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by Preston Blair
 f*uM 4«nl bv Walter Fn*4rr PiiMistang, hw.
I«h.'Ul-il«ti4 Onvc I ..not.,. Mill-, i * M26W
t opvnuM l'*| Preston Blair
Ml right' reserved
Designed and produced bv Inshua Morn* Puhlvdliivg. In. .
WHivrrwd,1 A*, no. VV.Mp.ut Cl Ow*XI.
1’nnt.d in Hon* k.mg
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|<IMH?r.-a t
nil* t™.|< Iws hern pot>listM*d in Md I hr ,v>i>trln« arturf Krpn.i.i. tlmi i.f the work |..r Mudy or finished orl Is
|«eonls<slt*lr Ativ pHmtwte. t uuUcal reproduction ol art or art dmwn Iron, ihe |jubllralinn Inr i nmmrrctal purpose* ,,
fnrhkldni wiiIhm.i written mhuoii Iran Dm- publisher. Widler Foster PuhlKlunii

About the Author

Prvstun Hl.nr was a native Calihimtan Inim Ki-.ll.in.1s I |r attended At Mt.M. Preston directed Armey ftvrr shorts and is well known
College, then studied art at the tXis \rt IrMitulc- and as the animat in- .md desgncT <*1 MIM R/dntg Ikv4 m the To \v«rv
illustration undi-r I‘met! Carter at Omutnard. Hr exhibited widely ep>. shifts later. IVeston moved lot.t*vne«tit\il and prxducrd trie.worn
as a member tlir Calihwnu Watmvkt Society amt the American cnnmmub .dvi.ali.nvjl hlms, and halt-hour .art.SHI epe*vdes tin. killing
Ujii-rrv«fc.rSxicty in New V*rk 11k Fhnhlcnr*) lor Wed ( oom product**. More recently he tv* an
Preston >» as .«ne ."4 the line artists ot animation. With the Dnnn inventor nl interactive TV systems uwng animation methods to teach
Studio, he designed and animated lh«- hippos in 'the Pann* of the reading .* to provide full-figure game action that simulates reality—
and animated Mickey Mouse in the "SoRtlW V Apprentice It* example, playing tennis w ith an animated opponent
(With in Fan/irant. parts ot Pwr»vl»*> and the Moment in Rj»ib» w hen Preston died in April I at live agr <4 HA
thr.nvl tHN ahmji low m "twittcrpathd" speech
by Preston Blair
WAI TER FOSTER PUBLISHING. INC
Ugima llilk. California
CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION.6

Chapter 1 • CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.9

Chapter 2 • CHARACTER MOVEMENT.89

Chapter 3 • ANIMATION .127

Chapter 4 • DIALOGUE.181

Chapter 5 • TECHNICAL.195
 INTRODUCTION

American an form, animation is the

process of drawing and photographing a
character—a person, an animal, or an
Inanimate object—in successive positions to
create lifelike movement. Animation is both art
and craft: it Is a process in which the cartoonist.
Illustrator, fine artist, screenwriter, musician,
This hook is dedicated to Hope and Ian. camera operator, and motion picture director
my wife and my son. combine their skills to create a new breed of
-/Veston fllair artist the animator.

Tin* art of animators is unique. Animators bring

life to their drawings, creating an illusion of
spirit and vigor. They caricature the gestures
and expressions in the drawings, give them a
fantastic array of character and personality,
and make us believe that the drawings actually
think and have feelings.

ITiis book was written by an animator to help you

learn how to animate—how to make a series of
drawings that create a sensation of movement
when clewed in sequence. The pioneers of the art
of animation learned many lessons, most through
trial and error, and it is this body of knowledge that
has established the fundamentals of animation.
This book will teach you these fundamentals.

Animators must first know' how to draw: good

drawing Is the cornerstone of their success.

6
They must be able to dramatize and caricature works and how to time the character actions to
life while they time and stage their characters' fit the speed of the film. 'Hie list goes on and on:
actions and reactions. The value of animators' the animators' job is immeasurable.
work is determined by the ability of their
characters to sway the emotions of the Animation is a vast and virtually unexplored art
audience—In other words, the characters' form. It Is. perhaps, more popular today than
"acting" skills. Animators must know how ever before, and new techniques and methods of
to entertain an audience: how to present gag animating—including computer animation—are
comedy and how to portray an interesting or being developed all the time. There are many
unusual happening of life. To do this, they characters, styles, and background designs,
study the great film comedians and read however, that remain to be discovered—so pick
recognized texts on acting. Hi is knowledge up your pencil and get started!
helps them to grip their viewers with suspense
The Curtains part as you turn the pages. The
or make them smile and laugh with humor in
Journey will be an exciting and adventurous
the theater of animation.
one.

The animation process, however, involves much

Best wishes!
more than just good drawing. Animators must
have knowledge of the elements of screen
writing: plot setting, premise, character,
confiict. crisis, climax, exposition, dialogue, and
action. These factors determine the types of
personalities, expressions, and actions they will
need to create. Moreover. If the animation
Includes a character moving her mouth in
sl>cech or song, animators need a knowledge of
phonetics: if it features a character responding
lo a musical soundtrack, they must have a
knowledge of music and rhythm. Animators
must also know how mi animation camera

7
B
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

1t can be an exciting experience to create and develop an original cartoon

character. Constructing and developing a character is not merely a matter of
drawing the figure: each character also has its own shape, personality, features,
and mannerisms. The animator has to lake these qualities into consideration to
make the characters seem lifelike and believable. For example, there are various
personality types such as "goofy.” "cute." and screwball. Think about the type
of character you wish to design; then use the diagrams and guides shown in this
chapter to begin your drawing. When creating a character, you should begin by
drawing rough "idea" sketches. These will give you a direction for the type and
nature of the character you wish to create. Develop the basic shape of the figure:
then add the features and other details. This procedure should be followed
whether the character you are developing is a human, an animal, or an
inanimate object you wish to bring to life (for example, drawing a face
on a computer and making it dance).

After you have developed the character and the proportions are to
your liking, develop the movement expressions of the body. head,
and hands. Hands can tell a complete story with just a simple
pose. Study and practice drawing the hands shown on page 29;
then create some hand positions of your own. Also, the line of
action section is a big help in creating attitudes in posture and
movement. This chapter is the starling point to a world of
exciting cartoon animation.
 CARTOON
CONSTRUCTION
PROPORTION 16 ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CONSTRUCTING A
CARTOON CHARACTER- THE ANIMATOR MUST
KEEP IN MIND THE RELATIVE SIZES OF THE BODY
PARTS. BECAUSE SPECIFIC PROPORTIONS ARE
USED TO CREATE CHARACTER TYPE5. FOR EXAM¬
PLE. THE HEAVY. PUGNACIOUS CHARACTER HAS
A SMALL HEAD. LARGE CHEST OR BODY AREA,
HEAVY ARMS AND LEGS. AND THE JAW AND
CHIN NORMALLY PROTRUDE; THE CUTE CHARAC¬
TER 16 BA5ED ON THE PROPORTIONS OF A BABY
WITH A LARGE HEAD IN PROPORTION TO THE
OVAL BODY. A HIGH FOREHEAD. AND A SMALL
MOUTH/EYE/CHIN AREA; "SCREWBALL" TYPES
HAVE EXAGGERATED PARTS AND FEATURES
(DETAILED INFORMATION ON CHARACTER TYPES
BEGINS ON PAGE 32).

CARTOON STUDIOS OFTEN USE HEAD SIZE TO

MEASURE THE HEIGHT OF A CHARACTER—FOR
INSTANCE. A CUTE BEAR MAY BE THREE HEADS
HIGH. AND A PUGNACIOUS BEAR MIGHT BE FIVE
OR SIX HEADS HIGH. THIS INFORMATION HELPS
THE ANIMATOR TO KEEP THE PROPORTIONS AND
HEIGHT OF A CHARACTER CONSISTENT. STUDY
THE CHARACTERS ON THIS PAGE. AND MEASURE
EACH ONE IN “HEADS."

WHEN ANIMATING. YOU'LL ALSO FIND IT HELP¬

FUL TO MAKE A REFERENCE DRAWING OF THE
CHARACTER ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER.
THIS WAY. THE ANIMATOR CAN REFER TO THE
PROPORTION GUIDELINES WHEN DRAWING THE
CHARACTER IN DIFFERENT POSES AND ACTIONS.

THE PROPER USE OF CARTOON PROPORTIONS

MAKES A CHARACTER. SO ANALYZE THE PROPOR
TIONS OF YOUR ANIMATED ACTOR BEFORE HE OR
10 SHE GOES ON STAGE—UP ON THE SCREEN.
STANCE (SOLID MA5SES)-DRAW A "LINE OF ACTION" TOGETHER THE PARTS OF A PUPPET AT THE JOINTS
THROUGH THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL PARTS TO ACCORDING TO A CHARACTER FORMULA. THUS YOUR
ORGANIZE AND SET THE ATTrTUDE OR ACTION. CHARACTER BECOMES BELIEVABLE. AND WHEN HE
CONSTRUCT YOUR DRAWING AS IF YOU WERE FITTING ACTS. THE AUDIENCE EMOTIONALLY RESPONDS.
 BODY BUILT FROM CIRCULAR AND
ROUNDED FORMS
THE ANIMATED CARTOON CHARACTER IS
BASED ON THE CIRCULAR, ROUNDED
FORM. IN A CARTOON STUDIO SEVERAL
PEOPLE MAY WORK ON THE SAME DRAW¬
ING AND THE ROUNDED FORM IS USED
BECAUSE OF ITS SIMPLICITY—IT MAKES
ANIMATION EASIER. ALSO, CIRCULAR
FORMS “FOLLOW THROUGH" BETTER ON
THE SCREEN.

V*
*

s
12
MORE CIRCULAR AND ROUNDED FORMS

THE PARTS OF THE CHARACTER FIT TOGETHER AT

SOCKET POINTS. THESE EXAMPLES DEMONSTRATE
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMBINING CIRCULAR AND
ROUNDED FORMS. THE ROUNDED, PEAR-SHAPED
BODIES SUPPORT THE CIRCULAR HEADS AND ADD
INTEREST TO THE OVERALL CHARACTER.
*
 CONSTRUCTION OF THE HEAD
THINK OF THE HEAD AS A ROUNDED MASS: IT IS EITHER SALL-SHAPED. PEAR-SHAPED. OR EGG-SHAPED.
IN ANIMATION THE HEAD SHAPE MAY CHANGE PERSPECTIVE AND FORM MANY TIMES DURING A SCENE.
TO SIMPLIFY MATTERS. A FRAMEWORK IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE MUST SE DRAWN FIRST; THEN THE
DETAILS ARE CONSTRUCTED OVER THIS FORM.

THIS CHARACTER STARTS DRAW AN eUimCAt GUIDE¬ DRAW THE EYE GUIDELINE
WITH A BALL SHAPE. LINE AROUND THE FIRST AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE THE TOP Of THE NOSE T* INTO
SHAPE THAT Will DIVIDE THE SECOND CIRCLE. THIS SETS THE EVE UNE. THE PERSI*EC-
FACE IN THE MIDPIE LENGTH THE FACE UP OR DOWN. TTVE MAKES THE LEFT EYE NOW THE DETAILS ARE DRAWN
WISE. THIS DETERMINES THE BIGGER THAN THE RIGHT EYE OVER THE FRAMEWORK.
TILT Of THE HEAD

START WITH AN EGG SHAPE. DRAW GUIDE¬

LINES AROUND IT. AND THEN DRAW THE FACE.
TURN THE EGG IN VARIOUS POSITIONS AND
DRAW THE SAME FACE. ANIMATION
PRESENTS THE SAME CHALLENGE!

ADC A FEW DETARS AND ORAW THESE

f«AP5 N FVE1TV TO5TON U6NG
THE EGG AS A GUDE CARTOON
STUDIOS OFTEN MAKE SMAU CLAY
MTOELS TO »«IRTX ANMATQR
DRAW DTHOKT CHARACTERS
10 RROMDTFEIttNT ANGLES
EGGHEAD MODEL METHOD

THE EGG IS THE BASIS OF A GREAT MANY CARTOON

HEADS. DRAW AN EGG LIKE THIS AND STUDY IT
FROM ALL ANGLES. ADD DETAILS AND DESIGN
SOME ORIGINAL HEADS OF YOUR OWN. WATCH THE
PERSPECTIVE CHANGE AS YOU TIP OR TILT THE EGG
MODEL. FOLLOWING THE CENTER AND MIDDLE GUIDE¬
LINES WILL HELP YOU CONSTRUCT HEADS.
 MORE HEAD CONSTRUCTION

HEAD CONSTRUCTION rHE CRANIUM MASS CAN BE BAll- TILT DRAW THE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL GUIDELINES
OVAL-. OR PEAR SHAPED. DEPENDING ON THE CHARACTER. AROUND THE HEAD MASS. THESE LINES SET THE PERSPECTIVE
THE HORIZONTAL GUIDELINE CAN CIRCLE THE CENTER. UPPER. TILT OF THE HEAD. WHICH IS THE BASIS OF MANY EXPRESSIONS.
OR LOWER PART OF THIS MASS. THE EYES FIT ABOVE THE UNE THE TILT CHANGES CONSTANTLY. ESPECIALLY IN IMPORTANT
THE NOSE AREA FITS BELOW. THESE FEATURES REMAIN FIXED DIALOGUE SCENES. ANCHOR THE EYES. THE NOSE. AND THE
TO THE HEAD A5 PART OF THE CRANIUM MASS. EARS TO THESE GUIDELINES.

20
rxiBLE FEATURES—THE MOUTH AND CHEEK MASSES ARE
-Y FLEXIBLE. AND. AS THE JAW MOVES. THEY TAKE ON MANY
FERENT SHAPES. CRE AT1NG VARIOUS EXPRESSIONS AND
UTH POSITIONS IN SPEECH. THE EYEBROWS AND THE EARS
- Aic,q FLEXIBLE. BUT THE BASE OF THE EAR5 AND THE
SE REMAIN FIXED TO THE HEAD. THE EYES ARE FLEXIBLE
HIN PIXEP SOCKETS.

21
 MORE HEAD CONSTRUCTION
ALL ANIMATED CARTOON CHARACTERS CAN SE REDUCED TO A SASIC FORMULA. THIS FORMULA
MAKES THEM EASIER TO MASTER AND ENSURES UNIFORMITY THROUGHOUT A FILM, EVEN IF
SEVERAL DIFFERENT ARTISTS WORK ON THE SAME CHARACTER.

DRAW AN ADD NOSE

OVAL WITH CONSTRUCTION; NOW DRAW SE AWARE OF
PERSPECTIVE MAKE SURE OVALS FOR THE PERSPECTIVE WHEN
GUIDELINES. IT FITS SOLIDLY. THE EYES. CONSTRUCTING THE REMAINING DETAILS.

STUDY THIS SASIC FORMULA: THEN

DRAW THE DOG IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS.
 ASSEMBLE THE5E HEAPS
AS THOUGH THEY WERE SOUP
ANP HINGEP TOGETHER.

23
 FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
THE JOB OF AN ANIMATOR 15 THE 5AME A5 THE JOB OF AN ACTOR IN LIVE ACTION PICTURE5. BOTH SHOULP
BE MASTERS OF PORTRAYING EMOTIONS. STUDYING YOUR OWN GRIMACES IN A MIRROR IS A MUST. PICK A
CHARACTER YOU KNOW ANP GO THROUGH THE EXPRESSIONS WITH HIM. AS I HAVE HERE WITH THIS LITTLE PUR

FRIGHT ALOOF
SNEER SEVERE
 STRETCH AND SQUASH ON HEADS

A CARTOON HEAD CAN BE STRETCHED OR SQUASHED

TO STRENGTHEN AN EXPRESSION. NOTICE THAT
THE OVAL CONTAINING THE EYES DOES NOT CHANGE
MUCH, BUT THE MOUTH AREA VARIES GREATLY.
SMALL DETAILS REACT ALONG WITH THE LARGER
FORM IN WHICH THEY ARE CONTAINED.
/V~

26
 THE WIPE VARIETY OF EXPRESSIONS SHOWN HERE
15 THE RESULT OF STRETCHING ANP SQUASHING
SELECTEP AREAS OF THE FACE. NOTICE THAT THE
EYES REFLECT THE EXPRESSION OF EACH
STRETCH ANP SQUASH.

SHOCKEP

LIGHTHEARTEP SURPRISEP
PLEASEP
CONTEMPLATIVE

PUZZLEP
PEGGING ANGRY SMUG
 HANDS
CARTOON HANDS ARE TRICKY TO DRAW. STUDY THE HANDS SHOWN BELOW AND AT THE RIGHT.
THE FINGERS SHOULD BE PLACED UNEVENLY TO PREVENT A MONOTONOUS QUALITY

TO DRAW THE HAND. BEGIN AS IF IT WERE A MITTEN (A AND B);

THEN ADD THE TWO MIDDLE FINGERS BY FOLLOWING THIS SHAPE (C).

©
NOW PUT IN THE LITTLE FINGER. VARYING ITS POSITION TO PREVENT MONOTONY (D).
28 IT IS ALSO A GOOD IDEA TO EXAGGERATE THE BASE OF THE THUMB.
 THE CUTE CHARACTER

"CUTENESS" 15 BASED ON THE BASIC THE HEAD IS LARGE IN RELATION

PROPORTIONS OF A BABY AND THE TO THE BODY.

EXPRESSIONS OF SHYNESS OR
COYNESS. A HIGH FOREHEAD IS
VERY IMPORTANT.

THE EARS ARE SMALL IN THE EYES ARE SPACED LOW ON

RELATION TO ADULT SIZE. THE HEAD; THEY ARE USUALLY
LARGE AND WIDE-SET.

THERE IS NO NECK; THE HEAD

ATTACHES DIRECTLY TO THE BODY THE NOSE AND THE MOUTH ARE
ALWAYS SMALL.

THE 50DY IS PEAR-SHAPED THE ARMS ARE SHORT—NE

AND ELONGATED. SKINNY—AND TAPER DOWN TO
THE HAND AND TINY FINGE

THE SACK IS SWAYED; THE LINE

CONTINUES UP THE SACK OF THE HEAD THE TUMMY BULGES; THE

AND DOWN INTO THE FANNY. CHARACTER SHOULD

LOOK WELL-FED.

THE FANNY PROTRUDES; IT NEVER THE LEGS ARE SHORT AND FAT.

BULGES. BUT FITS INTO THE LEG AND THEY TAPER DOWN INTO

LINES AND BASE OF THE BODY. SMALL FEET FOR THE TYPE.

32
CUTE KITTEN
1. DEVELOP THE KITTEN'S BODY
WITH A CIRCLE AND AN OVAL.
2. ADD PERSPECTIVE GUIDELINES.
3. PLACE THE EYES AND THE NOSE.
4. BUILD THE EARS AND THE LEGS.
5. ADD THE DETAILS TO COMPLETE
THE KITTEN.

NOTICE THE LARGE PAWS THAT ADD TO THE CUTE LOOK.

 BEGIN WITH A BASIC CONSTRUCTION OF CIRCLES AND OVALS.
CUTE PUP THEN DRAW PERSPECTIVE GUIDELINES TO PLACE THE FEATURES.

NOTICE THAT THE TONGUE ACCENTUATES THE HAPPY EXPRESSION OF THE MOUTH.
AND THE CHEEKS OVERLAP THE EYES. ACCENTING THE EXPRESSION.
36 A SIDEWAYS GLANCE LIKE THIS IS A "CUTE" EXPRESSION.
 DEVELOP THIS PUP
WITH CIRCLES AND DRAW THE MOUTH.
ROUNDED FORMS.
THE NOSE. AND THE
PLACE THE EYES. CIRCLE AROUND
THE RIGHT EYE.

E THE REST OF
SHAPES AND
JETAILS ON THE
<SIC FORMS. ADD SHADING
DETAILS FOR
ACCENT.

37
 COOSE THESE ARE THE PROGRESSIVE STEPS THAT ARE TAKEN BY AN ANIMATOR

CANDER

1. DRAW A “LINE OF ACTION” TO ESTABLISH THE GENERAL STANCE OF THE FIGURE.

2. APP ROUNPEP MASSES FOR THE HEAP ANP THE BOPY.
3. PRAW PERSPECTIVE LINES AROUNP THESE MASSES TO ESTABLISH THE FRONT. SIPE. ANP

38 TILT OF THE BOPY ANP HEAP.

XO CONSTRUCT AND DRAW A CARTOON CHARACTER.

construct the arms. LEGS. ANP EYES ON (OR "ANCHOREP TO") THEIR PROPER PLACES

F,ToHE.PERSPECT'Vr UNES-
, CLEAN "HlNGE” THE DETAILS INT0 THEIR POSITIONS.
up THE CHARACTER AROUNP THE CONSTRUCTION LINES. 39
ROWDY DRAW ROWDY RABBIT FROM EVERY ANGLE
RABBIT
WHEN CONSTRUCTING AN ANIMATED CHARACTER.
VISUALIZE IT AS A THREE-DIMENSIONAL PUPPET THAT
YOU ARE JOINING TOGETHER WITH SOLID MASSES.

EACH PART HAS A DEFINITE PLACE ACCORDING TO THE FORMULA.

PERSPECTIVE GUIDELINES TO ASSEMBLE THE SOLID PARTS.

BUILD "PUPPET PARTS"

WHEN CONSTRUCTING A
CHARACTER FOR
ANIMATION.

THE PARTS JOIN ACCORDING TO A FORMULA PLAN.

 LITTLE WOLF-HUNTER PIC

FOLLOW THE FIVE STEPS TO DRAW THIS LITTLE WOLF-HUNTER PIG.

1. DRAW A LINE OF ACTION, AND THEN BUILD THE OVAL BODY AND THE ROUND HEAD OVER IT.
2. ADD PERSPECTIVE GUIDELINES AND PLACE THE EYES.
42 3. SET THE SHOULDER, ARM. HAND, AND EAR SOCKETS. DRAW THE NOSE.
^ w BUILD THE FEATURES—EARS, CHEEKS. MOUTH. ETC. FIT ON THE COAT AND THE GUN.
p.DrAN Ani^ATION BOARD TO MAKE a "CLEANUP" DRAWING BY PLACING A CLEAN PIECE OF
ER OVER STEP 4 AND TRACING.
 CUTE RABBIT

©
DRAW A CIRCLE ADD PERSPECTIVE THE EYES ARE PLACED ABOVE

FOR THE HEAD AND GUIDELINES THE HORIZONTAL GUIDELINE.

A PEAR SHAPE AROUND THE NOSE STARTS WHERE

44 FOR THE BODY THE HEAD. THE GUIDELINES CROSS.

BEP OVER THE ENTIRE PRAWING
jEPARE TOR a "CLEANUr OR
5I0N PRAWING.

©
’THE CHEEKS. UKAVV I Mu EAR3, FINISH THE DETAILS,
1FIT THE arms EYES. MOUTH. AND THEN ERASE
* the TOP of
AND LEGS. THE CONSTRUCTION
THE body.
GUIDELINES.
 SQUIRRELS

HERE ARE ACTION IDEAS FOR , f

. DRAWING A SQUIRREL. WHICH IS \. i
A DEVELOPED USING ROUNDED AND CIRCULAR S
, FORMS. LIKE OTHER CUTE CHARACTERS (SEE
j PAGE 32). THE HEAD IS LARGE IN RELATION TO
W>THE BODY. THE TWO FRONT TEETH ARE IMPORTANT
f AND ADD EXPRESSION TO THIS CHARACTER.

46
THIS SQUIRREL CHARACTER CAN SE
CHANGED TO A MOUSE. RASSIT, OR
CHIPMUNK SY SIMPLY CHANGING
THE TAIL, EARS. AND FEET.

47
MORE
CUTE
CHARACTERS
 THE SCREWBALL TYPE
IN THI5 FORMULA YOU ELONGATED HEAD
WILL RECOGNIZE 50ME EXAGGERATED/,^
(NOT TOO DIG)
FEATURES THAT ALL FEATURES
SKINNY NECK
THE5E COCKY WISE
PEAR-SHAPED
GUY5 HAVE IN
£T~ BODY ^
COMMON.
xj LITTLE OR
/ SKINNY LEGS

THE ANTICS
}J OFTHE5ELOONY ^
/]CHARACTERS HAVE f
' BEEN SOME OF
THE FUNNIEST ON V
THE SCREEN.

50
OOFY CHARACTERS I6MALL HEAD HELP F0RWARP
HAIR HANGS OVER EYES
ie the BASIC FORMULA FOR GOOFY TYPES
^ ^ DROOPY. HALF-AWAKE EYES
\T ACT LIKE A “SIMPLE SIMON” CLODHOPPER:
LONG. SKINNY NECK-"* ^ BIG BEAK OR NOSE

HUMPBACKED AND STOOP-SHOULDERED ' ^ BUCKED TEETH

long, droopy arms with big HANDS- \ ABSOLUTELY NO CHIN

V (THIS IS IMPORTANT!)
OVERHANGING FANNY^^^
' BOBBING ADAM'S APPLE
PANTS LOW. LOOSE. AND BAGGY \
' BIG STOMACH PROTRUDES
ENORMOUS.
" " i I CLUMSY FEET CROTCH IN PANTS

L=^:
/O

■ ;AvV\
C^rv)
/V *.\
$W[ J j\
N /

TRY USING THESE POINTS

TO DESIGN A CHARACTER
ISt
OF YOUR OWN.
THE HEAVY, PUCNACIOUS CHARACTER
HEAVY EYEBROWS
COMPARATIVELY CLOSE. BEADY EYES
SMALL CRANIUM HUGE CHIN
AND JOWLS
LARGE LOWERL!F
BIG. LITTLE EARS
sticks out
BARREL-LIKE
CHEST
HEAVY. THICK NECK
(WHEN IT SHOWS)

SMALL ARMS ID
HIP AND HE*
AREA
BIG HANDS

SHORT.
HEAVY
LEGS
 STUDY THE FORMULA (AT LEFT)
FOR THESE SAD SOYS. IT ALSO
; APPLIES TO FOUR-LEGGED TYPES.
SUCH AS THE SEAR SELOW AND THE
SULLDOG SAILOR ON PAGES 72 AND 73

53
MORE ANIMAL CHARACTERS THE NEXT FOUR PAGES COK
VARIETY OF ANIMAL CHAR*
WITH DIFFERENT EXPRESS!*
CONSTRUCTION METHODS I
THE USE OF SKELETAL FOR
COMBINATION WITH ROUND
CIRCULAR FORMS.
the facial expressions and body attitudes must complement one another. 55
"tt-IHw
 LIFE 15 JU5T ONE WILD CARTOON "TAKE" (5EE PAGE 14©) Q
MUSICAL WOLF VIOLENT REACTION AFTER ANOTHER FOR THIS MUSICIAN

5a ROUGH IN THE SASIC CONSTRUCTION. FIT ON THE DETAILS CAREFULLY.

 WOLF HEADS PRACTICE DRAWING THESE WOLF HEADS; THEY WILL
HELP YOU TO DRAW MANY OTHER TYPES OF HEADS
WITH VARIOUS EXPRESSIONS.

60 AN ANIMATOR MUST SE ASLE TO DRAW FROM ALL ANGLES.

 LIONS AND
TIGERS
HERE ARE
SUGGESTIONS
FOR FUNNY /
LION AND TIGER I
CHARACTERS. \

\)A

n
/""V \ f V'
' rm) / \
i \
h if{
j \\
v ■v/
62
 THE NATURAL SHAPE OF A BIRD’S WING CAN BE CHANGED TO
A MODIFIED (OR SUGGESTED) ARM AND HAND FOR CERTAIN
ACTIONS. THEN CHANGED BACK TO THE NATURAL SHAPE.

64
 HERE ARE SOME ROUGH SKETCHES
OF AN OWL TO SHOW YOU HOW ITS
WINGS CAN BE HANDLED. THEY CAN BE
STRAIGHT OR THEY CAN TAKE ON THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF A HAND WITH
THE FEATHERS AS FINGERS.
MORE NOTICE THE HEAD

BIRDS

THESE CHARACTERS DIFFER GREATLY IN PERSONALITY AND SHAPE DUE TO THEIR

PROPORTIONS. NOTICE THE DIFFERENCES IN BEAKS. LEGS. NECKS. AND WING SIZES. FOR
EXAMPLE. THE BABY CHICK HAS NO NECK (THE HEAD SHAPE OVERLAPS THE BODY SHAPE).
WHILE THE OSTRICH'S NECK IS EXAGGERATED. ALL OF THE CHARACTERS ON THESE TWO
PAGES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED USING THE CIRCLE AND ROUNDED FORM METHOD.
 THE BELLIGERENT BULLDOG
SPIKE THE BULLDOG HAS A BARREL-LIKE CHEST.
SMALL BOTTOM. HEAVY ARMS AND LEGS. NO
NECK. PIGEON FRONT TOES. AND BOWED LEGS.

USE CONSTRUCTION GUIDELINES TO HELP YOU DRAW THIS

BULLDOG IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT POSES AND ACTION VIEWS.

70
 MAKE A REPEAT
CYCLE OF BULL DOG
RUNNING USING THE
DRAWING AT RIGHT
FOR POSITION ONE.
SEE "GALLOP* IN
"MOVEMENTS OF
THE FOUR-LEGGED
FIGURE" ON PAGE
102 FOR A GUIDE.

71
 BULLDOG SAILOR

72
 ANIMATION FORMULA
IN ANIMATION THE BULL DOG JOWLS FLOP AROUND LIKE
COATTAILS IN AN OVERLAPPING SECONDARY ACTION
(SEE CHAPTER 3). THAT IS A VALUABLE TECHNIQUE
FOR KEEPING POSES ALIVE.

THE BULLDOG HAS A

DOUBLE JAW WITH JOWLS.
DRAW THE CIRCULAR
FORMS FIRST, AND
THEN DETERMINE
THE PERSPECTIVE
LINES TO BUILD
THE HEAD AND
ASSEMBLE
THE BODY

f THE CLOTHING
TO THE BODY
BY USING
PERSPECTIVE
USING THIS FORMULA.
guidelines.
YOU CAN DRAW THE
CHARACTER IN ANY
POSITION AND LEARN
TO BE AN ANIMATOR.
 FORESHORTENING—PERSPECTIVE
V.P HORIZON KYC -I.KVGL LING

DRAWINGS THE DIMENSION OF DEPTH

BY USING VANISHING POINTS (VPs)
ON A DISTANT HORIZON LINK AND
FORESHORTENING (WHEN AN OBJFCT
SEEMS TO COME TOWARD THE
VIEWER). THE HORIZON LINE RELATES
TO THE VIEWER'S EYE LEVEL. IF THE
VANISHING POINTS HAVE BEEN
POSITIONED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER.
THE DRAWING WILL APPEAR
DISTORTED. EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR
SUBJECT TO FIND A COMFORTABI E
POSITION FOR THE VP*.

DRAW A BOX IN PERSPECTIVE. AND

THEN CONSTRUCT A CHARACTER
WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK. ALSO.
STUDY THE REVOLVING CYLINDER
ABOVE. NOTICE THE RELATIONSHIP
TO THE ARMS AND LEGS.

THE DRAWINGS ON THIS PAGE ARE

BASED ON TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE. CONVERGE A''HE THIRD VP THIS
THE VERTICAL LINES OF THE BOX ARE THREE-POINT PJ RSPECTIVE IS USEP
PARALLEL. AND THE HORIZONTAL TO EMPHASI7I HEIGHT BY
LINES ARE PROJECTED FROM THE LOWERING THE HORIZON LINE (E**
VP®. AS SHOWN AT UPPER LEFT. LEVEL). AS IF THE VIEWER IS
LOOKING UP THUS. THE DRAMA & j
FOR CHARACTERS OF GREAT ANIMATION IS HEIGHTENED. A
HEIGHT. A THIRD VP WOULD BE GIANT IS MORE FRIGHTENING 1
ADDED. AND THE VERTICALS WOULD A WORMS-EYf VIEW.
IN SINGLE FORESHORTENING IS USED WHEN
THE OBJECT IS NOT PARALLEL TO THE

prawings PICTURE PLANE. NOTE THE HANDS.

LEGS. AND ARMS OF THE

AMD GROUPS MUSICIANS TO THE LEFT.

THE DIFFERENT SIZES AND

LOCATIONS OF THE SAME SIZE-
RELATED OBJECTS ALSO CREATE
DEPTH AND FORESHORTENING. SEE.
FOR EXAMPLE. THE BIG. MEDIUM. AND
SMALL GNOMES RUNNING AND THE
HANDS AND FEET OF THE PURSUING
OGRE AT RIGHT.

LEARN TO DRAW HANDS FROM EVERY

ANGLE. AT THE LEFT IS A FORMULA
FOR A HAND. A SOX SHAPE HINGES
FROM THE WRIST UP OR DOWN. THE
ARM TURNS IT AROUND. AND THE
SAIL SASE OF THE THUMB FITS ON.
THIS THUMB BASE IS ACCENTED IN
CARTOONS. NOTICE THAT THE SHORT.
5TRAIGHT LINES IN ALL OF THESE
DRAWINGS HELP DEFINE THE
PERSPECTIVE.

PERSPECTIVE CAN CREATE A NORMAL

THIRD DIMENSION. OR IT CAN BE
DISTORTED FOR DRAMATIC DEPTH.
HEIGHT. OR FORESHORTENING.
 DWARFS

rnsmemM*.

A MOTLEY CREW OF LITTLE MEN ASSEMBLES TO PLAY NINEPINS

ON AN ANIMATION LAYOUT DRAWING (IN PENCIL).
 KIDS

KIDS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES. YOUNG CHILDREN HAVE LARGE HEADS
AND SHORT LEGS. AND THEIR SODIES ARE SLIGHTLY PEAR-SHAPED WITH A
PROTRUDING TUMMY (LIKE "THE CUTE CHARACTER"; SEE PAGE 32).
AS KIDS GROW OLDER.
THE PROPORTIONS
CHANGE; THEY ARE
MORE LANKY AND
AWKWARD LOOK¬
ING. THE HEAD
FOR THIS TYPE
REMAINS A SIT
LARGE.

■ TS

83
 YOUNG HEROINE
THE PROPORTIONS OF THIS CHARACTER ARE DIFFERENT THAN THOSE OF THE CHILDREN ON THE PR|
PAGES. USE THE CHART BELOW AS A GUIDE TO DRAW THIS YOUNG GIRL. THE CHART SHOWS THE FulT
FIGURE PROPORTIONS BASED ON A HEIGHT OF FIVE HEAD LENGTHS. THE LEGS ARE HALF OF THE hEk
(2-1/2 HEADS). THE WAIST IS TWO HEADS FROM THE TOR AND THE ARMS AND HANDS ARE A LITTLE C
TWO HEADS LONG. USE THIS SCALE TO DRAW THE YOUNG GIRL ACCURATELY IN ANY POSI
 THE EYesURES MOve with the HEAD: up and down and sideways- the position and angle of
specified BY TANGE W'TH ™E HEAD M0VEMENT; THEY MU5T be PRAWN TO LOOK IN THE DIRECTION
WHEre THE E- Mt HEAD P0SITI0N- HERE THE CHANGE IS FROM A 3/4 FRONT VIEW TO A 3/4 BACK VIEW
TES ARE NOT SEEN AT ALL. USE THF RULES OF PERSPECTIVE AND FORESHORTENING TO
ACCOMPLISH THESE TRANSITIONS ACCURATELY (SEE PAGES 74 AND 75). 85
 MODEL SHEET DRAWINGS. UKr
THE ONES ON THIS PAGE. A**
ISSUED TO THE ANIMATOR A5,
GUIDE WHEN HE OR SHE PICKS |*
THE SCENE FROM THE DlRECTCt
 YOU WOULD SEE
fHESE DRAWINGS ON
™E SCREEN FOR TWO
'^AMES—OR 1/12 OF A
5EC0ND (SEE PAGE 196). DRAW THE SASIC FIGURE SY
USING THE CHART FROM PAGE 64.
THEN DRAW THE CLOTHES OVER
THE FIGURE.
88
CHARACTER movement r
Qnt.c the character has been developed, the animator must consider the types of
actions that are appropriate for it. A character's basic design should contain a
sense of movement to convey a message to the viewer about the character’s actions
m,d intended actions. One way to accomplish this is to use the "line of action" that
is the basis for rhythm, simplicity, and directness.

nils chapter includes rhythm charts for creating movements of both humans and
inimals. These charts demonstrate that not only must the head. legs. arms, and
hands move in proper relation to one another, but also the body mass must follow.
The exorcises on pages 100-101 that demonstrate the movements of a man diving
pool and of a bouncing ball are excellent examples of accurate follow-through.
into a
Movements within the figure such as “squashing." “twisting." and “stretching" are
only a few of the movements studied in this chapter. An animation cycle is a series
"t drawings that take a character through a complete movement (for instance, a
walking slop). Complete cycles for continuous animated movement and the
llernu cs in body attitudes for such movements as running, walking,
anting. posing, and much more are also Included. Another subject
woduced in this chapter is adapting a character to a background.
subject is covered in detail in the Technical" chapter starting
•A € bul lbis introduction is an excellent stepping-stone
10 more complex instructions.

1 ,Jaracter^ ^ nistructions in ,b,s c hapter, you can make any

through j PerS°n' animal- or inanimate object—come to life
Swmiated movement. It is exciting and great fun to do.

89
 LINE OF ACTION
AN IMAGINARY LINE EXTENDING THROUGH THE MAIN ACTION OF THE FIGURE 15 THE “LINE OF
PLAN YOUR FIGURE AND ITS DETAIL5 TO ACCENTUATE THI5 LINE. SY DOING 50. YOU WILL STRE
THE DRAMATIC EFFECT. THE FIR5T THING TO DRAW WHEN CONSTRUCTING A FIGURE 15 THE LINE OF

WRONG! THE LINE5 OF ACTION DO NOT FIT. CORRECT! THE LINES OF ACTION FIT AND ARE ACCENTUATE'

RIGHT! WRONG!
STUDY THESE DRAWINGS IN WHICH I’VE INDICATED THE LINE OF ACTION

rV)' ^ mV \\
 LINE OF ACTION IN ANIMATION
THE LINE OF ACTION 15 THE SASIS FOR RHYTHM. SIMPLICITY. AND DIRECTNESS IN ANIMATION
START YOUR ANIMATION WITH A LINE OF ACTION. THEN DRAW THE SKELETON AND THE DETAILS

92
Y_ animate all THE DETAILS.
 RHYTHM AND DESIGN IN CARTOON ART
RHYTHM AND DESIGN ARE THE SECRET FORMULAS BEHIND THE APPEAL AND CHARM OF
GREAT CARTOON ART. ARTISTS HAVE INSTINCTS THAT TELL THEM THESE THINGS. THE
FOLLOWING ABSTRACT DESIGN BASIS SHOULD HELP YOU.

THE UNe Oh BFAinV CURVE AND VARIATIONS THE STRAIGHT UNE BECOMES ANGULAR DESIGNS GEOME TRIC SHAMES ARE THE BASIS OF WAVY C4*-

THE BASIC "S" CURVE OF RHYTHM AND THE OPPOSING ARCS (SECOND FROM LEFT) HAVE
GREAT VALUE FOR YOUR DRAWINGS. LEARN THEIR VALUES, SUCH AS THE "VALUE OF
A STRAIGHT LINE." MANY DRAWINGS FAIL WITHOUT IT.
RHYTHM LINES (LEFT) ARE OFTEN BROKEN AND MAY JUMP
BETWEEN PARALLELS. A SERIES OF OBJECTS OR SPOTS CAN
CREATE A LINE. OPPOSITION OF LINES IS IMPORTANT.
VERTICALS OPPOSE HORIZONTALS, AND ANGLES OPPOSE ARCS
THE RABBIT AND THE ELF ARE EXAMPLES OF OPPOSING ARCS
OR RHYTHM CURVES. ACCENTS, WHICH ADD TO THE DESIGN
INTEREST AND CUT MONOTONY IN LINES. OCCUR AT BREAKS OR
AT INTERSECTIONS OF OTHER LINES OR OBJECTS.

95
 MOVEMENT OF BODY MASSES
HERE ARE SOME SIMPLIFIED FIGURES IN ACTION TO SHOW YOU THE TWIST AND TURN AND
VARIATION OF PERSPECTIVE IN THE MAIN BODY MASSES. BUILDING THE FIGURE IN SOUdJI
MAKES ANIMATION EASIER TO "FEEL OUT."

96
97
 MOVEMENTS OF THE TWO-LECCED FICURe
A COMPLETE CYCLE FOR A TWO-LEGGED WALK IS TWO STEPS. DRAWINGS ARE MADE OF THE ircv
Of THE STEPPING ACTION UNTIL THE NEXT DRAWING WOULD PE A REPEAT OF THE FIRST. THE Drawing^
PE USED OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO MAKE THE CHARACTER WALK AS FAR OR AS LONG AS DESirEd

WALK-

POUBL-E
BOUNCE
WALK-

STRUT —

98
 THE BASIC BOUNCINC BALL ACTION

AS THE BALL FALLS. ITS

SPEED INCREASES AND
THE DRAWINGS ARE SPACED
FARTHER APART. AT THE HIGHEST

gif *
POINT THE ACTION SLOWS.
THE DRAWINGS ARE SPACED
NOTICE HOW THE BALL “STRETCHES CLOSER. AND THE BALL
WHEN FALLING AND TAKING OFF RESUMES ITS
ON STEPS 5. 7.12. AND 14. NATURAL SHAPE.

THE BALL FOLLOWS A DEFINITE PATH OF ACTION. STUDY THE

SPACING OF THE BALL ALONG THIS PATH. NOTICE THE
SIMILARITY OF THE BALL ACTION TO THE HOP
AND JUMP BELOW.

100
NOTICE THAT A, C. AND E HERE ARE
LIKE 6.7.12, AND 14 AT LEFT WHEN
f>*CHARACTER STRETCHES; B IS
Jt£ fHE RECOIL ON 6 AND 13 AND D
6 UKE THE NORMAL 2.10, AN D 17.
 MOVEMENTS OF THE FOUR-LEGGED FIGURE
HERE 15 A COMPARISON OF THE MAIN CYCLES OF FOUR-LEGGED MOVEMENT. SOME OF THEM ARp
COMPLETE-OTHERS ARE HALF-CYCLES (YOU CAN DRAW THEM ON THE OPPOSITE FEET FOR THE RESToe
THE CYCLE). STUDY THE DIFFERENCES IN THE EXAMPLES. THE WALK. TROT. SNEAK. STRUT. AND TIPT0E
HALF-CYCLES. THE GALLOP. CANTER. AND SNIFF ARE COMPLETE CYCLES.
 FRONT AND REAR VIEWS OF
FIGURE MOVEMENTS
ALL ACTIONS TAKE ON DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS. HERE IS A WALK AND RUN FROM THE
FRONT AND REAR VIEWS. ANIMATING FROM THESE ANGLES IS LIKE WATCHING A FOOTBALL
GAME FROM THE END ZONE. STUDY THE ACTIONS BELOW; THEN USE THEM AS A GUIDE
TO ANIMATE SOME OF THE CHARACTERS SHOWN IN THE FIRST CHAPTER.
/

1
m

105
 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WALK AND RyN
0WALK ("^ @ FAST RUN p.

ABOVE ARE THE CONTACT DRAWINGS FROM (A) THE WALK. (0) THE IS UPRIGHT. DENOTING SLOW SPEED ON THE RUN. THE BOC>
RUN. AND (C) THE FAST RUN. THE CONTACT DRAWING IS THE LEANS FORWARD AND THE FRONT FOOT IS FARTHER BACK.ONri
DRAWING IN WHICH THF FOOT. AFTER BUNG LIFTED. STRIKES THF FAST RUN. THE BODY LEANS FAR FORWARD. DENOTINGS^Hr «
GROUND. IN THE LAYOUT OF A RUN OR A WALK FOR ANIMATION. IT THE FRONT FOOT IS BACK UNDER THE BODY
15 USUALLY THESE CONTACT DRAWINGS THAT ARE DETERMINED
FIRST. THEY SET THE SPEED AND THE SIZE Of THE CHARACTER. THE ARMS SWING CONVERSELY WITH THE LEGS. THE LEFT ARv
THE REST OF THE ACTION 15 THEN BUILT AROUND THEM SWINGS WITH THE RIGHT LEG AND VICE VERSA. THE ARM6&WN
MORE VIOLENTLY IN THE RUN. BUT IN THE FAST RUN THE 5WK •
MORE THAN ANY OTHER SINGLE FACTOR. THE POSITION Of THE THE ARMS WOULD BE TOO VIOLENT; THEY ARE MORE EFFECTM
BACK FOOT ON THE CONTACT DRAWING DETERMINES THE SPEED. WHE N HI ID STRAIGHT OUT IN A K‘ ACHING POSITION.
NOTICE THAT ON STEP A THE BACK FOOT IS STILL TOUCHING THE
GROUND. ON STEP B THE BACK FOOT HAS LEFT THE GROUND. ON COMPARE THE ACTION OF THE WALK WITH THE RUN. IN "HE WA
STEP C THE POSITION OF THE BACK FOOT IS EVEN HIGHER. THE ARMS AND LEGS ARL STRETCHED OUT THE FARTHEST’
CONTACT DRAWING; HOWEVER. IN THE RUN THE STRETCH CG*A‘
ON THE WALK. THE FRONT FOOT IS STRETCHED OUT AND THE BODY WHEN THE FIGURE IS IN MIDAIR AT IMF HIGH POINT OF THE AT>-

WALK-

RUN —
106
 THE WALK

1. LEFT FOOT CONTACTS 2. SINKS INTO 3. RIGHT FOOT LIFTS, 4. HIGH POINT IN STEP
THE GROUND. RECOIL POSITION STARTS COMING RIGHT FOOT RAISED.
THROUGH FOR STEP

7 STIFFENS
INt°conw T POSITION
e. RECOIL POSITION 7. RASSIT RISES AS 0. HIGH POSITION
LEG SENDS. LEFT LEG LIFTS. »1 FOLLOWS THIS
 THE RUN

1. RIGHT FOOT DOWN 2. RIGHT FOOT TAKES 3. RIGHT FOOT 4. BODY AT HIGHEST

IN CONTACT POSITION WEIGHT OF BODY PUSHES BODY OFF. POINT IN RUN.

5. LEFT FOOT REACHES 6. RECOIL WITH RIGHT 7. LEFT FOOT STRETCHES 0. ARMS AND
FOR GROUND. FOOT COMING THROUGH FOR RECOIL. #1 FOLLOWS
 THE FAST RUN

*'• *.G5 IN THfc c / A* KUN' TRY N0T T0 HAVE TW0 ACTION FOOT ACTION DRAWINGS ARE VARIED: STEP 3 IS DIFFERENT THAN
0 f*AMES (EXP0SiiIf1LnH0UETTE: P06ITI0N W1THIN 0NE DR STEP 1 AND 57EP 2 ,S AFFERENT THAN 5TEP 4. THERE IS A
"*** MONOTONOUS fun TH S *V0UlD MA*E ™* ACTION btHGU CIRCULAR ACTION ON THE Ml AD AND DOPY INSTEAD Of
' Q,< AND A DIFFER!.NT MIGH1 EVEN CREATE A FAL5E A DOUBLE CIRCULAR ACTION AS IN THE WALK AND RUN. NOTICE
T0 ACHIEVE imp el fFFECT rHAN THE 0NE Y0U ARE HOW THE SPEED LINES AROUND THE TEET HELP ILLUSTRATE THE
• StERN MOVH Vru EXAMPLE- tHE WAGON WHEELS IN FA5T ACTION.
AND THE R APPEA* T° M <***<> BACKWARDS).
.£EEN S,MILar SlLH0nrrTcRE ARE EN0UGH DRAWINGS THE CROSSES ABOVE AND BELOW THE DRAWINGS REPRESENT A
H r^60^ERE IS no pvnn P°5lT,0NS—STEPS 1 AND 5 FIXED POINTON THE SCREEN THEY ENSURE. THE PROPER
EM. BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE POSITIONING OF THE FIGURE. IF YOU TRACE THESE REPEATS. BE
YCLE OF A FAST RUN NOTICE THAT Al I SURE THE CROSSES COINCIDE 109
 THE SNEAK THESE ARE THE KEY DRAWINGS IN A 64-DRAWING SNEAK Cm
THE MISSING NUMBERS ARE IN-BFTWFFNS. DRAWING 1 FOlin^'
DRAWING 64. WHEN TRACING. BE SURE THE CROSSES ABOVE^
BELOW THE CHARACTER COINCIDE.

110
 gHHAK 15 A WALK IN WHICH THE RECOIL (AFTER THE FOOT CONTACTS THE GROUND) IS EXAGGERATED
^ THE 5PEED OF THE FOOT COMING DOWN INTO THE CONTACT POSITION IS SLOWED. THIS CREATES THE
U5I0N 0f S^ALTH—THAT THE FEET ARE CAREFULLY PLACED TO PREVENT NOISE AND EVADE DETECTION.

NOT ALL SNEAKS ARE AS VIOLENT

AS THIS ONE. BUT THEY ARE BASED
ON THE SAME PRINCIPLE. THIS IS A
SLOW SNEAK; FEWER IN-BETWEENS
WILL SPEED IT UP

Hi
 THE SKIP
HERE ARE THE EXTREMES OF A 24-DRAWING SKIP
CYCLE. THE MISSING DRAWINGS ARE IN-BETWEENS
(DRAWINGS SPACED EVENLY BETWEEN THE EXTREMES).
THE EXCEPTIONS ARE STEPS 12 AND 24. NOTICE THE
CHARTS (CALLOUTS AND NUMBERS) EXPLAINING THE UNEVEN
SPACING ON THESE DRAWINGS. INSTEAD OF BEING SPACED
EVENLY BETWEEN STEPS 11 AND 13.12 IS 1/3 OF THE WAY (CLOSER
TO 11). THE SAME THING HAPPENS WITH 24. WHICH IS 1/3 OF THE WAY
BETWEEN STEPS 23 AND 1. DRAWING 24 COMPLETES THE CYCLE.

THE BODY AND THE HANDS IN THE SKIP ARE THE SAME AS IN THE RUN. THE DIFFERENCE
IS IN THE ACTION OF THE FOOT THAT PUSHES THE BODY OFF THE GROUND AND THEN
112
RAISES IN AN ARC AND CONTACTS THE GROUND FIRST.
 ■1

H Rawing L A* 5 ABOvE AND BEL0VV EACH DRAWING are registration marks, trace
N A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER-MAKING SURE THE CROSSES OVERLAP-AND THEN
FLIP THE DRAWINGS AND STUDY THE ACTION. 113
 THE STRUT M
BEGINNING WITH A POSE ON 5TEP 1. THE STRUT STEP STARTS ON B, AND ENDS ON 36. THEN
THE CHARACTER GOES INTO ANOTHER POSE ON 42. THE ACTION IS COMPLETE AS IS AND CANNOT
BE HOOKED UP INTO A CYCLE. THE WALK IS SIMILAR TO THE STRUT. EXCEPT IN THE STRUT THE
HIGH POINT IN THE ACTION IS WHEN THE ROOT CONTACTS THE GROUND. AND THE LOWEST POINT
IS WHEN THE FOOT IS LIFTED. (IN THE WALK THIS IS REVERSED.) MISSING NUMBERS IN THIS ACTION
ARE IN-BETWEENS:SOME ARE UNEVENLY SPACED. WHEN AN IN-BETWEEN IS UNEVENLY SPACED. A
CHART IS MADE NEXT TO THE EXTREME SHOWING THE IN-BETWEEN'S POSI HON. ALL OF THESE
DRAWINGS ARE EXTREMES. BELOW ARE THE IN-BETWEEN CHARTS THAT WERE PUT ON THEM.

114
 FOUR-LE66ED ANIMALS

THIS SIMPLIFIED SKELETON DIVIDES THE ANIMAL'S BODY INTO THE LEGS FOLD UP OR STRETCH OUT WITH THE BODY BASED
THREE SECTIONS: THE FOREQUARTERS. THE BELLY. AND THE THE ACTION OF THE PIVOT POINTS IN THEIR PATHS OF
REAR QUARTERS. NOTICE THAT THE JOINTS OF THE SHOULDER CHARACTERS WITH THESE ANATOMICAL ELEMENTS SEEM
BLADES AND THE HIP F0RM5 NEED TO BE DEFINED OR AT LEAST REALI5TIC.
SUGGESTED IN YOUR DRAWINGS. AFTER LOCATING THESE PIVOT
POINTS. PROCEED WITH YOUR DRAWING. MAKE THE LEGS DOGS AND DEER RUN WITH A ROTARY GALLOP IN WH'^ ^
IRREGULAR—NOT TOO PARALLEL. OPPOSITE FRONT AND BACK LEGS LEAD; CATS. HORSE*.
MOST OTHER ANIMALS RUN WITH A TRANSVERSE
AFTER ESTABLISHING THE BODY SHAPE AND SWEEP SET A WHICH THE SAME FRONT AND BACK LEGS LEAD. IN ^
SO *
CENTERLINE OR BACKBONE. THEN MARK OFF THE THREE POINTS EITHER THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT FRONT LEG CAN LEAD.
AS SHOWN ON THE HOR6E ON THE OPPOSITE PAGE. FIT OR ARE TWO VERSIONS OF EVERY ANIMAL RUN IN THIS
,, 8 WEAVE THE PARTS TOGETHER WITH THE BODY RHYTHMS. SIMPLY REVERSE THE LEAD LEG.
CONSTRUCTION AND MOVEMENT
MORE FOUR-LEGGED ANIMALS

A WALK CYCLE IS TWO STEPS. IN ANIMAL WALK5 THE BACK

LEGS ARE USUALLY 1/2 STEP AHEAD OF THE FRONT LEGS (AS
WITH THE HORSE TO THE LEFT). ABOVE, THE DOG’S BACK FEET
ARE 3/4 STEP AHEAD. BUT THEY COULD BE 1/2 STEP AHEAD.
 THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS
HERE 15 A CYCLE OF A BIRD FLYING FROM BOTH THE FRONT AND THE 5IDE VIEWS. DRAWING ft .c,
FOLLOWED BY DRAWING 1. DRAWING 1 HERE 15 THE SAME WING POSITION AS DRAWING 1 ON PAGF i
NOTICE HOW THE WINGS FOLD UP AS THEY RISE IN DRAWINGS 2. 3. AND 4. THIS PART OF THE ACTION
SLOWER SO THERE ARE MORE DRAWINGS TO IT. CONSEQUENTLY. YOU WILL SEE IT LONGER. IN DRAvvihr^
5. 6. AND 7, THE WINGS ENLARGE TO CATCH MORE AIR. THEN IN DRAWING 0 THEY QUICKLYCOME ^
DOWN WIDE OPEN (ONE DRAWING) TO GIVE THE BIRD THE PUSH THAT CARRIES IT THROUGH THE AIR.

122
WALK - AS LEG UFTS. HIPS TILT. CHEST TILTS OTHER WAY TO BALANCE RUN - ARMS UR AND SWING TO BALANCE HIP TUT A NO LEG

CANTER - THE BODY TUTS WTTH A RISWG AND FALUNG ACTION THAT S SIMILAR TO A CHILDRENS SEESAW, CAUSING RIDER TO STAND.

TRANSVERSE GALLOP - LEFT LEGS CAN LEAD TOO THE SAME LEGS LEAD. UNLIKE DOG ANO DEER THAT GALLOP WTTH OPPOSITE LEGS LEAD*0
 FOUR LEGGED WALK - THC BACK LEGS ARE ONE HALF STEP AHEAD OF THE FRONT LEGS THIS COMPLETE CYCLE IS TWO STEPS.

TRANSVERSE GALLOP - BOTH LEFT LEGS LEAD HERE CAT ALSO GALLOPS UKE HORSE (SEE LEFT) WITH RIGHT LEGS LEAOWG. JUST REVERSE LEGS

^JBCE'WALK (ARMS 3WBMMNG) - FIRST DRAWING G CONTACT. NEXT IS RECOIL. THEN A LIFT, THEN A HIGH -FLOAT.' AND THEN BACK TO CONTACT (OPPOSITE FOOT*

"V* - SILHOUETTE OF RUNNER FROM LIVE ACTION FILM REVEALS CONCAVE ARC KICK ON FOOT BEFORE CONTACT
126
aNimation
/^ii animator must consider a number of things when planning and creating ani¬
mated movement. First, he or she must devise a plan for the action the character is
supposed to perform. Once the plan is set. the actual movements of the character
can be designed and rough sketches of the movements drawn. (At this stage, the
animator should be well acquainted with the character so the movements will ap¬
pear natural.) Next, key (or “extreme") character poses are drawn: then the key
poses are used as guides to draw the in-between movements.

This chapter includes excellent practice exercises to help develop an understanding

ol timing in the animated sequences. The poses and extremes shown on pages 138-
139 are simple, but excellent, examples.

Overlapping actions, holding poses, and other movements, as shown in the

exercises involving the sheriff, the dancing girls, the hippo, and the alligator.
Jrt val,,able samples of the highest-quality professional animation.

Other actions included in this chapter are the "take"

la surprise expression), straight-ahead and rhythm
■mun.it ion. balance and tilt in movement, and arcs,
and hS;„ar pal,hs of action. The movement of legs. arms.
aiCcnv^ a f'K the anUrlPa|ed movement or actions
These are ,^e 860,100 entitled "The Wave Principle."
■nov-,,; methods for “waving" the animated
“fwavinc ‘proper d,recUons- The chain reaction
movement ru* iS cxtrerne,y important to character
"H-ni. alonii the speed of the Climated movc-
‘"ll reai tio ^Pressing attitudes. emoUons. gestures.
can all be combined and fitted to your character.
 SKETCHING BASICS—A SHORTHAND ART
ANIMAT0R5 MAKE A SERIES OF ROUGH OUTLINE SKETCHES THAT SUGGEST THE MOVEMENT Of A
CHARACTER. rT IS LIKE \IANPWRIT1NG WORPS W17I I NO THOUGHT ABOUT FORMING INDIVIDUAL LETTERS-Oniv
WHAT YOU’RE SAYING (OR ACTING). TO DRAW A POSE. MAKE SCRIBBLES OF WHAT YOU SEE IN YOUR IMAGlNA^^
THEN STUDY THE SCRIBBLES FOR SUGGESTIONS. FORGET DRAWING —SCRIBBLE! ^*

A BEGINNER CAN ONLY BECOME AN ANIMATOR THROUGH MANY REVERSE YOUR SKETCH (TURN IT OVER ON A UGHT BOARD) AND Rl *n
I TOURS OF SKETCHING. MAKE MANY ATTEMPTS. THE SKETCH IS LIKE A GENTLY ERASE IT WITH A KNEADED ERASER AND REDRAW SKETCH r *.
PlAN FOR A 31JILCXNG. SO PICK FROM SEVERAL SKTTCII ATTEMPTS. COLORED PI NOL AND T» JEN REDRAW IN BLACK.

THIS IS AN ANIMATOR'S "ROUGH." A CLEANED-UP. FINISHED DETAIL SCRIBBLES CAN BLOOM! MULTIPLE SKETCHES. KEEP
DRAWING IS MADE FROM THIS. YOU SHOULD KNOW ALL ABOUT THE Gf T A SUGGESTION Ot WHAT rOU WANT A ROUGH Ol _ |
SKELETON. BUT ANIMATORS DONT DRAW THE SKELETON FIRST; SUGGESTION IS THE FIRST STEP IT MAY TAKE MANY
128 THEY SKETCH THE OUTLINE. A* TEMPTS. USI YO JR IMAGINATION TO DEVELOP ^
 DRAWING SMALL. "THUMBNAIL" SKETCHES OF IMPORTANT POSES BRINGS
OUT THE OVERALL STRUCTURE AND APPEAL AND MAKES FOR
BROADER DRAWING AND LESS ATTENTION TO DETAILS.

™ESE KEY POSES OF A TIGER ACTION ARE FROM TRIAL SKETCHES. THEY MAY BE CHANGED

TO FIT THE ACTION AS IT EVOLVES IN ANIMATION. 129

 BALANCE AND TILT IN MOVEMENT

THE "CENTER OF BALANCE" LINE TIPS IN A FORWARD HOWEVER. CHARACTERS CAN ALSO RUN LEANING BACKWARD. MS
MOVEMENT IN PROPORTION TO THE SPEED OF THE ACTION. fHE BALANCE LINE CAN BE A CURVE N AN ACTION (IN ANY51

A THRUST IN ANY DIRECTION TRIGGERS A CHAIN REACTION THESE BALANCING REACTIONS DO NOT NEED TO BE
BALANCE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION IN PROPORTION SIMULTANEOUS TO THE THRUST ACTION OR TO EACH
130 TO THE SPEED. THEY MAY OVERLAP
'HRUST IN A CIRCULAR SWING TRIGGERS A CORRESPONDING THIS CIRCULAR PATH OF ACTION CAN BE HORIZONTAL OR TIPPED
.INCDN THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE CIRCLE MOVEMENT. TO ANY DIAGONAL ANGLE. OR IT CAN BE A VERTICAL CIRCLE.

> THE CHEST TWISTS WITH A THRUST. THE HIPS TWIST IN THE THESE BALANCING REACTIONS NEED NOT FOLLOW THE THRUST;
TO5ITE DIRECTION iN A BALANCE REACTION (OR VICE VERSA). THEY MAY PRECEDE AND/OR MOVE AFTER THE THRUST 01 ACTION.

^TR|^,, B!UN THE H|pS SAG WITH THE LEG IIETED. THIS ACTION GIVES WEIGHT TO A HEAVY GIANT OR A LARGF
* CHEST 5Hn,„A CHAIN GLANCE REACTION IN THE TITS OF ANIMAL WITH A PONDEROUS. CRASHING GAIT. IT IS NOT
'THc ^J^DERS. and HI AD. THE ARMS SWING IIIGMER TYPICAL OF CLOSELY KNIT ATHLETES. THE RESULTING HIP
5|DE AND LOWER ON THE OTHER SlDT SWAY IS A TYPICAL EE MALE MOVE. 131
IN A PENDULUM BALANCE, THE ARMS 5WING A5 A RFACTION
A VERTICAL THRUST UP OR DOWN CAN CPE ATP A
A J 1E^<RUST °F ™E PEWUL ,M LEG ACTION OF A WALK OR
VERT,CAL REACTION THIS act,ON *
ZV?LTK™e m THt 'PM ^ 'S NOT ON THE LEG
-ONrACT DRAWING BUT ON THE RECOIL. THE LEG MOVES RA'if
amt.? M0VE6> °F THE HtAD AND A*MS AND IN N
** action d^ngs OF A hunch-contraction
ZulnoTo?" "* £ A SceTo
WMEN ™E lEG UFT5' ™E head and the
THAN wS:. M5 ^ F°KWAKD " A ««
THE HEAD ^pGm R,N° 'N A MEA/y DKAFT HORSE ACTIO*
E rAP L0W,'KS AS THE LEG LIFTS IN A PULL.
DELAYED TO GIVE MOKE VIOLENCE TO THE ACTION. SINGLE
DRAWING DRAFTSMANSHIP IS ABANDONED FOR THE
DRAFTSMANSHIP OF A SERIES WE SEE IN LESS THAN
A SECOND.
 STRAIGHT-AHEAD AND RHYTHM ANIMATION

STRAIGHT-AHEAD ANIMATION (DRAWING EACH MOVE

\K0M THE BEGINNING IN A GROWTH SEQUENCE) IS USED FOR A METHOD TO ANIMATE-V1SUALIZE THE ENTIRE SCENE
ACTIONS THAT INVOIVE RHYTHMS IN CHARACTER MOVEMENTS. WTTH PROJECTION POSES AT THE MOST IMPORTANT •'OINTS

5BVERAL OVERLAPPING SECONDARY ACTIONS

I HEN USING THESE DRAWINGS AS A GUIDE. MAKE PATHS CF
MOVING IN A CHARACTER. AND EACH ONE HAS DIFFERENT (IF PRACTICAL) AND ANIMATE STRAIGHT-AHEAD FROM
TIMING AND RHYTHM. THEY ARE STARTED UNEVENLY BY HTF START TOWARD THF FIRST POSE. WHEN YOU NEAR THIS

TURNS. rWlSTS. AND OTHER BODY ACTIONS. THEY ARE POSE. USE IT ONLY AS A GUIDE AND DO NOT WORK INTO rT

IMPOSSIBLE TO POSE-PLAN. AND MANY ARE DISCOVERED AS INI ESS IT FITS THE RHYTHM PROGRESSION OF YOUR ACTION
N T HESITATE TO REVISE; DISCOVER IMPROVEMENTS AS YOU
lun ™,MATE ^HT-AHEAD. START WITH A PLAN OF ACTION
AND WORK WITH ROUGH SKETCH-SCRIBBLES AND RHYTHM PROGRESS. RESEARCH THE SCENE BY ACTING IT OUT IN FRON’
LINES; AIM FOR THF SWEEP OF THE CHARACTER. KEEP A MODEL Of A MIRROR OR STUDY LIVE-ACTION FILM RESEARCH. MAKE

DRAWING ON A SLIP OF PAPER TO CHECK SIZES AND SCENF THUMBNAIL SKETCHES; ANIMATE FROM YOUR IMAGINATION; L
PERSPECTIVES. CREATE. ROUGHLYCOMPLETE ALL DRAWINGS AND MAKE AFTM
PENCIL TEST (FILMING THE PENCIL ROUGHS).

34
NOTICE HOW THIS SMOOTH-FLOWING "RHYTHM PATTERN" RELATES TO THE ANIMATION CYCLE OF THE
DOG ABOVE. THE SMOOTH MOVEMENT OF THE LITTLE CHARACTER BELOW IS BROKEN WHEN HE FALLS.

135
 ANTICIPATION * ACTION • REACTION
AN ACTION LIKE THE SWING OF A PENDULUM IS A MOVE BETWEEN TWO EXTREME POSITIONS. AN ACTIO
DRAWING OF THE PENDULUM IN CENTER POSITION HAS LITTLE VISUAL VALUE TO DEPICT THE ACTION u "
THE EXTREME POSITIONS OF THE PENDULUM THAT DEPICT THE ACTION—AND MEASURE IT. the FIRst'S
EXTREME IS ANTICIPATION: GET-SET. WIND UP. PULL SACK. CONTRACTION-CROUCH OR RISE. OR PULL UP frHE
LATTER FOR A DOWN MOVE). THE SECOND EXTREME IS THE REACTION-RECOVERY FROM THE MOVeI
EITHER A CRASH OR A STRETCH-AND-SETTLE THAT MAY VIBRATE.

START AT A DRAW-BA£K MOVE

THE SLIGHTEST MOVE N ANY DIRECTION MAY BE REINFORCED N lilt ACT ONS AT RIGHT WE DONT ACTUALLY SEE THE RAP9'

WITH A MOVE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. INTO AN CONTAC’ THI BUI . DOG OR 'ME WOODCUTTER HIT THE TREE

ANTICIPATION BEFORE THE ACT. AND THEN A RECOVERY THIS IS NOT A TK CK; ITS A TIMING EXAGGERATION.

PROCESS. NOTE: THE ACTUAL CONTACT DRAWING IS OF SUCH

LITTLE VALUE THAT IT IS OFTEN BEST TO ELIMINATE IT. AS HOWEVER. A TRICK LIKE THE MAGICIAN'S SLEIGHT OF HAND#

SHOWN AT RIGHT. ON PAGE 137. VALUABLE 10 THE ANIMATOR CALLED A "FAKE." IT 16 -

SITUATIONS LIKE THL DR AWING OT THE WOODCUTTER. HIS k

IN THE GOLF SWING WE ELIMINATE THE CENTER DRAWING OF FITS • E ACTION 5IMPLY. AND THE TRUTH IS A QUICK.

THE CLUB ACTUALLY HITTING THE BALL; IN A FOOTBALL KICK. CONFUS MG TWIST ON THE AXE. WHE N AN ACTION IS
CONCEALED FOR A FLASH OR WHEN A QUICK MOVEMENT
WE SKIP THE FOOT CONTACTING THE BALL. ETC. THE ErrECT OF
THIS TRICK IS A CRISPNESS OF EXECUTION BECAUSE YOU SES THE EYE. CHANGE I HE LEGS. HANDS. OR WHATE

NEVER SEE IT. AWKWARD SITUATION YOU ARE IN.

 STRAIGHT-AHEAD ANIMATION

THERE ARE TWO DISTINCT METHODS 01 ANIMATING: (1) THE the character above wai ks for t-hree steps and tn**
STRAIGHT-AHEAD METHOD (SHOWN ABOVE), WHICH SIMPLY REACHES DOWN FOR THE KITTEN; HERE THE FOOT
INVOLVES DRAWING ONE MOVE AFTER ANOTHER IN AN EXTREMES ARE PLACED IN A STRAIGHT PATH OF ACTION ^
EVOLVING SEQUENCE OF GROWTH. AND (2) THE POSE¬ THE CHARACTER CHANGES HIS "ACTING —HE ANTIClPA^ Mg
PLANNING METHOD. WHICH IS ACCOMPLISHED BY SKETCHING REACH FOR THE KITTEN BY I IF TING HI5 ARMS AND MOVl ^
"KEY" OR "EXTREME" POSES (AS SHOWN WITH THE MOUSE HEAD PACK. THE HEAP STAYS PACK TO COUNTERBALANCE

ON PAGE 139) AND THEN FILLING IN THE ACTION WITH IN- REACH NG ARMS; IT THEN FOHOWS THROUGH IN AN^
BETWEEN DRAWINGS. OVERLAPPING ACTION AS THE KITTEN IS LIFTED. THE W
AN OVEKI APPING ACTION. EACH ACTION MUST FIT
OF THE STORY; THERE IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR EACH
ANIMATION APPROACH.

138
UuiS2S^*CE 0F THE extreme drawing is best THE MOUSE IN THE EXAMPLE DEMONSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE
fcfLl.DEF,Ln!,NG ACTION (SEE PAGE 136). PLAN OF POSE-PLANNING. THESE TYPES Of- SCENES ARE BASED ON THE
A p^T'0NS (6UCH ^5 A WALK OR RUN) BY FIRST DRAMA. GESTURE. OR ATTITUDE OF POSES- NOT THE SPECIFIC
^ANDthfu ACTI0N U5ING PERSPECTIVE (PAGES 74 ACTION. THE KEY POSES MUST BE CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT
^SEssivf Pr M,ERlNG 1116 5AME CYCLE DRAWING IN BECAUSE THEY ARE USED TO ENHANCE THE ACTION. PRESENTATION
'-^EDwUh sp 'in0NS- THE IN-0nWEEN DRAWINGS ARE OF DRAMA. AND MOOD; THEY REINFORCE THE STORY. SCENE COM¬
‘^Of thE Arr,^ NG CHAKTS (WHICH A SO INDICATE THF POSITION. AND DRAWING POINTS.
AND R.' IN CA5E 0THE* ARTISTS COMPLETF THF

u?^en5 can 'n py ™E ANIMATOR. THE IN

^Ng or STunvAlLY CHAN0E AN AC7I0N EITHER

139
 ARCS . CURVES . PATHS OF ACTION
J i

Vri,

A T*A™*M0VE5 in path* of action

ooooo

Sts of arc ,n ™e '*-™nS

BETWEEN ™E HIGH 3 AND A WEtf
IF a dkawng
rHAN THE PATH " A C*°UCH *"*">0* TO TH,NK J 'F A DRA>VINe AFTER 7 U»*W ”
S SEE ,F - EXPFRIMEHT ... PUP THE —
U 5EE ,FVOUARE CORRECT!
MULTIPLE action paths in bounce-strut
LINING THIS DOUBLE BOUNCE-STRUT AS A GUIDE, TRY ANIMATING THE SAME ACTION AND PATHS USING
ROWDY RABBIT FROM PAGES 40 AND 41.

'3 /V iS
,7 '9 20 /

r°A^cfn!^ Thatyou CONSULT the drawings GOING FAKING DRAWINGS OFF PEGS. SHIFTING THE EXTREMES SO THE
10A ^OlioJ; 0F B CHECK Ar LEA6T wo pR'OR DRAWINGS DETAILS COINCIDE. PLACING THE CORNERS OF YOUR IN-BETWEEN
m_ E^EME. there are two things to
PAPER BETWEEN THE TWO SHIFTED EXTREMES. AND MAKING AN
a*1Ng ™E RIGhT AKC- if ANY. and (2) IS THE IN-BETWEEN ON MUCH EASIER TERMS THAN THE PEGS ALLOW. IT
IN BETWEEN. OR IS IT CLOSER TO A OR B
IS BEST TO MAKE A LIGHT MECHANICAL DRAWING—NO MATTER
0SlVlN<; ,E ^^ESSION OF DRAWINGS? THIS 15 ARC
•EXPERIMENT! Y0U W|LL LEARN 7ME TR,CK 0F HOW CRUDE—BETWEEN LINES. AND THEN CORRECT THE
DRAWING OF THE IN-BETWEEN. FLIPPING ALL THE TIME. 141
 DELAYED SECONDARY ACTION
MAKE OVERLAPPING ACTION WHENEVER YOU CAN. WHEN ANIMATING A CHARACTER FROM ONE P
TO ANOTHER. DONT GO THERE WITH ALL PART5 OF THE CHARACTER AT ONCE. INSTEAD ARRry^1
WITH DELAYED SECONDARY ACTIONS. AS ILLUSTRATED ON THIS PAGE.

WITH DELAYED SECONDARY ACTIONS. ALWAYS GET A HIPS. LIKE THE LOWER PENDULUM DIAGRAMS. THIS PKUCM
GOOD FOLLOW-THROUGH ON LOOSE MOVING SECONDARY IS ALSO APPARENT IN HIS HEAD. WHICH SWINGS FROM HIS
OBJECTS. SUCH AS COATTAILS. HAIR. EARS. AND TAILS. IN THE ARMS. AND THE EARS PENDULUM ‘-ROM THE HEAD.
SQUIRREL ACTION AT RIGHT. ON PAGE 145. THE FEET ARRIVE
FIRST; THEN THE BODY RISES. AFTER THIS. THE ARMS MAY DELAYED SECONDARY ACTIONS ARE EFFECTIVE IN
ARRIVE. FOLLOWED BY THE TAIL. INTO POSES AND HOLDS. A CHAIN OF PARTS CAN AWji l
AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND IN DIFFERENT TIMINGS TO TA
THE DOUBLE PENDULUM ACTION ABOVE ILLUSTRATES A CURSE OFF ANY HELD DRAWING. THEN VARIOUS PART5.
PRIMARY ACTION OF THE DARK CIRCLE FROM A TO B. FOLLOWED AS THE EYES. CAN “TELEGRAPH" THE NEXT MOVE IN
BY TWO SECONDARY ACTIONS OF THE PENDULUMS. THIS SECONDARY ACTIONS THAT PRECEDE IT. THUS. UMlTED -yjic.
PRINCIPLE IS ALSO APPLIED TO THE ACTION OF THE DOG ANIMATION FOR TV CAN BECOME VERY CONVINCING- H ?
GRABBING A BUTTERFLY WITH THE PRIMARY ACTION OF HIS IMIS IS NOT AN ECONOMY ANIMATION rORMULA; 'r' * ^
ARMS. HIS HIPS AND BODY ARE SIMILAR TO THE TOP ON LIFE. NOTHING MOVES IN EQUAL COMPARTMENTS

PENDULUM. AND HIS FEET AND TAIL ARE SECONDARY TO HI5 nurre in unison.
144
 FAST ACTION • IMPACT * SPEED

SPCtP ACTION CHART G° PAsr OB-jcc^

O '•BACK TO
ANTICIPATION
STRETCH
SHAPE

IN FAST ACTION. AS ABOVE. THE CHARACTER STRETCHES

AS SHOWN IN THE ELF (OPPOSITE PAGE. TOP RIGHT).
GOES INTO A BLUR EFFECT. DISAPPEARS FOR A FRAME. AND
IMAGES OF A FAST MOVING HAND (OR LEG) CARRY THE
THEN REAPPEARS AT THE OBJECTIVE. MULTIPLE IMAGES CAN ILLUSION OF THE MOVFMFNT BETTER. THUS. A FAST-MOVING-
SPEED THE ACTION.
I EG OR ARM PASSING THE BODY IS AN IMAGE ON EACH SOt

THE ANIMATED BlUR REPLACES LEG ACTION IN A THREE OR

IMPACT. AS SPt! D 15 ABRUPT.Y HAITRD. ENHANCES THE
FOUR DRAWING TWIRL. AS SHOWN. CHARACTERS EXPLODE
IMPRE SSION. AS SHOWN IN THE STORYBOARD AT RIGHT.
FROM ANTICIPATION OUT OF SCENE WITH ANIMATED SPEED
PAGE 147. THE Bl.'l I COLLIDES WITH THE TREE ON A EAST-
LINES. AS SHOWN AT RIGHT.
MOVING PAN. NOTICE THAT THE IMPACT KNOCKS THE ,
'REE BACKWARD. THEN INTO A FORWARD AND SACK KBC _
AND THEN INTO A STOP ALTERNATELY THE PAN ACTION
FNL ARGE \) 10 A ST AGGER/JITTER ACTION. OR THE
GO INTO A. STAGGER A< HON AHLK’HF. MPACT
 ICAL IMPACT- AFTER A FAST FALL. THE IMPACT WITH
SPEED EFFECTS CLOUDS OF DUST AND/OR 5M0KE ARE
15 USUALLY HANDLED WITH A VIOLE NT. VERTICAL STIRRED UP BY THE SPEED OF THE BULL CHASE. SPEED LINE
‘ ■’ -^ER OF THE BACKGROUND. HOWEVER. CLA55IC
BLUR EFFECTS OFTEN FOl LOW. INCLUDING FRAGMENTS OF
Mate-- EAT CAKT°ONS HAVE ALSO INCORPORArED DOUBLE IMAGES. AS SUCH SPEED GOES THROUGH A QUIET.
^'^PERCUSS'ON EFFECTS ,N BACKGROUND— STILL BACKGROUND, THE GRASS AND TREES ARE SUCKED IN
•N0oni'A^STANT R0CK6 KISING AND FALLING FROM THE DIRECTION OF THE PASSING TORNADO. THESE SPECIAL
mA*Eo rp '|C5' °fHEK GRFA1 IMPACTS I lAVE CREATED EFFECTS INVOLVE ANIMATED BACKGROUNDS.
CRATERS AND SMOKE.

147
 THE CARTOON
"TAKE"

Hrg /

A 'TAKE" REGISTERS A CHARACTER'S SUDDEN SURPRISE IN A CARTOON.

THE AVERAGE CARTOON IS FULL OF TAKES. SOME ARE SUSDUED; OTHERS
ARE VIOLENT LIKE THE ONE ON THIS PAGE. THE TAKE IS USUALLY PRECEDED
SY A GOOD ANTICIPATION DRAWING. SUCH AS STEP S. THE CHARACTER SEES
HIS DATE FOR THE EVENING IN STEP A. CRINGES INTO ANTICIPATION IN STEP D,
AND THEN FLIES UP INTO A WILD TAKE IN STEP C.

148
 SURPRISE W
REACTION ^2

ALMOST ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN A TAKE:

THE FIGURE MAY STAGGER OR FLY THROUGH
THE AIR, THE EYES MAY POP OUT, OR LOOSE
HAIR. COATTAILS. ETC.. MAY FLY UP AND
CONTRIBUTE TO THE SURPRISE EFFECT.

149
 EXPRESSING AN ATTITUDE
GESTURES. MANNERISMS. ATTITUDES OF POSTURE. AND OUTBURSTS ARE A LANGUAGE OF ANIMAT
THAT SPEAKS EMOTIONS AND REVEALS CHARACTER THROUGH YOUR DRAWINGS. AS THE ART DEVELOP^
THE COMIC CHARACTERS BEGIN TO “THINK" AND ASSUME PREDICTABLE CHARACTER—MOST OF n
HILARIOUS. HOWEVER. IN LATER DISNEY FEATURES THE ANIMATED ART OFTEN REACHED A HIGH POINT Or
MOVING PEOPLE TO TEARS. THE ANIMATOR BECAME A "REAL" ACTOR.

HERE ARE SOME RULES FOR THESE ACTORS: (1) NEVER MOVE SHORT SCRIPT. FOR EXAMPLE: DOG WITH RED HAT ON
OR “FREEZE" WITHOUT MEANING. (2) HOLD A GESTURE PAGE 151 SNEAKS IN AND STOPS IN FORWARD CROUCH;
AS LONG A5 POSSIBLE TO LET IT REGISTER AND SINK IN. THE BIG EYES LOOK FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND THE BOCT
AND (3) DON’T OVER-GESTURE. MAKE EVERYTHING WORK FOR BECOMES ERECT. THE HAND F0LL0W5 THROUGH SLOWl
YOU: EARS. TAIL. HAIR. LEGS. FEET. CLOTHING. ETC. FOR TO LIPS (SHOW CONSPIRACY); IT MOVES INTO POSE
THE ACTION. MAKE A FEW THUMBNAIL SKETCHES AND A SLOWLY, AND THEN THE EARS AND TAIL OVERLAP IN W*

150
 EMOTION • GESTURE * REACTING
START WITH THE EMOTION—GET INSIDE THE CHARACTER AND ACT IT OUT—AND THEN SKETCH the
SWEEP OF THE BODY. ARMS. LEGS. AND HEAD. EXPLORE EVERY TILT AND TURN OF THE HEAD
AND THE EXPRESSIVE HANDS.

IN THE TAKE" OF THE MOUSE ABOVE. THE MOUSE SINKS INTO ANIMATION IS A CALCULATED SPACING OF CARTOONS THAT
AN ANTICIPATION CROUCH OR CONTRACTION THAT 15 ALWAYS CAN BRING GESTURES LIKE THESE TO LIFE. EACH OF THESE
BRIEF. AND THEN SPRINGS INTO THE STRETCH EXPANSION GE5TURES REQUIRES: (1) RELATED ANIMATION ACTING INTO TK
(ALSO BRIEF). AND THEN IN A SCRAMBLE REVERTS TO POSE. (2) OVERLAPPING ACTION INTO AND OUT OF THE POSE
NORMAL-SIZE LOOK. THIS ANIMATION REACTION HAS WIDE USE AND (3) THE SUBTLE ANIMATION OF THE POSE. OR A "FREL2*
IN MANY FORMS. IT CAN BE REVERSED WITH THE STRETCH WITH DRAMATIC MEANING. WHEN ANIMATING. NEVER GO TO A
FIRST. THEN CROUCH CONTRACTION. AND THEN INTO LOOK. PLACE ALL AT ONCE UNLESS THERE’S A REASON (WHICH lS*T
OFTEN) HERE ARE THREE CLASSIC ANIMATION PATTERNS: Tl
ACTIONS HAVE DRAWINGS LIKE BEAR NO. 2 ON PAGE 150 AND BEAR “DOUBLE-TAKE" INTO POSE (PAGE 150), THE MOUSE *t
SLOW-BURN NO. 2. BELOW. THAT NEED TO BE HELD OR INTO POSE (ABOVE). AND ONE VERSION OF THE GREAT"SL0*
PROLONGED WITH CLOSE ADJACENT DRAWINGS. THE BEAR BURN” (BELOW).
COULD BLINK. AND NO. 2 OF THE BURN COULD SLOWLY MOVE
FURTHER BACK.

152
THE BODY LANGUAGE ACTOR

MAKE A COLLECTION OF BODY GESTURE CARTOONS AND PHOTOS. 153

 WEICHT—RECOIL EFFECTS

I . SPACING
N ' ' CHARTS \ /

FAgT_> * *
% » *-SLOW*l/P

HEAVYWEIGHT //ll»VVi SLOW RECOIL

NORMAL
SlZfe

DISTORTION
SLOW_»* ✓ ' /
S V ^FAST SPHING-L'P -SQUAi-
LIGHTWEIGHT —. INSTANT RECOIL SP&ING-UP
^OtNOlNL. rr AL_ ACTION

WEIGHT S REGISTERED IN ANIMATION BY LIGHT WEIGHT IS REGISTERED BY THI BOUNCING BALL PRINCIPLE
1. THE VISUAL STRUGGLE TO MOVE WEIGHT. 1. THE SPRING UP WITH NO RESISTANCE. 11USTRATI 5 THI BASIC RECOIL-SQUASF
2. THE VISUAL EFFECTS OF STOPPING WEIGHT 2. THE ELIMINATION OF RECOIL PROCESSES. CONIKAOION AND THE SI RETCH-ELONGATE
3. THE TIMING CAUSED BY IMMOBILITY 3. TIMING CAUSED BY MOBILITY AND FLOAT. 1MAT AKE PAR’ OF MOST CHARACTER MOvEMP-
AND GRAVITY. 4. NO SAG. STRESS. STRAIN. OR SQUA5H THE ELEPHANT AT RIGHT SHCW5 OvERlAP1 •
4. CHAIN-BALANCE DUE TO TYPES OF SAG. SQUASH-RECOIL AND STRETCH.

THE OFF-CENTER BALANCE IS

CAUSED BY ONE-SIDED WEIGHT (LEFT).

THE CHAIN BALANCE IS

EXAGGERATED IN A FIGURE ACTION
CAUSED BY HIGH SAG. SUCH AS WITH
HEAVY GIANTS AND ANIMALS (SEE
PAGE 131).

STRAIN 15 CREATED WHEN MOVING

HEAVY BODIES OR WEIGHTS.

STRESS IS CREATED WHEN PULIFD AND

154 PUSHED ANATOMY SHOWS WfctGHT (RIGHT).
’ OF A CHARACTER ACTION HAS A GREAT DEAL TO DO WITH WEIGHT—OR LACK OF IT. AS
RECOIL PROCESS TAKES TIME FOR AN ELEPHANT. WHILE THE DEER HARDLY TOUCHES THE
EARTH. SPRINGS UP. AND FLOATS. UNTOUCHED BY GRAVITY.
 1
OVERLAPPING ACTION • FOLLOW-
THROUch

OVERLAPPING ACTION (NOTE: THI5 RULE HOLDS TRUE IN

FOLLOW-THROUGH—ANOTHER RULE OF ANIMATION 15 THAT
THE MAJORITY OP ANIMATION ACTIONS) WHEN ANIMATING A
WHEN A FI AG- OR SOMETHING SIMILAR -IS WAVED OR
CHARACTER FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER. DON'T GO THERE
JERKED. THE FLAG WILL FOLLOW A DEFINITE CURVING PATH
ALL AT ONCE. THE MAIN ACTION CAN BE PRECEDED AND
THAT IS DETERMINED BY THP POSITION OF THE MAST A SPLIT
FOLLOWED BY LESSER ACTIONS THAT RELATE TO. OR ARE THE
SECOND BEFORE THE MOVEMENT. IN ANIMATION THIS NATL'RAl
RESULT OF. THE MAIN ACTION. THESE ARE KNOWN AS
LAW IS CALLED THE “RULE OF FOLLOW-THROUGH." STUPYfW
"OVERLAPPING ACTIONS" AND THE PROPER USE OF THEM WILL
ENDS OF THE COAT HERE. PUT THIS TYPE OF FOLLOW-THROW*
GREATLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR WORK. NOTICE THAT
ACTION ON ALL FLEXIBLE. LOOSELY-WAVING OBJECTS; IN *
PROM THE ANTICIPATION IN STEP B. THE COP COMES TO AN
STRICT SENSE. ANY OBJECT THAT “GIVES" IN ANIMATION HA5 4
EXTREME ACCENT IN STEP 10 AS HE STARTS SAYING. "ALL
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FOLLOW-THROUGH ACTION.
RIGHTT THE MAIN ACTION OF THE FIGURE CAUSES A LESSER
ACTION—OR REACTION—ON THE COP'S STOMACH. DOWN IN SQUASH AND STRETCH WHEN A SANDBAG MOVES
STEP 10. IT RECOILS IN STEPS 13 TO 16. BOUNCES BACK IN THROUGH THE AIR. IT WILL STRETCH IN THE DIRECTION OP ™
STEP IS. AND THEN FINALLY SETTLES BACK UP IN STEP 24. IN MOVE ME NT THEN WHEN ITS PROGRESS IS ARRESTED. ffWIl-
OTHER WORDS. A MAIN ACTION BETWEEN STEPS S AND 10 “SGUASH" OUT. IF IT WERE ALIVE (ANYTHING CAN HAP^f N ^
HAS CAUSED AN OVERLAPPING LESSER ACTION TO OCCUR CARTOONI). IT WOULD ALSO SQUASH FROM ANTICIPATING
PROM STEP 10 ALL THE WAY TO STEP 24. ACTION IN WHICH IT STRETCHES. NOTICE STEP5 B AND 10
ABOVE. THE PROPER USE OE SQUASH AND STRETCH WILL
STRENGTHEN AN ACTION IT IS ESSENTIAL IN CREATING A
156
PEELING OP WEIGHT IN CHARACTERS.
the squash and stretch principle

CHARACTER. REMEMBER THAT THE CROSSES ABOVE

?E AT A FIXED POINT ON THE SCREEN. SO THEY SHOL
 DANCING HIPPO

FIG.173

DURING HER PERFORMANCE THE HIPPO BALLERINA MAKES A EA H DRAWING EVOlVES FROM SEVERAL OF THE P*E ^
JUMP AND TURN LA5TING ONE SECOND. OR TWELVE DRAWINGS DRAWINGS. THE ANIMATOR FLIPS THE DRAWINGS I-1*
158 OF TWO FRAMES EACH. THE METHOD IS STRAIGHT-AHEAD "FLIP BOOK' AMD MAY WORK ON SEVERAL AT ONCE.
ANIMATION.
t Sr.|Mpv'"^lAPP'NG ACTI0N5 Oh THE ENORMOUS TUMMY. SQUASHES TO ENORMOUS PROPORTIONS ACCENTUATED BY THE
idthe sq. “Tu Skikt- the arms. The legs, and the head. FORCED PERSPECTIVE. THE HIPPO BALLERINA SWINGS HER
,GE POcn PinH AND STRETCH ^'NCIPIE SHOWN AS THE ARMS UP TO CREATE A MOMENTUM FORCE TO LIFT THE HUGE 159
I ^^'HiNDER SIDE OF THE BODY (FANNY) BODY (SEF JUMP IN SPACING).
 ALLIGAIUK tJALLtl

■7J * €*S\

M S\ - - r -
C>

<%■ \ V %
* 1

v^, v, • ~n \, d
W.-T- - '

4 27 4 2^ + 3*

IN THIS TYPE OF ANIMATION. THE ANIMATOR MUST MAKE EVERY RELYING ON AN ASSISTANT TO FIT IN THE «MAMNG ^
DRAWING COUNT BECAUSE EACH ONE IS A SEPARATE DRAWINGS IS NOT USED.) EACH MOVE OF THE ALLK5A
IDENTITY—NOT AN IN-SETWEEN. (THE USUAL METHOD OF A QUALITY ALL ITS OWN AND MUST GROW FROM
50 OUTLINING THE ACTION WITH A FEW EXTREMES AND THEN PRECEDING DRAWING.
H AN ‘IS FLipp»NG REFERENCE TO A SERIES OF DRAWINGS, THE DRAWINGS ON THE TOP PEGS AT THE SAME TIME. (BOTTOM
%* 0*™* MAY 00 BACK AND CHANGE WHOLE ACTIONS IN PEGS ARE NOT ADAPTABLE TO THIS TYPE OF ANIMATION AS
os THAT LEAD UP TO THE DRAWING HE IS FLIPPING AND DRAWING FROM THE TOP OF MOST DRAWINGS ARE
ON. HE 15 ACTUALLY WORKING ON AIL DIFFICULT AND CUMBERSOME.) 161
 -t* St-fy
— - /r-
WHEN THE ANIMATOR HA5 COMPLETED THE 5CENF OF THE REVOLVING PRISM EDITING VIEWER OR A MOVIOLA
ALLIGATOR BALLET ACTION. EACH DRAWING IS PHOTOGRAPHED MACHINE TO ANALYZE THE ACTION TO DECIDE WHETW
•WO TIMES (23) FOR A ROUGH FILM TEST (TWELVE DRAWINGS FRAME FITS OR NOT. HE THEN MAKES ANY NECESsA
162 ARE VIEWED IN ONE SECOND ON THE FILM). HE THEN USES A CHANGES THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF ANIMATING
NEEDED TO REGISTER AND SEE ANTICIPATIONS. POSES. AND
REACTIONS. ON FILM. YOU DO NOT SEE JUST ONE OF THESE
ALLIGATOR DRAWINGS; YOU SEE THE SEQUENCES. NOTE: THIS
PROCESS IS EXPLAINED IN GREATER DETAIL IN CHAPTER S
 HIPPO AND ALLIGATOR BALLET

164 THE HIPPO IN DISNEY’S MOVIE FANTA5IA WAS CONCEIVED IN THIS EXPERIMENTAL ANIMATION.
 'OS

@ THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY

CONTINUED
ON NEXT PAGE

I MADE THE MODEL SHEETS AND ANIMATED HER IN THE PALLET.

 WOMEN

WOMEN MOVE IN A DISTINCT MANNER BECAUSE OF

BALANCE. THE KNEES AND ELBOWS TEND TOWARD
INWARD ARCS IN ACTION A THROW WITH THE ELBOW
IN AND ALMOST A PUSH IN THE RELEASE IS TYPICAL.
(IN CONTRAST. AN ATHLETE SWINGS THE ELBOW WIDE
IN A WHIP-RELEASE THROW.) WHEN THE LEG LIFTS
THE FOOT OFF THE GROUND. THE HIPS TILT AS THE
SUPPORT IS REMOVED. CAUSING A CHAIN REACTION
IN BALANCE IN THE ENTIRE FIGURE (RIGHT). THE
CHE5T AND HIPS SHOULD BE ANIMATED WITH
PERSPECTIVE GUIDES. JUST LIKE THE HEAD. ALL
THREE ARE IN A C0N5TANT STATE OF TIPPING IN
BALANCE. AT LEFT IS A TORSO FORMULA. THE
RHYTHM SWEEPS (ABOVE) ARE OF VITAL
IMPORTANCE TO CREATE GRACE AND BEAUTY.

168
169
 BUILDING AN ACTION
THIS DANCING GIRL ACTION 15 DEVELOPED LIKE STACK¬
ING BUILDING BLOCKS—ONE ON TOP OF ANOTHER. THE
FIRST DRAWINGS ARE RHYTHM SCRIBBLES. AFTER EACH ^
ONE IS MADE. THE DRAWINGS ARE FLIPPED TO STUDY
HOW THE ACTION IS PROGRESSING. WHEN THE SKETCHES
ARE ALL ON PEGS (SEE PAGE210). THE ACTIONS CAN
BE REVISED AND RE-REVISED, LIKE CHANGING DOTS IN
THE PAGES OF A FLIP BOOK. THIS GIRL’S LEG DID
NOT SWING HIGH AND WIDE AT FIRST; I MADE A SERIES
OF SCRIBBLES OVER THE FIRST CRUDE SKETCHES TO
REVISE THE ACTION. THEN THESE ROUGHS WERE MADE
OF WHAT I IMAGINED SEEING IN THESE FORMS.

3
 A DANCE KICK
THIS DANCING GIRL RISES FROM A TWIST-POSE (1). STEPS (13) INTO A DANCE-KICK (23
THROUGH 31). THEN INTO A SACK STEP AND SINKING ACTION (49). AND INTO A REVERSAL
OF POSE 1 (ON 2e—ON ONLY ODD NUMBERS). THUS. DRAWINGS 1 THROUGH 49 REVERSED
ANIMATE THE GIRL IN A KICK TO THE LEFT. AND SACK TO 1 FOR A CYCLE. THIS KICK HAS A
DOUBLE TOP STAGGER IN THAT THE ACTION OF THE ENTIRE FIGURE RAISES THE LEG TO
23. SINKS TO 25. AND RAISES AGAIN TO PUSH THE LEG OUT IN A KICK AT 27.
I I i

/ , ctsvre* m
\*r *******

173
 BACK¬
GROUND
CONTROL
CHARACTER
METAMORPHOSIS
ANIMATION

176
THE DRAMA Of
METAMORPHOSIS
(OFTEN CALLED
"MORPHING*) IS A
VALUABLE TOOL
IN ANIMATION
IN THIS SCENE.
METAMORPHOSIS IS
U5ED IN TWO WAYS!

I A SPECIAL LIGHTING
EFFECT KNOWN AS
'CROSS- DISSOLVE"
IS USED TO CHANGE
THE BACKGROUND
FROM LIGHT TO DARK.
2. THE FOUR DRAGONS
ARE 'MORPHED’1
WTO A SINGLE FIRE-
BELCHING DRAGON
MONSTER. STUDY
THE CHANGES
SHOWN IN THIS
SEQUENCE. WHEN
YOU USE THIS
TECHNIQUE. THE
ACTION SHOULD
FLOW GRADUALLY
ANO SMOOTHLY. 177
178
 COMPOSITION * STAC I NO * DRAMA

: DRAMA PORTRAYED BY THE COMPOSITION FIRST CATCHES CHARACTERS ARE FIT AND WOVEN TOGETHER IN A GROUP WITH
: EfE. AND THEN DIRECTS THE EYE TO THE CENTER OF RHYTHM LINES. STRAIGHT LINES THAT ALIGN. AND AREAS THAT
MEREST BY VARIOUS DEVICES. AS SHOWN ON PAGE 173. THE FIT IN PATTERNS.
^ACTERS MAY BEND FORWARD AND LOOK AT IT. OR THE
STP.ACT DESIGN MAY POINT AT IT. INTERSECT IT. FRAME IT. THE ALIGNMENT OF CHARACTER ABSTRACT LINES CREATES
UE IT, OR BEND AROUND IT (JUST AS PARENTHESES DO). CIRCULAR AND CURVED RHYTHM LINES AND THE HORIZONTALS.
1 character is accented by color difference. VERTICALS. AND DIAGONALS.
f^tAST. OR TONE; IT IS CLEAR OF DETRACTING DETAIL (SEE
** ABOVE) AND ISOLATED; AND IT MAY ALSO BALANCE THE THE VIEWER'S EYE LEVEL IS IMPORTANT WHEN HE LOOKS AT
MpOSlT10N IN IMPORTANCE. GRANDEUR OR BIG MONSTERS FROM A WORM'S-EYE VIEW. OR
WHEN HE LOOKS DOWN AT SMALL THINGS.
*r0smONS CAN BALANCE LIKE A SCALE WITH EQUAL
, l1* (AREAS). OR AS A BALANCE OF INTEREST. ANY APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF SILHOUETTES TO DEFINE AND
^ISOLATED OBJECT OF GREAT IMPORTANCE CAN CLEARLY TELL THE STORY IN TWO DIMENSIONS; EVEN IN
NCE A HUGE OBJECT. GROUPS THEY DEFINE ALL ALONE (AS SHOWN ON PAGE 17B).
180
plALOGUE

ialogue. mouth movements, body movements, and faeial expressions all work
together to portray the correct animation of the character. The examples on pages
138 139 are a great beginning lor turning your character into an actor. Although it
1S interesting when your cartoon character simply walks across the screen, making
tt speak with the proper mouth movements and adding the gestures that go along
willi them turn the character into an actor with a distinctive personality. This is
when the real excitement of animation begins.

A world of professional knowledge is contained here, including tips on how to keep

your character's movements lifelike and real. Mouth movements used in dialogue
make the character seem alive, and the dialogue delivery develops the personality of
the character. In addition, the information on scientific phonetics is invaluable.
Included are diagrams showing mouth positions, along with a thorough
explanation of how sounds are made using the throat, tongue, teeth,
and lips. Schedule diagrams showing timing and duration of sounds,
along with explanations of what sounds are nasal, throat, or
explosive, are covered.

Study the charts and the mouth drawings, paying close

attention to the studies of the consonant sounds, the
VOvvel sounds, and the diphthong vowel sounds. By
studying this entire chapter, you can make your
character say anything you wish, while creating the
Personality you had in mind when you first designed it.
 DIALOGUE EXPRESSIONS * POINTERS '

AN ACTOR/ANIMATOR HAS AN ENORMOUS RANGE OF FAOAl CONTRACTION AND EXPANSION. MAKE A CASSETTE
EXPRESSIONS. HE OFTEN STUDIES THESE EXPRESSIONS IN RECORDING OF THE DIALOGUE; THEN PLAY AND STUDY IT
A MIRROR SO HE WILL BE BETrER ABLE TO DRAW THEM. WHEN ANIMATING. MOUTH AND ACT OUT EACH PHRASE
EVERY EXPRESSION IS BASED ON FOUR FACT0R5: THE AND SENTENCE MANY TIMES BEFORE DRAWING THE ACT.
EYEBROWS. THE EYES. THE EYELIDS. AND THE MOUTH/CHEEK
AREA. ALL AFFECT THE EXPRESSION AND THEY MUST ALL IN ADDITION 10 THE FACIAL FEATURES. THE TILT ANGLE AT
WORK TOGETHER. WHICH THE HEAD IS HELD. THE DIRECTION THE CHARACTER
IS LOOKING. AND THE MOVEMENT OF THE HEAD IN RELATION
MANY EXPRESSIONS ARE NOT SYMMETRICAL. BUT THEY TO THE BODY ALL HELP TO CREATE EXPRESSION. THE SIMPLE
DONT HAVE TO BE. AN ASYMMETRICA. EXPRESSION CAN TILTING OF THE HEAD INTO A POSTURE RELATED TO THE
CHANGE YOUR ANIMATION TO A NONSYMMETRICAL LOOK FACIAL EXPRESSION CAN CONVEY A BROADER EMOTIONAL
WITH DRAMATIC EFFECT. RANGE. FOR EXAMPLE. A HAND PUPPET OPERATES ON A TILT
AND BODY TWIST AlONt, WI1H0UT THE BENEFIT OF
THE ANIMATION PRINCIPLE OF CONTRACTION TO EXPANSION ACCURATE PHONETIC MOUTHING OR ANY FACIAL ACTION
TO NORMAL OR EXPANSION TO CONTRACTION TO NORMAL IS WHATSOEVER TO CONVEY EMOTIONS. MANIPULATING A
VERY IMPORTANT IN FACIAL ACTION AND EFFECT. HAND PUPPET IS EXCELLENT DIALOGUE RESEARCH FOR AN
OVERLAPPING ACTION OF THE FOUR FACTORS CAN IMPROVE ANIMATOR TO LEARN HOW A MERE FIVE-DEGREE CHANGE IN
MANY ACTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE. AN EYE BLINKS (CONTRACTS). TILT CAN CONVEY A DIFFERENT EMOTION. MANY TILTS OR
OPENS WIDE (EXPANDS). AND THEN GOES INTO NORMAI HEAD TURNS ARE GESTURES IN THE ACTION. SUCH AS A
POSE. FOLLOWED IN AN OVERLAPPING ACTION BY THE NOD FOR AFFIRMATIVE DIALOGUE. A SHAKE SIDEWAYS FOR
EYEBROWS AND THEN THE MOIJTH/CHEEK EXPRESSIONS. NEGATIVITY. OR A CERTAIN JERK TO POINT TOWARD ANOTHE R
THE FACE IS A CONTINUOUS OVERLAPPING ACTION OF CHARACTER. ETC.

182
 AS SHOWN AT THE LEFT. WHEN THE
HANDS AND ARMS GESTURE THE
OlAlOGUf . THE HEAD UTS 10 BALANCE
THESE MOVES IN THE OPPOSITE
DIRECTION. THIS RESULTS IN AN
OVI Rl APPING ACTION AND FOLLOW
THROUGH THAT CAN IMPROVE MANY
DIALOGUE ACTIONS 1H€ ACTION AT THE
l£FT COULD ftf SAYING THE DIALOGUE ON
PAGE lftft. YOU FIT IT: A TO B IS 'All OF
THE BOYS." AND ft 10 C IS 'CAUGHT A
FISH.- ft IS A POSE ACCENT FOR TWYS.'
AND C AND SPACING ACCENTS ARE 'FISH'

AN ACCENT IN DIALOGUE ACTION CAN

OCCUR AT AN ACTION START OR STOP.
ANY CHANGE IN SPACING. OR ANY
CHANGE IN DIRECTION ACCENT THE
START Of PMRA5E5 OF DIALOGUE AS
WELL AS THE LOUP SOUNDS IN IME
-RACK DIVIDE THE DIALOGUE *NTO
PHRASES Of ACTION AND EXPRESSION.
OfTFN. ONE FACIAL EXPRI SS40N
SHOULD DOMINATE AN ENTIRE SCENI
TO EFFECTIVELY ADVANCE THE PLOT AND
SAY MORI THAN THE MERE WORDS

ACT iQN
POSE

ly on
© ©
ACCENT ON ACCENT ON
> OP
STOP OP change in
•on
ACTION DIRECTION

183
 DIALOGUE
CHARACTER
ACTING
TMI& 19 A MODEL Sheet for a propose
ANIMATED SFRIES Of THF HONEYMOOlZ*
'mE DRAWINGS PI I INF THE RANGE OF
BODY l ANOUAGl EXPRESSIONS THATMEtF
THF REPERTOIRE OF THE ORIGINAL ACT0R5
HE tSI AC* ONS REINFORCED THE DIALOGUE
SCRIPT. WHICH IS WHAT MADE THE TVSERif-
Ml* I JNNY AND ENTERTAINING. THESE
DRAWINGS SHOW THE ACTIONS Or THE
CHARACTERS AS THEY REACT TO THE
UNFOLDING DRAMA THE ANIMATOR CAN
MAKE A CHARACTER APPEAR TO "THINK' BY
US NO THESE EXPRESSIONS. AND NOTHING
IS MORE FASC NATING THAN TO SEE THE
“WHEELS OO ROUND" IN THF MIND OF AN
ANIMATED CHARACTER.
fl>\
*V U° A GAMUT OF EMOTIONS. THE ACTING MERE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DRAWN ... OUTCOME TO LIFE WITH THE
^CES THE PLOT—IN AN UPROAR OF DRAMA. THE HEIGHT ART OF THE ACTOR-ANIMATOR. THE ACTING AND EXPRESSIONS
ART IS TO SURPRISE THE VIEWER WITH THE OF THE FACE. BODY LANGUAGE. BODY ACTION EXPRESSIONS.
'ACTER's EXPRESSIONS ... LEADING FROM ONE CRISIS TO AND GESTURES. LINKED TO DIALOGUE. ALL ADD UP TO THE
HtR - ON THE WAY TO THE FINAL CRISIS ... IN THE ANTICS CREATION OF AN ANIMATED PERSONALITY.

185
 DIALOGUE
BELOW ARE THE MAIN MOUTH EXPRESSIONS USED IN DIALOGUE. THE FACE IS AN ELASTIC
MASS THAT CAN BE SQUASHED OR STRETCHED TO FIT THE MOUTH EXPRESSIONS. THIS
CREATES A GOOD CONTRAST BETWEEN POSITIONS THAT HELPS YOUR ANIMATION. STUDY
YOURSELF IN A MIRROR AS YOU SPEAK THE WORDS YOU ARE ANIMATING. PRONOUNCE THE
WORDS DISTINCTLY AND THE CORRECT MOUTH POSITIONS WILL BE APPARENT.

THE VOWELS

WHEN ANIMATING A GROUP OF WORDS, STUDY THE WORDS AS THEY

SOUND WHEN THEY ARE SPOKEN QUICKLY. IT IS BEST TO FOLLOW THIS
OVERALL MOUTH PATTERN AND REPRESS OR MODIFY INDIVIDUAL
186 SYLLABLES THAT ARE NOT IMPORTANT TO THE WHOLE.
 THE CONSONANTS

(sometimes Like dorth)

BELOW. TO HELP GET YOU STARTED. I HAVE COMBINED A FEW MOUTH POSITIONS TO MAKE WORDS.

| J-1? PETE FINE DAY

F n't it How are you

w ^1 f
 MOUTH ACTION • PRONUNCIATION

WehMcr l*roni>ncl.»t Ion Syrtbols -

61 av the boiz kot a fish

Unglish -

All of the boys caught a fish.

188
MAfO* CREATES AN ILLUSION OF SPEECH— THE DIALOGUE IS ENTERED ON THE FXPOSURF ShFFT
a CVAPlE IMAGE THAT IS BASED ON Iff AlfTY BY THE TRACK REAOER THE SOUND AND VOLUME OF
MAJOR ANALYZES RFAl MOUTH ACTION FROM EACH I RAMF ARE ALSO INDICATED. THE MOUTHS
nC SCIENCE. THE PRONUNCIATION GUIDES IN SHOWN ON THE EXPOSURE MEf HIRE ARE A GUIDE
TlONARY. AND HIS OWN MOUTH ACTION. FOR YOU; THE Y ARf NOT USUALLY DRAWN ON THE
SHEETS.
fOU PRONOUNCE ‘ALL Of." YOUR MOUTH
5 THE SOUND *01 AY * THE ’A’ IN “All" IS LITE MOUTHS BHOUIP FIT THE CHARACTER AND THE
■ SOUND IN "BOUGHT" OR “CAUGHT." THE *0“ IN MOOD. OFTEN. A CHARACTER MUMBLES OUT OF THE
AN ITALIAN “A* SOUND AS IN TAR" 09 CORNER OF HIS MOUTH AND THE DIALOGUE IS A
p- (ENGLISH IS IRREGULAR.) SLIGHT VARIATION OF A GESTURE MOUTH.

XJS EXAMPLE IS THE WORD THE5E STUDY YOUR OWN MOUTH ACTION IN A MIRROR;
AGE SOUNDS COULD BE SPELLED “GM-O-TI* STUDY THE GENE RAl FLOW Of SHAPES THROUGH A
HI WORDS "ENOU GH “ “WO MEN." AND *NA- SENTENCE YOUR MOUTH BLENDS AND
C0N50U0A TES VOWEL S AND CONSONANTS (N A
CONTINUOUS MOVEMENT. THE FASTER THE SPEECH,
rHONETIC CHART AT 11 i I an "A" 15 THE MORE THE WORDS ARE BLENDED UNTIL AN
0 AT THE BOTTOM MIDDl E OF THE MOUTH. 'I IE ENTIRE SENTFNCE IS MOUTHED AS JUST ONE WORD
HE TOP FRONT. AND THE "00’ AT THF JOP
HESE ARE THE VOWE l EXTREMES. THE THERE IS A SPEED LIMIT WITH SPEECH. AND
NANT “W IS AM EXTREME *00." AND THE *Y" IS ANIMATION THAT PASSES THIS IIM T CHATTERS
INUATION Of 1" THE CHART IS A PATH TO oNREAdSTlCALLY. DESTROYING THI l FUSION THIS IS
CAUSED BY TOO MANY JUMPS FROM SIDE TO SiDE IN
THE ABOVE PA1M DON'T MAKI JUMPS TOO CLOSE
OtIEnC T IS REALLY TWO SOUNDS 01! NDf D TOGETHER OR MAKE TOO MANY TOGETHER IN Th|
> V Al SO. “U* IS T AND -00 - MOUTH IT. THF EXPOSURE TIMING. ALSO. MAKI JUMPS BEFORE
TEW ACTUALLY ANALYZE5 TIC SOUND*TJ“ VOWELS Will N THE MOUTH OPENS.
UMATORS
IMPORTANT VOWE IS ARE TREATED LIKE A POSE WITH
AKb MOUTH -R" AS *U.“ A SCOTTISH “R" IS LIKE PLENTY OF DRAWINGS TO MAKE THEM REGISTER.

MANY MOUTHS IN YOUR ACTION CAN BE INHUENCED

JING TO PHONETIC SCIENCE. "M " “N." AND "NfV OR MODlf :l D IN SHAPE TO FIT ADJOINING MOUTHS.
AND SOUND COMES AT THIS MOUTH. RESUITING IN SMOOTHER ACTION MANY
(UNVOICED) AND 'B* (VOICED) ARI CHARACTiRS CANNOT PRONOUNCE WORDS WITH A; I
<ONS OF “M" AND THE SOUNP IS AFTER THIS THESE POSITIONS ON THE CHART (F I. FOR EXAMPLE).
1 *l&0- T" AND “D* ARE EXPLOSIONS OF “N " AND MANY GESTURES LIMIT MOUTH SHAPES. SO
AND -o- AR| exploS^S Of 'NO* (A SOUND
JUST TRY TO DRAW IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CORRECT
"AltTIER) MOUTH (BEENO)
 THE HECKLER

LOOKS ANGRY -COMES DOV»N INTO ANTICIPATION -THEN SAYS : K - I

LC

THE CLEANED UP “KEY" DRAWINGS ABOVE WILL GrVE YOU AN IDEA DRAWNG "HOLD" (THE MISSING NUMBERS ARE IN-BEtWECM
190 OF HOW DIALOGUE CAN BE ANIMATED. THE FIRST DRAWING IS A TWELVE - DRAWINGS PUT IN BY ASSISTANT ARTISTS).
^NE i5 A BASEBALL GRANDSTAND. AND THE HECKLER IS SIGNIFIES THE UMPIRE'S EXECUTION (96). THE HECKLER GOE5 INTO
fe'litut-1* UMPIREI ~OET 1M 0UT a PEREI "K,LL DE UMPIRE! A SURPRISE TAKE." RISES, RE MOVES HIS DERBY. AND SADLY WATCHES
f ” WHEN an OFFSTAGE SHOT (SEE PAGES 192 193) THE DEAD OFFICIAL CARRIED OFF AS A TRUMPET PLAYS "TAPS."
 TAKES" INTO SURPRISED LOOK SAD EXPRESSION AS ME -

M- W
TAPS)
192 HEAD BARED AS HE SLOWLY TURNS AND WATCHES CORPSE CARRIED OUT. (TRUMPET PLAYS
 M — // "(SHOT ANTICIPATES
OFFSTAGE) TAKE"

%
VI • v ^

TANos up

EPbAT;THE MISSING NUMBERS Ob THE HECKLER ARE

THEN CHANGES TO ANOTHER POSITION FOR THE NEXT SEN¬
WWEEN DRAWINGS PUT IN BY ASSISTANT ARTISTS. THE
TENCE. IN5TEAD OF CHANGING POSITIONS ON FVERY WORD.
drawing OF THE SCENE ON PAGE 190 IS A 'WEIVE-
_ '•HOLD- AS THE SAME DRAWING APPEARS ON
STUDY HOW ACTORS GO THROUGH A SERIES OF GESTURES
MOTION PICTURE FRAMES. LOOK OYER THIS ACTION
AND ATTITUDES AS THEY ACT THEIR PARTS ON TELEVISION
,» ! zy ™E ANIMATION PRINCIPLES I HAVE PREVIOUSLY AND HOW THEY RELATE THIS BODY LANGUAGE TO THE
YG 5 5QUASH AND STRETCH ON HEADS. OVERLAP- WORDS-THE SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS OF THE DRAMA.
; -^.FOLLOW-THROUGH. THE USE OF THE ANTICIPA-
THEN LOOK AT A COMIC BOOK. NEWSPAPFR COMIC STRIR OR
iNTs rpn G* AND THE DIALOGUE VOWElS AND CONSO- ANY DIALOGUE IN PRINT AND ACT OUT THE EXPRESSIONS AND
RASlNr n. PAGES 166,09 ALSO NOTICE THE GENERAL POSE GESTURES YOU WOULD USE TO ANIMATE (BRING TO AN
F THE DIALOGUE HERE: HOW THE HECKLER ILLUSION OF REALITY) THE STILL CARTOON DRAWING.
A GENERAL POSH ON FOP A WHOLE S{ NTENCE AND
193
194
technical

his chapter includes dear explanations of many technical topics: tinting and
spacing patterns, background layout drawings, the cartoon storyboard, and the
chronization of camera, background, characters, sound, and music.

The storyboard and script are the foundations for the rest of the animation. Methods
of synchronizing dialogue with character actions and gestures and camera positions
are shown on a single chart that ties them all together into smooth, progressive ani¬
mation. Cycles of planned animation and limited animation cutouts that can save a
great amount of time on certain types of animation are shown on pages 200-203.
The use of background pans, overlays, and cels is also explained.

Pointers on how to set up and build your own animation studio and
camera compound are shown and discussed on page 218. You can
make your studio as elaborate as you wish, but a well-functioning
studio can also be const meted economically. Of course, the
camera is the most expensive part of the venture, but the camera
“truck' is easy to const met. Hie most critical part of this construe
lion is that all of the angles between the camera and the filming
surface (compound top) be accurate so that no distortion occurs.

This chapter contains all of the vital information needed to get

you underway in your studio to develop and produce your own
 TIMING AND SPACING PATTERNS
METRONOME
The animator is the 'actor' of the film cartoon. An actor's timing, which is foe*
NUMBER 44 - JO FRAMES on instinct and personality, is the essence of the art The actor must lear^

54 - 24 " craft such as how to walk or move with meaning, to never pause unless thn* ^~

88 - 16 •• a reason, and if there is a pause, to pause as long as possible. The actor/ani° S

tor must learn the value of a 'hold the proper amount of time to linger so, ]'
120 - 12 -
register with the audience tor all it is worth He must also decide whether to lumr
HO-10 -
into a hold or to cushion into it gradually when to 'freeze” a hoW or when to keen
168-8 -
up subtle secondary actions to give it a breath of life'. when to start
I SECOND - 24 FRAMES
actions dunng the hold that anticipate the following novo, when to move the eyes
‘/fMINUTE - 720 • to anticipate coming movement, and. finally, after such anticipation, when to jump
out of a pose or when to slowly move out Such >s the craft of the art.

The swings and ticks ol a metronome can determine the exact set at 54. which equals 24 frames per second). By doing thts.
speed of the frames of a walk, a run. or any action you visualize. you can visually check the look ot an even speed From this test,
Set the arm at 8 frames and act out a fast walk or run with your you v/ill find that it takes one 24 frame tick to move across 12
fingers You may then decide that 12 frames are closer to what nches This means that the movement equals 1/2 inch per frame
you need Make frame count marks, as shown above. Then It you uso two 24-frame ticks to cover 12 inches then the move
check the clock so thirty 12 frame ticks fit m fifteen seconds ment will be ’ 4 inch per frame

To check the look ol even speeds place your pencil ovei a The pendulum pattern (figure t) is evenly spaced Th.s pattern
straight 12 field as in figure 12 at right (simply a line divided occurs m leg and arm movements m walks and runs. The uneven,
evenly by 12) Then move the pencil back and forth, horn one spaced figures (figures ? and 3) change the action considerably
end of The 12 field to the other, at a 24 frame tick (metronome Figure 2 is slow-out. slow m. slow out. etc Figure 3 »s either $k>v.
i >i in. Slow out. etc . (X reversed to fast-out. slow-in, lasl-out etc

Figures 4 through 11 are actions ot the head or body in W8* and

run cycles. The recoil drawing is at the base. When time is spent
a'ound this, the weight is accentuahxJ and the creature sinWT
cannot seem to get off the ground When the high drawing «
accentuated, the creature is so lightweight that he bounces^
floats and scarcely touches the ground. Walks with chafacw
usually have uneven spacing Figures 4 and G af®
heavyweights A ightweight deer would bounce and float '
figures 5 and 7. Ftguros 8 and 9 are usual In a walk or a run
a pan Recoil is bottom, nse to the left midway up. high f
and contact m dway down on the right Any o» these ^ ^
positions can be accentuated In nm.ng to create cbaract^
•iguros 10 and 11 the head or the body and the head are "
from s*de to s*de in the walk or run action on a pan.
direction on those tor on figures 8 and 9) and you wi' w
different character
196
 FILMED RESULT OF SPACED MOVES

The filmed result and meaning of a spaced move depend on

(1) actual measurement. (2) relation to the field size, and
(3) relation to the size of the character. The animator has a spe
cilic acton to do in a certain time or number ol frames From
experience he knows how specie patterns of spacing will work
when they measure and path the actions in the character He
often cltarts a pattern in advance, but these patterns are usually
inherent in tho animation structure and they evolve intuitively
during animation

A puppet moves as the strings are adjusted An animated char

acter moves according to spaced move patterns in the actions
When the animator starts a scene, you can check the looks of
even speeds by moving your pencil back and forth across a 12-
field as limed by a metronome You can figure it out At tho 24-
trame tick one move across 12 inches 6 a speed of i >2 inch per
frame, and it takes I wo 24-frame ticks to move your pencil
across 12 inches al 1 4 inch etc.

My advice to the begmner ts to first try to develop a sense of tim¬

ing by animating and film testing a large arid a small circle m
various speeds .n the patterns outlined throughout this book
Then study tho action ol the patterns and learn to adjusl the
spacing of the animation to create the exact character action for
the specific scene You can then plan the timing so your anima¬
tion will do whatever you visualize You will learn to think of am
matron in a series ol motion picturo frames and Ikjw to register
takes gestures, actions and poses

Often, tne best way to move is simply in a straight line as in tg

*es 12 to 14 All patterns may be better when evenly spaced in
various accents GD
OG
F$jres 15 to 18 occur m hand and arm movements

r'9ure 19 happens constantly m live action. A hand and arm

In an arc. then suddenly |ump to a different arc as the
ol another t>ody action accent or jerk (such as a kick)

P" f*9ure 21. a hand and arm or an entire character comes back
As shown above, a small move on a small circle has the same
'^anticipation, moves fast, then violently stagger-stops figures
relation to the circle as a large move on a large circle A large
,0 *6 are some ol the many stagger actions tor takes, stops,
move on a largo field appears the same on film as a smal move
“batons, crashes etc. An evenly spaced series of drawings
on a small field 197
bo a stagger action 1-10 2 9-3 8 4 7-5-6, elc.
 ACCENTS • BEATS • SCENE TIMING
SC.3 a^ , | , M sev ?
BEATS i 1 1 1 i i ■ ii i i| m i ^ ll mini* i i i
1ll1■■1)^11111 1 -v -----V-— vt
ALL i I ) DO '/S f HAVG - - FL//V - GAY' !
DIALOGUE 1 *_* 1 i_J. 111! ll ll 1
v1 1 f1 ^ iailiiiliii. .i , * ■ T'fffi
S/AS0* SOA/6 + firry*, / usre* ro c-aa*s
ACTION _t_1_i i _1_1_1_ _i._L i i_| ,
* 1 •

Jui.
C.U ct/r z.*.
EFFECTS - -—* — * — -»— i -1-1-i- —» — •

IF
1

1 1
-*r-

MUSIC
—- . 1 jV.fr i 1
' if J ipBB
r

The STORYBOARD and the SCRIPT are the building the entire film two or three frames ahead of the sounc
plans (like a blueprint}, and the film is constrjcted on track during editing Sound acconts can be 'hit by an,
these foundations Each scene is described in the script radical change in picture timing, such as sudden star*
for picture and sound The scene title describes the or slops, jumps, and action roversals or freeze*
characters, the sound and the type as < 1 > CLOSE-UP. Sudden slow spacing or wide spacing m a continuous
(2) MEDIUM CLOSE-UP. (3) MEDIUM SHOT. (4) action can accent a sound. Think in senos of framer,
MEDIUM-LONG SHOT, or (5) LONG SHOT The trans* because you can f see anything else
tion from one scene to fhe next is descnbed as (1) CUT-
IO. (2) CROSS-DISSOLVE. (3) FADE-OUT. (4) FADE- Accents on walk and run cycles come at the reco1
A STOPWATCH starts
IN (5} TRUCK-BACK-TO. (6) TRUCK-DOWN-TO, (7) bottom or high po ol drawings Most action and dialogue
and stops wlh Mh» push ol
WIPE. (8} IRIS-OUT. (9) IRIS-IN, or (10) ANIMATED can be or ?s When the achon is fast with w>de spac' c
the Dutton. The animator
MFTAMORPHOSIS. Layout drawings based on the sto use is to avoid too wde. jumpy spacing The lour c»<
must t<mo his acting to
plan the number ol Irames ryboard are made of the background and key character over the background in cartoon films allow four
tor oach action Some positions Dialogue and music are recorded and a Mm levels Also pans ol a character can move on ore w
watches have footage editor reader measures and writes down the exact (12A-E as shown on the p'oduction sheet ‘The Los:
scales A second hand frame position on the BAR SHEETS and EXPOSURE Kitten - at the right on the opposite page), wh'o th®0lh®'
on an electric clock, a SHEETS Tne music or BAR SHEETS plan the produc¬ parts are helo on the next ovei 112). There shouldnt
metronome, or live-action tion timing on all tin* scenes in a Mm. any vital actions or important dialogue in the Ns* w®
him research can also be six Irames of a sceno
used tor scene timing.
The EXPOSURE SHEETS plan the animation products
timing of an individual scene Each frame foot and fV bar sheets (as shown above) have one fool
scene has a number Each music beat, act-on accent, frames) per ba' Theatrical muse bar sheets vary
word sound and timing detail also has a number For length to lit Ihe musical mood of the film Dialogue
a drawing to appear ‘in sync' with a sound accent, the muse are planned m these bar sheets with a stop _ ^
drawing should be exposed two or three times before Music is then composed and recorded win dialog .
iho sound. Some animators allow for this, but the scene tun nq may have to be adjusted to
most animate to tt>e same frame as tt«e sound, then shift mows and changes are a constant in animated

198
 , Mlll.
ilDUCTIOD #34 - THE LOST KITTED 'iosrAc/Trs/v*

vrwu AUDIO

SMB 3. CLOSE-UP OKAS SHOPPER SONG - OJSIC

Grasshopper sings to ofi'- GRASSHOPPER SINGS:

3laic- Kitten arc uuckling (bouncing)
with nourish and spirit.
All I do....
Juap* tor joy. ...is have FVD..

(CUT TO)

KME 4. Lo«. SHOT - GRASSHOPPER SOW. - MUSIC

duckling add kitted

Duckling uni! Kittan look GRASSHOPPER SINGS:

at Grasshoiioer «ha becoaes Ctho blues)
subdued and serious as he
laacntH in song. ...but i'a hun-gry . .
. .sone liac..like now.
Kitten and Duckling look
»adiy at each other.

(TRUCK DOWN TO)

** S* MEDIUM SHOT - DUCKLING % SAD MUSIC

GRASSHOPPER ADD HEAD v¥
KITTED DUCKLING:
(faltering speech)
Duckling sadly gulps, speaks,
*nd then sheds a tear... ..An' I'b hungry...
wipes eyo mi th -mg right now..gulp.,too.

Grasshopper turns to I ran away Iron...

Kitten..shakes his head in ny HEAD »top-®other..
Agreement with Duckling. ..an* now...(sobs)
 CYCLES—PLANNED ANIMATION
When the fool is placed on the ground m a pan scene, it moves with the ^
moves, as in those indicated on pago 201. The "pan" in this case is the
merit ot the background while the character is walking in the middle ot the seen*
The background art is moved a precise distance as required by the character
action For example, the background would be moved more slowly for a walk
than for a run Consequently, foot contact on the background and speed of
movement must be precisely coordinated by usmg the methods shown at the left
and on the next page. These moves are related to a stationary centerline The
body and all the parts move in paths of action; theso are the usual patterns. The
action can move in either direction. As in life, cycles have countless variations
and you can exaggerate or subdue any position or movo.

Never move a character w thout meaning Bring out a gesture, mannerism, or

story mood in every cycle. On page 141, two of the cycles below are combined
in a double bounce strut Notice the cocky gesture at high points. It is a series of
closely related drawings; no time is lost in going to the opposite step gesture
Funny walks can 'make' a film

PLANNED ANIMATION is a system ol combining animation LIMITED ANIMATION is based on dividing a character into as
methods and planning the rouse ot tho artwork lor many many as tour cel levels ar»o a dialogue system It is espeoai'y
different scenes It is used to produce the considerable film adaptable to tl»e type of characters illustrated on page 203 The
'oolaqe of a television cartoon serios. A change ol pace results dialogue system is often more elaborate, as seven heads up
from the use of fu«l anknatfon in critical actions ot the story and and down and seven heads in a sideways move all around a
the use of limited animaton in dialogue with bursts of lull centered head l aughs and giggles are olten animated by a
animation lor important gestures Ammaton backgrounds with laughing evenly spaced, up and down series ol such heads m a
overlay backgrounds, and camo*a ttekJs and trucks are planned stagg*' tim i on the exposure sheet A dialogue head WW
for use in many combinations Thus the production work gots can bo titled to a body cycle walking on a pan background A
more 'mileage.' You must olan your him1 bottom ix-q camera device moves the pegs up and down to it
tho walking action. iNoto body achon peg holes are adjust I
CYCLE ANIMATION as shown on page 201. can be put on Heads can M characters m a vehicle on a pan. This entire act^n
long cels that allow twelve inches on each sido ot the drawing. Douncos on tho rough mad using the same device attached
Such animation can be used in the field center with a moving the bottom peg bar Sue h mechanics are endless
pan as the background Tho same cels placed on movirg pegs
can move the cluiractef through a stHI background scene, the ANIMATED CUTOUTS can be added to both full and hnvlrt
same cels can also walk into another background stay centered animation co:s After tho coi is placed on camera, the VJM
as the background moves and tt>en movo out when the back placed over o» under the cel according to a lew dot
ground stops On tho other three cel levels in the animation the cel For example, an ciabomTo line engraving of an an
scene, other cycle characters can move at a d Herent speed in auto »s cut out and placed under a cel senes that animates
any dreclion wt'ooi acton, dust, smoko, and characters seated In the au®

200
 CONTACT RECOIL

ar a>

ar ,/t rj ■■fr'/-/ 1
 LIMITED ANIMATION • CUTOUTS

Animation cutouts can be very cost effective in producing can mouths, eyes, and noses on a single cel head w> ^
animated films. Body poses, with different head attitudes, having to redraw the entire body for each movemen
can be used over and over in multiple combinations For parts ot these •animation cutouts" can be stored foe '•*■5
202 example, different arms can be used on the same body, as in another scene or film.
UMITED ANIMATION for
television Is based on
dividing characters Into
pads that wor* on sepa
rate cel levels. Here are
 MAKING AN ANIMATION CEL

Hero is the order of setting up the parts of a dog that are

,omod at socket points Use perspective guidelines on the
body when needed-as you do on the head.
 COLORING
THE CEL

This is a colored cel made from the

cleanup drawing on page 205. The
cleanup drawing was enlarged on a
copy machine, and then a brush and
ink were used lo trace it onto the ce
ie cleaned up animation drawing is transferred to a are designing an onginal character, experiment with Its
ansparent cel (celluloid 005) by tracing with a pen or coloration by using transparent watercolors on photo¬
ush and ink (special ink that adheres to acetate must be copies or enlargements of your cleanup drawings. Color
led). The drawing can also be photocopied onto the cel. many drawings until you perfect the color scheme, and
ien the colors are painted on the back of the cel with then make acrylic-colored cels using the watercolor paints
>aque acrylic paint (acrylics are used because they will as guides. You can make colored backgrounds for the cels
there to the cel). After the cel is colored, it Is placed over using both watercolors and the opaque acrylics (the way
0 background and photographed with the camera. (This studios do). Background texture can be created with a wet
ocess is explained in more detail on pages 217-219.) sponge and opaque acrylic paint.

ost cartoon cels are inked with a pen. but the brush can
i used to give a heavier, more accented line (the draw-
gs on these two pages were done with a brush). If you

207
 THE CARTOON STORYBOARD
On pages 208-211 is an example of a storyboard that is storyman has to know staging and drama; he has to l.q
the basic plan of an animated cartoon film It resembles a out and anticipate what the audience is thinking ana then
page in the newspaper comics Artists in a story depart¬ surpr.se amuse, or spellbind the viewer. Such is the s.m
ment develop the story 'me of the film by attaching these pie recipe for a blockbuster epic. Story artists also visual¬
story sketches onto a largo blackboard size board with ize the art style of the film Storyboards may incorp0rat„
pushpins.The storymen will replace drawings and re edit an occasional picture done m full color watercolor or pas¬
the storyboard constantly as they visualize and originate tel that establishes the color and the background treat
additions and changes to add humor to the story ment Drawings may be from 6" x 4 3 8' to 12" x 8-3 4
which are the same proportions as the animation field
The inanimate object that has come to life (the tree) is
another type ot cartoon character to add to this book Here A team ot artists usually develops the storyboard after the
the trees engage in the full verbosity of a violent argument, idea >s acted out by the storyman before an audience in a
and the storymen must visualize the continuity Then the conference of evaluation This helps the creativity process
film director and stafl take a hand in the development fol¬ tremendously, hor example, while looking at the story¬
lowed by the animator who often puts in the vital finishing board below a storyman might add picture panels
louches and changes. It is a constant creative process at between the first two that visualize an interesting or amus
least at the important studios—especially on features. The mg way that the golden hatchet was obtained by our hero

(1) Strange faces appear on the forest

208 trees. The branches become
horrible hands and arms.
 (4) The second tree swings the hatchet at
our heroes and misses, but the hatchet
cuts the firs: tree's nose off

(5) In horror, the angry tree feels arid

210 looks down at the stub of his nose
while other trees are shocked
•;6; The enraged tree grabs the other
tree’s hair (branches) ny the roots
and shades

(7) With a v c OjS yank the angry tree

pulls off the other tree’s hair, revealing
bald stubble.
 BACKGROUND
LAYOUT
DRAWINGS
Work ng with the him d rector. a layout artist
draws each score tor the animator Ho
makes pone1 drawings of the Background
and the key animation posd o» s I *wso lay
out drawrgs establish the relationship
between the background and ix> animation
art In tlie example here, the draw ng ol the
w tch in the distance is separata trom the
layout draw ng at the v lage

T t'f iin niato' and l im o rectc< meet to d s

cuss the scene. F*s- they study Iho various
elements ol '*« scene the storyboard. sound
track layouts. and exposure sheets then
they usuaty tov«w the art that leads into it
Firatty the director exp.has what »*■ visual
ues tor the scene and how it 'its into the rest
ol the story and film production Fo* example
a s a village «s undergo* -g an aerial attack
from the w-cked witch >t is ewm-'g. ard the*
v lagers have lit some lamps that can bo
3een in the windows The blue cast o'
evwnmg % the dominant color of *he scene
Start ng as a sma dot n the distance the
witch enters the near sky on her broomstick
screaming and cackling hyste'ea v I ight
ning flashes as the whole scene jumps to
a warm aaylght coor tor a lew frames this
is lotcwed by a c-ip o' I or der, whch n;en-
sifies as the w tch winds he* way forward, and then reappears in me sky on the oppo Today if is poss«bio to an male these actve
coring down street 'rom the upper left. i ■ da i.i i ng • ■ n- > i.- villagers and Ihe o slant witch on a much
Panicked villagers run through the streets, Ihe narrow street canyon pursu ng tre larger scale I lie scono *s h'st drvdod into
hiding in doorways- here and there people stumbling ano falling v agers Noxi precuo sections; these sections can be combined
close their shutters Suddenly wilh a ed By a flash o' light and a dap of thunder and reduced lo foe scale above on pholo-
hendish scream the witc” rockets to the Ihe witch gyrates to Ihe foreground to cop«ed cols, (f/ooem D-sney 'nature amnia
foreground for a moment, her head turned scream at the viower. as pictured in the tion demonstrates a computer-assisted pro
way as she nav gates the turn and screams draw »g al far right Then turning oao* -o cess ) to do this type of animation you
at the vii agers Then, twisting down ihe the v lag*- s'h. streaks down the street to "eed tour layers o' col an naton—on either
street toward Iho ooour rght. she turns left the r ght. tw si ng ond turn ng around the a Sing o 'fold or multiple fields Hong cels)—
to Hy a-ourd the chimney * the center o' the chimneys, rooftops arc streets, flna»y rock winch are on wither top or bottom pegs. .1
scene I he fiendish hag d ^appears Behind eting into the la' sky beexymmg a me-e mov¬ pa' hackg'ound that car move nght or n't
212 •Ha roof at tint top ol the • cttni lor a moment ing speck above the dislant fees. on top or bottom pugs, and either top or bot
tom tio§|ing pegs attached to mug flaps o' 'ho large foreground structures The
tf'at overlay th«f bac-g-ounc or cel ltvs th'ec-d -nonsionai of'cct is created by mov¬
set^p allows tor adjustments tor mastu'y ing the second ove \y qu ok y I ••' -s' over
and range, as we* as lh© greatest variety ot ay ta rly Mowly, and the basic background
camera snots isee page 218). ever more slow y The dramatics of the
scere can oe heightened by following ’he
By redesigning the background of this witch Witch with true* movements Irom her
scene into a basic background and two ertrance to mo hurtling up tho street to
overlay oackgrounds. you can create a scream at t*>o viewer. In a s mpier ve*son
th'ee airre-s onel effect. Tim ojsic bac* the w ten s on a s-ngle field cel and flies
grou'-:l in-utccs mo distant structures, the from the distance to the fo'eg'ound and
woods and the s*y the first overlay s of the rerrains m me same ns alive position shown
Central structures, and the second overlay is across the scene
 STILL
BACK¬
GROUNDS *
TRUCKS *
AND FIELDS
The no. 12 held scene can have lour cel
•ovets ana a numdor ot overlays The distant
hills could bo the background The
foreground and the kyeground inn and tree
could be two separate overlays. They could
separate dunng a truck down to give depth

Cats can be separated vertically to create a

natural movement of objects and create a
leering ot depth dunng a camera truck down
toward the cots |Tho vwncal movement up
or down ot me earner on the frame « cased
a 'hue* ’| A truck movement *s indicated
using me '*e<d center locaton of r»ie chart
(pages 2t5 and 2t8|. The truck move s
charted on the chart map (a ponon o» which
■s shown artiual soe on page 2t5l that can
be registered below the camera on the revt-rued—followed by a Curved true* ''an a COMPOSITION Of PICTURES
compound il necessary To help you 3 12 to 12 lied Under ihe '©ai-slic surface ot every picture
better understand trucks and '*kfc It-* bucks are abstract principles ot composition that
Shawn on page 2t5 are dssgned to appear Truck moves are usuaky evenly spaced on are the structure and foundation on which
on film absolutely even, with no sudden the charted path in red) with a sight slow-in Ihe pciure is built the decorative pattern of
moves or hesitations arid alow out To hep you g»aap the mean the pcaure, and tho means of idling a Sltyy
vig ot trucks and holds. he«o o a truck mat s o* rupressng a dramatic mood Thus, com
A truck IS indcaied as per held center pea ♦igurod to appea' on f.*m absolutely even posion has a triple function
lion on the chart on page 210. »ke a map Each move reduces the held by Ihe same
north south, east and west The truck Is percentage The teids ttok ke the frame¬ The abstract pnncptm are
charted on a section ot the chart (shown work of a house Even slops down ihe road 1 Tho vaned pmcipWi of balance.
actual we. at right, paga 215) This thick <s •re *n the same configuratin’ Use diag 2 The enhance and the e»fl o« the eye
down (or up) between a no 12 Hold at cen onain as shown to ocate soch positions « 3 Circular and rfiythmic composflion
ter |C) and a no 4 held at a center pent that perspective work 4 Angular composition
•s three held* south of center and 3 1/2 5 Llmlsgroups-fhefgurem landscape
teids east ot center (no 4F , 3S , 3-1/2 E ) Now when you ammalo in INiwi holds, you 6 light shade, and color
can see that me same spaced move n your
Still the path o* a truck can curve or even arvmaton art will be a different length and
stagger The tied can tp to any degree or n speed in each separate held Let s say you Artists opiate ••Humvely with composition
can turn around In lbs scone, the to» could have to shift gears tor each field The same Many OJW without tho power ot knowing hie
214 run up the road, up the Nil. past the inn *id pan move « also slowe* m the large fields composrtion principles mey use. they draw
•nto the foreground— into the camera or and faster n h*e small fields without recourse to m‘e*ence or reasoning
 An undemanding c4 comooecon poncekes «
e»ireme»y useful to an animator when he or
she mo.es and poses me actors in the stage
set The a nervation is tire come* of interest
in the total picture In all types oA art there
are abstract elements tnat supporl and
point to this center A classic example is
Da Vinci s The Last Supper with at the dago
rials tending the eye to INt certral figure In
the example here, the abstractions ol the ton
and the raouoon til aid lake ach-artage ol Dm-
Circular rhythms I red] and the viKtce-ho"
«jntii a agonal composition (Hue) So watch
ihe perspective in the set as me actor moves
I with meanngi and *play alt ol your cards'

As the camera trucks town and around the

no. 12 Feld scans above the smaller fiakta
Du! with a Kind ot innate or instinctive that result have diHeren* composons with
Knowledge o! composition This was the Outrun abstract patterns and the animator
case win Mchelangete, «te»*as Leonardo designs the animation to M. Keeping the
da Vinci composed with Knowledge animation as the center of lr*e»est
 PAN BACKGROUNDS • OVERLAYS * CELS
Th* bear and ihe raccoon |se«n on page
217) >n a walk cycle an.male through me
scene. mowing from rlghe to leH The pan
background (top) move* to the right under
me bear and raccoon long cels. Above
these cels an overlay background ol the
Urge tree moves right at twee the speed or
spacing ol the pan background Above mo
tree overlay, a second overlay background
moves right at three tunes the speed ot me
pan Thus there are three diffarant back¬
ground pieces Each moves at a diMoreni
speed grv*ng tn« scene an il»js*on ol rea'fy.
with great depth and distance For instance,
close frees move tasler than distant trots
Variations m pan overlay speeds are ploned
usmg actual perspective moves

Backgrounds can be several fields m length,

or a cycle background is panned win three
or more I-elds, such as the first and last
tied* panted eiactly .like Thus the bark
ground can be lumped between those fiwds
in a cycle

Cycles »ke th6 bear ard raccoon that move

through a scene are on grg cels lhal allow a
tut dear laid (not ndcaled) on each side ol
the character* f a drawing a used n one pog
position, it is usually pul on a single Held cel

m planned animation tor TV. many scenes

are made trom Ihis artwork Other pans are
shot as smaller twlds Still aconos am made
from sectons of the background wth other
overlays and other animation used The
bear and raccoon eye* walk through other
backgrounds

Overlays are culouls or the partings are

made d'ectiy on the cel with vinyl acrylic
pa*n| Tn.» water-pased pen adheres to
acetate « is u6ed for all animation ce< pro¬
duction and for the artwork As shown on
page ?17. the back ot the animation cel a
painted with this opaque paint. Originally
the drawings wore traced with pen or brush
on the front ot tho cel with acetale irfcs
216
PHOTOCOPY
A atate-oMhe-art photocopy machine ,5
used to transfer most arwjbon an »o cols
using fume* malead ol heal to tin the image
on the cel Two types ol machine* are used
and the animator should know what each
otters just aa he should know what the ani¬
mation Hm camera can do (II The original
machine w th a ha no-operated bellows
otters both enlargement and reduction it «
used 'or both cel& and backgrounds
(?) This is a 35mm mcroMm urn thai n fe¬
ted with a 35mm projector mechanism The
drawings are photographed on 1.1m by an
animation camera ard then 1h« Mm is used
to mass produce cels. Thus, the -otoscope
ta obsolete Trucks and all operations ot an
animation camera can be dcno by Pus ve-sa
Ue camera
 V-
©-

CAMERA AND TECHNICAL

The ANIMATION CAMERA moves
vertically up and down t-om a f *ed
center point I ho jttwork on the
COMPOUND move' north'south
»*a«i
• N S) and weet/east |W/E) A cam
era truck" is the vertical movement
0« the C.mu-r.i and Uwi compound
CAMERA
adjustments needed. Compound
moves alone are called ‘camotj
moves." The camera trucks horn a
3-1/2 lo 12 lied accord oq to the
chart at '.tie right. Fields are located
li. i i' ' ■ i - ■ -i I.

ClOSCD and W E. This measures com¬

pound moves I n COMPOUND
TOP has top ana bottom peg bars
that move right or toil These are
CO.V POUND called "pan moves' for a back¬
S/N ground and -peg moves" lor cel
an nation artwork

i ho r-isc

Animation is drawn on 10-1 .’2" x 14* paper and A 60 wart bob or double lucres • >t light is js- I teres truck to an 18. 24. or as high as a 36
•■!' ' ' '•!! 1* ,! ' ■" II" ' i • n a I ghl bo* under the d<sc. (Never use a single liekf THs is for special or unusua artwork that «
punched with peg holes for registry The pegs at fluorescent light because it <r. stroboscope and rarefy animated (it >& usualy st n> Cameras have
the fop of the page am w duly used for TV bad lor the eyes.! special etjuipment for fully animeied cel protection
shows commercials, and other production at an t B held Extra peg bars are built into t"«
The 12 fiokJ f 12" * 8 34’) as chartod abovo is compound Many compound*, have double top a*d
Most animators use an aiummum-cast drawing Ihe size and area ol normal production. Only bottom peg bars to he<p wifi 12 tied produr f on
disc that fits and rotates in a circular hole cut in a ••elds from a 3 1/2 field to a 1? li«»d are used
drawing board or tab e. The disc shown above The location of the center point of a field on me Many compounds rotate 360 deqrv*5
has an adjustable moving png bar that can serve chad above is specified as e-th.tr *C* ffor center) la complete orcie). Fie'os can tip to any
as either top or bottom pegs by rotatng the drsc. or the N S and WE field distances for X ’ On twill around, or shift lo a 90 degree vertical W*
Other discs have only the set pegs or two moving the e*posure sheet on page 219 the start b would allow for an up and down pan seen* £
peg bars liekfs center point is 1 112 fields soulh ol center 8 3 4 fle d is the largest mat will fit sideways to
and 3 IwHd* oast of cw»’t«* like a map such a pan. Tiled fields are indicatedde°f*T
just as surveyors indicate angles on a map '
218 versatile camera ran do m.r'y things
The camera operator shoots the scone based on the expo
sure shoot form and method shown at tho left. The anima
tor draws a heavy line at tho start and stop of all camera
and peg bar moves A truck is indicated with a vertical
af'ow. a camera dissolve-out is a V and a dissolve in is an
inverted V. as shown. These two V forms are combined in
an X form for a fade in ana lade out dissolve and they
overlap m an XX shape for a cross-dissolve.

Compound peg oar cel or pan moves are given in decimals:

however, pan moves are also given w th a chart of moves
above o' below pegs on the edge of the bac*g*ojnd.

When a held cel is removed resulting in no cel position in

column, a blank cel is placed. There are fo.ir cel eveis.
Sheets are usually for BO frames or 5 feet (see pages
1 98-t 99) A scone is easier to 'shoot' if the pan is on tho
top pegs and the cels are on the bottom pegs Animation
drawn on the 'natural' top pegs can easily be put on Dot
tom peg co s.

The camera runs botn backward and forward, and it can

shoot a scone in either direction. Thus, a scene exposed
beginning at the end and moving toward the start enables
a piece of artwork or an animated cycle to be scratched
off or cut of' according to planned spacing When p'Oject
ed forward, the acton is growth.

An opaque shadow, doud water cycle, rainbow, or ghost

an mation becomes transparent to a certain degree by
making one run cf the scene at a 50% (or other) shutter
stop then making a seconc run without artwork to be
transparent at a 50% (or other) shutter stop (the total
exposure of both runs must be 100%) Or a character
appears to walk through an opaque rainbow tree, doud
door or water cycle by making two 50% runs with the
character aoove and then under these artworks. A matte"
shot uses a black matte over a scene being pho
tographed; thus the aroa of the matte is unoxposed In
another run a character is exposed in this oxacr area

2
 HOW CARTOONS ARE MADE
The simplest torn ol animation is tho ‘flip' book. To make In the film studios, the basic flip book idea is enlarged on
a simple tl p book, draw a dot. a circle, a skeleton, etc . on First the animators and their assistants make penal draw¬
the edge ot a notebook Then draw the same hgure siight- ings on paper (10 1/2' x W-i T) This work .s then traced in
y progressed, on the next page Do this for fifteen or ink on celiUod transparent sheets (cels) Next opaque col¬
twenty pages; then ‘lip the edges. An i Ijson of movement ors are painted on Those inked and painted cels are then
is created. Good animators retain the same sp rit of fun photographed in sequence on a pamted background This
and simplicity ol the flip book in their work motion picture cartoon I Im is then projected onto a screen.

HOW TO MAKE AND USE AN ANIMATION BOARD

An animation board will be a qroat help ri your study of

animation. Buy some unruled. 10' x 12’ loose-leaf
notebook pape- that s punched with two big holes. Construct
pegs of wood or metal on your board (as illustrated) so the
paper hts snugly over the pegs The glass should be the
same size as the paper

When you turn on the I ght under tho board, you will be
able to see through several sheets o' paper and note how
your series of drawings varies in position. Visua’ze and
plan your act on then start with a key drawing or
extreme.' The nexl extreme in your acton should be
made or arother sheet ol paper with the lights on so you
can work from your preceding posit on Follow this proce
duro until all tho extremes of your action have been
roughed in; then make the in-between draw ngs to lie the
action together

II the background does not move to the ' ght or left, the
scene is still" if the oackground moves, the scene has a
pan* action and s callod a “pan scene.’ During a pan
action everything that touches the ground moves with and
at the same speed as the parv-for example feet that touch
the ground in a walk or a run

220
 HOWTO MAKE A CARTOON FILM
PRODUCE AN ANIMATED FILM There are several ways lo make your own carloon film without too much money
YOURSELF WITH LITTLE You can also make a film of your animation drawings without expensive sound
MONEY.
tracks You will need a 16mm or 8mm motion picture camera that is able to
shoot one Irame at a time and a wooden frame to support the camera as it points

MAKE A WOODEN CAMERA down at the animation artwork. The camera will be mounted to the frame in a
STAND. f xed position allowing only one field size The frame is attached to a baseboard
and the animal on drawings are placed on a set of pegs attached to the base-
board.

GET THE CAMERA ADJUSTED Determine the a stance the camera lens needs to be from the artwork to photo
ON THE STAND CORRECTI Y. graph a full animation held (12“ x 8 3/4 ); thon focus the ions to that distance If
necessary, make film tests to be sure tho hold size and focus are correct Be
sure the camera s not 1 ppod at an angle and attach the camera to the wooden
frame Then lape the pegs to the baseboard.

PUT SOME LIGHTS ON THE Floodlights are mounted at an angle on both sides ol the camera stand above
SIDES TO LIGHT THE tho artwork. Make him tests to determ ne the proper aperture. It is best it the
AHTV/ORK.
lights are strong enough for a small aperture opening but if the 'ons needs to bo
wide open, it will take less light and. thus, less heat.

HOW TO ELIMINATE THE Instead of raping down the metal peg bar l s better to use an animation drawing
EXPENSIVE COMPOUND disc (shown on page 218). I his drawing disc should have both top and bottom
MECHANISM.
sliding peg bars This allows you to include moving pan backgrounds with the
animation draw nqs.

ELIMINATE I HE EXPENSIVE The animation drawings are lit by a light box built under the disc The box should
PLATEN. be well ventilated and mirrors are used to intensify the light and reduce the bulb
wattage and heat I wo layers of animation can be shot over a moving pan back
ground as tne camera sees through the papers. (TV animation producers make
pencil tests This way) I he eaborate platen frames that hod the artwork down
can be duplicated by placng a thick sheet of plate glass ovor the animation art
by hand.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A Animation camera stands have a single-frame, slop motion motor assembly that
COSTLY STOP MOTION operates by pushing a button or a foot lever A film countor is attached to th>s
MECHANISM. YOU CAN KEEP mechanism to record the number of frames photographed You can dup'icate this
TRACK OF THE FRAME COUNT
process by operating the camera by hand for each frame. Make a check on each
YOURSELF ON THE EXPOSURE
SHEET. frame on ffie exposure sheet after it is photographed
 i ■
4 T

The One-Source Book That Cartoon Animation

Enthusiasts Have Been Waiting For!
S #n this comprehensive, definitive book, acclaimed cartoon
A animator Preston Blair shares his vast practical knowl¬
edge to explain and demonstrate the magic of cartoon
animation as well us many of his extraordinary techniques.
Blair shows you how to develop a cartoon character's shape,
personality, features, and mannerisms; how to create
movements such as walking, running, stretching, and dancing;
and how to construct dialogue and coordinate it with movement.
Full of familiar and famous sketches, drawings, and other
artwork. Cartoon Animation is a book no cartoon animation
enthusiast should be without! A
ABOtl IKE AUTHOR
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