The 12 Principles

The 12 Principles were originally produced by Lead Disney Animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. Even though these Principles were based upon the practice of 2D Drawn animation, they have been found also relevant to other sorts of animation as well such as Computer Animation. The Principles mostly focus on the application of the laws of physics into animation in order to increase the sense of realism or representational of movement.

1. Squash & Stretch
Objects and items and change shape and volume in order for a more dramatic appearance.
Such as when a Ball hits the ground and when it bounces back up.

2. Anticipation
There are points at which there is no movement in order to replicate holding or pausing,
commonly used to describe the period of no action to an upcoming action, such as
someone concentrating, preparing to sneeze, part or all of their body is frozen for a period of time.

3. Staging
Used to identify a character’s actions even if they were just a silhouette, usually known as ‘Silhouetting’.
The pose in the shadow is recognizable for a certain action or type of movement.

4. Straight ahead & pose to pose animation
Term used to describe creating an animation, one frame after another in order. Can be used
confidently for all types of animation except Drawn when proportion and scale maybe lost.

5. Follow through & Overlapping
Principle dictates that secondary motions continue on after the primary motion inorder to
follow through after the primary motion, such as hair, especially if it is long hair, it will tend
to continue its movement even after the head has stopped. Secondary Motion is the
movement of items which are connected to the same body as the Primary Motion or
affected by the movement of Primary Motion, such as shoe laces and hair moving in the
breeze. The Primary Motion is normally the focus of attention whilst secondary motions
adds the sense of realism or life.

6. Ease in and Ease out
Objects have acceleration and deceleration unless they’re machines etc. especially when
beginning or ending movement, this can best be described as shaking your head or waving
your hand.

7. Arcing
Similar to the process displayed in Principle 6, Arcing simply states that movement should
follow an arch in order to display a natural flow of movement and flexibility.

8. Secondary motion
Items which are under the influence of a Primary Motion or affected by its movement. Such
a walking, the legs are the primary motion whilst movement of the arms are related due to
being affected by walking.

9. Timing
Consider timing within an animation. Do I shoot in ones or twos? (depending on speed of
movement) How much should you in-between? (Particularly for slower movement, more frames
have to be considered) How long should your character pause for? (No. of Seconds etc).

10. Exaggeration
Exaggeration within movement or parts of a character empathize a point or emotion which is
visually communicated to the viewer. Such as hairs standing on end in-order to display a moment
where a character feels increase fear or drop in temperature and where eyes narrow and stand
out in-order to communicate this emotion of attraction or lust.

11. Solid drawing
Especially in 2D Drawn. Depth, Foreshortening and Distortion are considered and are adhered
to in-order to make a 2D Image appear to be more 3D.

12. Appeal
Where the audience or viewer can connect to a certain character possibly based on appearance,
movement and expression displayed. This goes for any character. Even environments.