Animation Fundamentals: Good Examples

Squash and Stretch - Tom and Jerry.
This means to difine the mass of an object by distorting it's shape during the motion of an action.
As seen on the character in this image he is leaping down to the ground making his body appear flatter.




Timing and Motion - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
This means to space the action and define the weight and size of the object in motion fitting the personality of the object of moving characters. As seen on this image it appears that there are two pistols but one is just the after image of the other, giving the effect that it is spinning on his finger.



Anticipation - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
This style of layout in animation means preparing for an event of another animation or action. Building up the tension to a crucial plot turn or action like in this image which shows the calm Clonetrooper's panels flashing at him and reflecting in his visor as his ship is about to crash.


Staging - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
This means to make a certain scenario or pose unmistakably clear, As if that the story can be told by just looking at this freezeframe image. The Troopers are shown to be in a triumphant pose showing that they had just completed thier mission/objective.



Follow through and Overlapping action - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
When one animation stops and another begins in the same scene, for example two animations on the same screen starting at different times, like on this particular image, The rocket is the first animation that is seen hurtling toward the window of the building, the second is the two Battle Droids who flinch and try to escape the blast.

Straight ahead and Pose-to-pose Action - Star Wars: Clone Wars
This is a contrast to standard animation, when characters pose before an animation starts, In this scene the red trooper ducks and avoids a blast before hand signalling another soldier to flank thier enemies.


Slow in and out - Hulk Vs. Wolverine.
When the animation itself slows down to set the scene or atmosphere for a certain event, even achieving a slow motion effect, in this scene Deadpool lunges at his enemy from above as the scene cuts to slow motion as Wolverine slices his arm into differant segments, the Slow motion effect displaying each part of him slowly sliding off one another.




Arcs - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
Where something animated follows a realistic pattern when thrown, Like in this image where a Trooper hurls his rifle at an enemy as a last hope of fending off his attackers.



Exaggeration - Tom and Jerry.
An animation style which distorts the possibilities of reality and is mostly used for comedic effect. Pushing the features of a characters face or body to the extreme to portray an emotion on levels that wouldnt be possible on a realisticly animated character.



Secondary Action - Star Wars: Clone Wars
The secondary action is when a second animation is caused by the first, In this scene the Red Clone signals out the rest of his squad after emerging from the wreckage, once he had given the hand signal two more troopers emerge from behind him and jump down.



Appeal - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
This is a classic fundamental of animation used to make a character or action seem appealing to the viewer either in a sence to impress or entertain. The Red Trooper in this image rolls into frame and dispatches his foes with great skill and precision, not missing a single shot and turns to the viewer.


Personality - Star Wars: Clone Wars.
When through just the actions and animations can determine and portray the personality of a character, such as in this shot where this Clonetrooper Captain spins his pistol on his finger and places it in his holster after impressively dispatching his foes before giving a hand signal to his squad behind his back without looking, giving an almost cocky and calm mood to him.