Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
The Principles of Animation
The
principles of animation
came about through a perceived need to improve
the standards in animation and animated performances. What started out as
a way of defining animation and improving practical methods of production
soon resulted in the establishment of certain working practices and processes.
More important, it was a development in the
approach
to making animation.
These working practices were found to have almost universal application to
animation and as such became the principles of animation. Now, all these
years later, through the use of the animation principles and an understanding
of dynamics, animators are able to make the most believable and compelling
animated sequences.
Of course, these principles apply to both naturalistic and abstract animation,
even though abstract animation may not necessarily conform to the laws of
physics. Via these principles, animators are able to apply types of movement
that imbue objects, abstract shapes, and even simple marks with a quality
and nature such as weight, articulation, inertia, and momentum that lend
authenticity to the abstract form. Naturalistic animation also benefits from
the application of these principles, since some of them relate directly to the
qualities everyday objects possess, such as weight and balance.
One of the greatest challenges the animator faces is the creation of believable
characters. This depends on many factors and is not simply limited to the
way they move. However, for those characters to deliver a believable and
engaging performance, it is important that they are convincing within the
particular context of a given narrative or film. Therefore it is usually necessary
that animated characters move in an appropriately believable manner.
Understanding the notion of “appropriately believable” may be valuable at
this stage.
Let's consider two very different productions with distinctive approaches to
animation. In animation, feature film work has the highest production values
and highest production budgets to match. TV series animation generally
has lower production values and is far cheaper to produce. For our first
example we will look at the Disney classic
Bambi
; the TV series category will
be illustrated by
Ren and Stimpy
. The intention here is not to state that one
form is better than the other; they are simply different. What they do have in
common is that both are of the highest order within their particular format.
All the characters in
Bambi
represent real animals that for the most part
undertake naturalistic action, though animal behaviorists might dispute
that claim. For our purposes it is appropriate to call them naturalistic. On the
other hand, neither Ren nor Stimpy behaves in any way like either a cat or
a dog, which they represent. Their movements, as abstract and cartoony as
they are, still owe a lot to the application of the same principles of animation
as the characters in
Bambi
. It is the level to which these principles are used
that differs. The limited use of squash and stretch in naturalistic animation
may enhance the dynamics of the character and create more engaging
