Principles applied to alternative techniques

In this lesson we understand how the animated image has been theorized by the wise men of animation. The very forerunners of contemporary animation. Here we will review the 12 principles of Disney animation and how Warner Bros has applied them differently over time, making a clear comparison and differentiation.

We will perform activities in an analogous way or with applications that give the impression it is that way in order to understand the principles in a more natural way for traditional and alternative animation.

Objectives:

1. Understand and memorize the 12 basic principles of Disney animation.
2. Carry out an exercise on paper or an application that resembles it in order to understand the principle of pose by pose and direct animation.
3. Make an animation with recognizable objects in reality, giving them an animated fictional pact to create content in pixelation.
4. Make an animation with objects of the city by means of photographs.

Through the knowledge we have acquired:

What are the 12 principles of animation and what are they all about?

1. Stretch and shrink: objects deform with respect to their volume, material and amount of applied force. They deform without losing their volume, stretch and shrink.

2. Anticipation and recovery: actions have an action that anticipates it to give clarity about the main action, speaks about the strength and intention of the beginning, in the same way the actions recover to give the feeling of returning to calm.

3. Staging: it is one of the most complex principles, it constitutes that all actions must be well composed and clear within the shot. This is done through performances, time, camera, and stage to give the viewer clarity.

4. Direct animation and pose by pose animation: it is a principle of animation that tells us about the creation of animation, in this way, direct animation is an animation that is done frame by frame and pose by pose animation an animation that is analyzed first in main poses in order to have a better conception of time. Pose-to-pose animation is used for characters and direct animation is used for natural elements and appendixes that are added to objects.

5. Superimposed animation and complementary animation: this principle tells us about the appendixes that we have tied to a body that moves, in this way we understand that the tied bodies have a hint, which is the applied force that tells us about volume and rigidity. It is divided into two, the superimposed animation is with objects that are not part of the body, such as clothes and chains, and the complementary animation with attachments tied to the body such as wings or caps.

6. Acceleration and deceleration: Objects naturally tend to start slower and finish slower. They do not have constant accelerated movements to make them more alive.

7. Arcs: the natural movements of objects move in arcs.

8. Secondary action: It is an action that tells us about the main action, the intention without interfering with the main action.

9. Timing: The most important principle, the basis of animation. It is the principle that tells us about how long each frame lasts on the screen to generate the sensation of movement.

10. Exaggeration: The movements should be as exaggerated as the understanding allows.

11. Solid drawing: The sensation of three-dimensionality should be generated despite working on animations in two dimensions. (this principle does not apply to 3d animation because all animation already has it)

12. Attractive: characters, movements and backgrounds must have a distinctive appeal to make it beautiful and aesthetic for viewers. (it is quite a subjective principle, like beauty)

How are principles used within stop motion and traditional animation?

Traditional animation challenges us to not be able to visualize our animation until we carry out the post-production process, in this way we have to be very clear about the principles to apply, modify, trace or take photos that agree with the amount of movement that each frame has, so that when assembling, the sensation of movement is created. It is important to review the principles at each moment of the traditional animation process so that the animation comes out correctly.

How is a pixelation done?

A pixelation contains the same theoretical basis as a stop motion animation, with the difference that it is made with recognizable elements from real life. These types of animations are made with people, buildings and other elements of real life.

Conclusions

The principles of animation are the basis of the construction of animation, it is important to memorize them, identify them and use them correctly in simple animations.

By using them in alternative animation we can generate animations with the aesthetic effect of analog and physical animation, combining them with the animation principles that are the generators of a vital and correct animation. It is important to take them into account in all animation processes because in traditional animation we cannot intervene in production.

Reference:

The illusion of life:Disney animation (1981) Thomas, Frank; Ollie Johnston.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDqjIdI4bF4

Here you have the contents of the lesson in PDF: