and continuity of the splines.

• Arcs

The visual path of action for natural movement.

Arcs are the most natural form of movement from one position to another.Arcs are used extensively in animation to create smooth motion instead of stiff straight lines.

• Exaggeration

The accentuating the essence of an idea via the design and action.

Make a sad character sadder or if he is wild make him frantic. Exaggeration is used to make sure the audience understands these emotions. Though it is not limited to characters and can be applied to almost anything in the scene.

• Secondary Action

The action of an object resulting from another action.

• Appeal

Creating a design or an action that the audience enjoys watching.

Conclusion

Animators may always be looking for ways to better communicate and animate, but their first rule is to entertain. Always keeping in mind what will entertain the audience and the tools at their disposal to put across those ideas. These principles that have been discussed are just as important to a computer based animator as they have been for 50 years to traditional animators.