Reading

Required:

 John Lasseter. Principles of traditional animation

applied to 3D computer animation. Proceedings of
Animation principles SIGGRAPH (Computer Graphics) 21(4): 35-44, July
1987. (online handout)
Brian Curless Recommended:
CSE 457
 Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, Disney animation:
Autumn 2017
The Illusion of Life, Hyperion, 1981.
 Michael Comet tutorial (source for the ball and green
bug examples in this lecture):
http://www.comet-
cartoons.com/3ddocs/charanim/index.html

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Character animation Animation Principles

Goal: make characters that move in a convincing The following are a set of principles to keep in mind:
way to communicate personality and mood. 1. Squash and stretch
2. Staging
Walt Disney developed a number of principles. 3. Timing
4. Anticipation
Computer graphics animators have adapted them to 5. Follow through
3D animation. 6. Overlapping action
7. Secondary action
8. Straight-ahead vs. pose-to-pose vs. blocking
9. Arcs
10. Slow in, slow out
11. Exaggeration
12. Appeal
We will consider each...
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Squash and stretch Squash and stretch (cont’d)
Squash: flatten an object or character by pressure or by its own
power.

Stretch: used to increase the sense of speed and emphasize the

squash by contrast.

Note: keep volume constant!

[Lasseter] 5 [Lasseter] 6

Squash and stretch (cont’d) Squash and stretch (cont’d)

[Thomas and Johnston] 7

[Thomas and Johnston] 8
Squash and stretch (cont’d) Staging
Present the idea so it is unmistakably clear.

Audience can only see one thing at a time.

Useful guide: stage actions in silhouette.

In dialogue, characters face 3/4 towards the camera, not right at

each other.

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Timing Timing (cont’d)

An action generally consists of anticipation, the action, and
the reaction. Don't dwell too long on any of these.

Timing also reflects the weight of an object:

 light objects move quickly

 heavier objects move more slowly

Timing can completely change the meaning of an action.

11 [Thomas and Johnston] 12

Timing (cont’d) Anticipation
An action has three parts: anticipation, action, reaction.

Anatomical motivation: a muscle must extend before it can contract.

Prepares audience for action so they know what to expect.

Directs audience's attention.

Animation by Ken Perlin. 13 14

Anticipation (cont’d) Follow through

Amount of anticipation (combined with timing) can affect Actions seldom come to an abrupt stop.
perception of speed or weight.
Physical motivation: inertia

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Follow through (cont’d) Overlapping action
One part intiates (“leads”) the move. Others follow in turn.

Hip leads legs, but eyes often lead the head.

Loose parts move slower and drag behind (sometimes called

“secondary motion”).

Overlaps can apply to intentions. Example: settling into the house at

night.

 Close the door

 Lock the door
 Take off the coat
 etc...
Each action doesn't come to a complete finish before the next starts.

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Secondary action Straight-ahead vs.

pose-to-pose vs. blocking
An action that emphasizes the main point but is
secondary to it. Straight ahead: proceed from frame to frame without
planning where you want to be in ten frames. Can be wild,
spontaneous.

Pose-to-pose: Define keyframes and "inbetweens".

Blocking: Computer graphics animators adaptation

 Start key-framing at the top of the hierarchy.

 Refine level by level.
 Keyframes for different parts need not happen at the
same time.

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 Straight-ahead vs. Arcs
pose-to-pose vs. blocking (cont’d)
Avoid straight lines since most things in nature move in arcs.

Screenshot from Maya

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Slow in and slow out Exaggeration

An extreme pose can be emphasized by slowing down as you get to Get to the heart of the idea and emphasize it so the
it (and as you leave it). audience can see it.
In practice, many things do not move abruptly but start and stop
gradually.

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Appeal Appeal (cont’d)
The character must interest the viewer. Note: avoid perfect symmetries.

It doesn't have to be cute and cuddly. Design, simplicity, behavior all

affect appeal.

Example: Luxo, Jr. is made to appear childlike.

[Lasseter]
[Thomas and Johnston]
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Appeal (cont’d) Animation Artifact

Note: avoid perfect symmetries. Guidelines
 Aim for 30 - 60 seconds…shorter is usually better. Don’t make an
animation that feels like “slow motion”!
 Try to use some of the principles from this lecture.
 See project page for pointer to video creation.
 Audio is permitted, though optional.

Turn in
 One artifact per group
 Submit representative image, in addition to final video
 Due Thursday, December 7 at 9am sharp.

Voting
 Non-anonymous, in-class voting on Thursday, December 7.
 Extra, extra credit and a special grand prize to be awarded!
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Animation Artifact Animation production
Non-anonymous, in-class voting on Thursday, December 7. More broadly animation is about making “movies”
and encompasses:
Prizes!
 Runners-up: mystery prizes
 Story
 Art design
 2nd place: “Cars 3” Blu-ray  Modeling
 Cinematography
 1st place: “Cars 3” Blu-ray + extra special mystery prize!  Motion
 Rendering

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