3D Animation/Walk Cycle

The 12 Principals of Animation:

1. Squash & Stretch

Squash and stretch is the process of applying a contrasting change of shape from a squash pose to a stretch pose and vice versa. This technique is used to give a feeling of fleshiness, flexibility, and life in animation. When there is an absence of squash and stretch, it gives a rigidity or stiffness to the motion. The transition between a proper and squash pose to a stretch pose, or the other war around, breaks the perfect solidity that CG animation in particular inherently gives to everything.

Here is a bouncing ball gif to demonstrate squash and stretch. As the ball falls on the ground it gets wider but flatter at the same time, when it goes back up it becomes long and thin then quickly returns to its original shape. This process while animated shows the squash and stretch technique in complete motion.

Here is two versions of a ball animation, one with the technique the other without. The one without demonstrates a ball with a heavier weight as the ball does not squash and stretch when on impact on the ground whereas the ball with the technique has a light weight as it bounces on impact.

2. Anticipation

Anticipation is the technique of a character animation preparing for an action, for example when a character jumps the character crouches down to show a build up of energy. Anticipation helps communicate actions to the audience by preparing them for the next action

For example this character prepares for a punch by moving his right arm back but stepping forward with his left leg at the same time to show a build up of momentum, then as a final thrust the character swings the right arm forward while also moving the right leg backwards to demonstrate the action has been carried throw due to the build up. Then the character regains their balance by lowering their right foot back on the ground and lowering the right arm to show that the build up has finished and they go back  to standing, thus the action has went through.

The same applies to facial movement, to show a character reacting to something the head lifts up along with the eyes getting wider to demonstrate that the character is alerted about something. Then they turn the head and look at where the reaction is coming from.

3. Staging