12 Principles of Animation

Great animation isn’t magic—it’s choices. The 12 Principles give you a shared language to make those choices (and give better feedback) whether you’re animating for film, games, or motion design. Below is a practical guide tailored to our AVG Guild community: what each principle is, why it matters in production, how to apply it fast, and a sample feedback line you can use with teammates.

1) Squash & Stretch

What it is: Controlled deformation that preserves volume to sell weight, flexibility, and impact.

Why it matters: Without it, movement feels rigid or floaty. It adds weight.

How to apply: Keep a mental “volume budget.” If you stretch on the fall, squash on the hit. Use rig controls or lattice/scale, not random scaling that breaks volume.

Feedback tip: “On the landing, let’s add 10–15% squash in the torso and offset the head by a few frames so the weight reads.”

2) Anticipation

What it is: A preparatory move that sets up the main action.

Why it matters: Guides the eye and makes actions readable at speed.

How to apply: Add a small opposite move (down before jump, wind-up before punch). In animation, tune anticipation length to balance readability and responsiveness.

Feedback tip: “Give me 2–3 frames of down-and-back before the takeoff so the jump feels intentional.”

3) Staging

What it is: Presenting an idea clearly—posing, camera, silhouette, timing, and composition.

Why it matters: If the audience can’t read it, it doesn’t exist.

How to apply: Check silhouette. Use strongest camera angle, simplify busy overlaps, and time one idea at a time.

Feedback tip: “Let’s rotate the head 10 degrees and open the arm silhouette so the intention reads from the camera.”

4) Straight Ahead & Pose-to-Pose

What it is: Straight Ahead is when you animate one frame at a time, typically done in stop-motion. Pose-to-Pose is when you draw the largest motion poses and then fill in the in-between after.

Why it matters: Sets up how you will animate the shot.

How to apply: For straight ahead make sure to have a clear plan and vision for timing and poses before beginning. For Pose-to-Pose block strong keys and breakdowns first; then add straight-ahead overlap for secondary motion.

Feedback tip for Pose to Pose: “Your keys are solid—now do a straight-ahead pass on the scarf so it reacts naturally to the turn.”

5) Follow-Through & Overlapping Action

What it is: Animation of objects that react in accordance with a larger object they are attached to.

Why it matters: Adds believability, visual appear, smoothness, and sense of real world gravity.

How to apply: Offset keys of the secondary object relative to their leading object. This type of animation can be applied to different body parts, props, hair. The further the object is from the primary object the more offset it will have.

Feedback tip: “Hands hit the pose too cleanly—offset them 2–3 frames after the chest to feel less robotic.”

6) Slow In & Slow Out (Ease In/Out)

What it is: Timing where the start and end of a motion are slower, while the middle is faster.

Why it matters: Creates anticipation and looks more natural.

How to apply: Add more keys around the begging and end of the motion.

Feedback tip: “Open the ease on the head turn; right now it’s linear. Let’s add a gentle settle so the eye gets a resting point.”

7) Arcs

What it is: Natural motion follows curved paths, due to follow through.

Why it matters: Straight lines look mechanical and unnatural.

How to apply: Track the nose, wrists, and hips. If you look at the all the frames you should be able to create arcs as you track them throughout the animation.

Feedback tip: “Right wrist path pops—pull it into a cleaner arc so the gesture feels fluid.”

8) Secondary Action

What it is: Supporting motion that enhances the main idea without stealing focus.

Why it matters: Gives personality and clarity (a breath, a glance, a finger tap).

How to apply: Add small actions after the primary beat locks. Keep timing subordinate.

Feedback tip: “Love the main pose. Let’s add a tiny eye dart before the line to sell the thought.”

9) Timing

What it is: How long an action takes (frame count/spacing).

Why it matters: Conveys weight, emotion, and gameplay responsiveness.

How to apply: Heavier = longer hangs and slower reversals; lighter = snappier spacing. In games, iterate timing with design to sync to windows, I-frames, or cooldowns.

Feedback tip: “Swing reads too light—add 4–6 frames to the mid-arc so the weapon feels heavy.”

10) Exaggeration

What it is: Pushing poses, spacing, or timing to land the idea.

Why it matters: Clearly conveys the message as quickly as possible.

How to apply: Contrast straights vs. curves, compress/extending poses, or punch timing.

Feedback tip: “Let’s push the C-curve in the spine another 10% on the accent so the emotion pops.”

11) Solid Drawing (a.k.a. Solid Posing in 3D)

What it is: Poses with balance, line of action, and appealing design.

Why it matters: Every frame is a composition, and it can emphasize the emotional intention.

How to apply: Establish a clear line of action, avoid twinning, ground your center of mass over support.

Feedback tip: “Plant the weight over the stage-left foot, break the arm symmetry, and sharpen the line of action through the torso.”

12) Appeal

What it is: Charisma in design and motion—clarity, rhythm, contrast, and taste.

Why it matters: Audiences (and recruiters) remember appealing choices.

How to apply: Hunt tangents, simplify shapes, favor clear silhouettes, and give rhythm to your spacing.

Feedback tip: “Clean up facial tangents and open the mouth shapes—aim for a simpler, more graphic read.”

Using the 12 Principles of Animation to Give Better Feedback

• Start with intent: What’s the story beat/gameplay purpose of this shot?

• Pick 1–2 principles per note: Keep feedback actionable and scoped.

• Talk in frames and poses: “Offset the left hand by 2–3 frames after the chest settle.”

• Reference before opinion: Use video ref, physics logic, or style guides to ground choices.

• Close with a success: Reinforce what’s working to protect it during revisions.

Quick Drills You Can Do

• Impact Study: Animate a ball with three materials (rubber, bowling ball, water balloon). Focus on squash/stretch + timing.

• Two-Beat Acting: Pose a character from neutral → thought → decision. Emphasize anticipation, staging, and appeal.

• Arc Cleanup: Track the wrist path on a wave and fix jitters in the graph editor.

• Game Readability Pass: Take a 1-second attack. Add anticipation, push timing, and stage for silhouette clarity.

Keep Building With AVG Guild

Want live feedback on your work? Bring a clip to our next meetup! We’ll use the same 12-principle language to help you iterate fast, make stronger choices, and ship work you’re proud of.