Animation Finals (SAWAKAS) Flashcards
the most fundamental method of animation, where each
frame is drawn individually to create movement. This
technique is used in traditional hand-drawn animation,
stop-motion animation, and even digital animation
software.
Frame-by-frame animation
Animation works because of a phenomenon called _____
persistence of vision
the most important frames in an animation sequence. They define the
starting, ending, and major transitional poses of a motion.
Keyframes
help animators establish the core movements before refining
the animation with more detail.
Keyframes
Think of
them as the “landmarks” of movement
Keyframes
It fills in the gaps between them. This makes the
motion appear smooth and natural.
In-Between(Tweening)
_______would be drawn between these keyframes to make
the jump feel natural, showing acceleration as the character lifts
off and slowing down at the peak before falling.
In-Between
A TECHNIQUE USED IN ANIMATION SOFTWARE THAT
ALLOWS ANIMATORS TO SEE MULTIPLE FRAMES AT ONCE. THIS HELPS THEM
CREATE SMOOTHE R TRANSITIONS AND MAINTAIN CONSISTE NCY BETWEEN
FRAMES
Onion Skinning
a feature in animation programs
that overlays ghost images of previous and/or next
frames onto the current frame. These ghost images
are usually semi-transparent, allowing animators to
see how objects move across frames.
Onion Skinning
helps animators check how
far an object moves between frames, ensuring a natural and
consistent motion.
Spacing and Motion
Ensures that the character or object does not
drastically change in size or shape between frames.
Shape and Form
By seeing multiple frames at once, animators
can adjust the speed and smoothness of movement.
Timing adjustments
TWO FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF ANIMATION
THAT HELP CREATE THE ILLUSION OF REALISTIC MOTION. UNDERSTANDING HOW
TO CONTROL THESE ASPECTS CAN SIGNIFIC ANTLY ENHANCE AN ANIMATION’ S
SENSE OF WEIGHT, IMPACT, AND BELIEVABILITY.
Timing and Spacing
a visual guide used by animators to plan how frames are
spaced out over time. It helps determine the number of in-between
frames needed for smooth motion.
Timing Chart
refers to how long an action takes—more frames make it slower,
fewer frames make it faster.
Timing
refers to how frames are distributed—equal spacing creates even
motion, while varied spacing creates acceleration or deceleration.
Spacing
How Spacing Affects Motion Speed
Consistent speed (e.g., a conveyor belt moving at a
steady pace).
Even Spacing
How Spacing Affects Motion Speed
Acceleration
(e.g., a ball falling due to gravity).
Close Spacing at the Start, Wide Spacing Later
How Spacing Affects Motion Speed
Deceleration
(e.g., a car slowing to a stop).
Wide Spacing at the Start, Close Spacing Later
Faster motion with fewer frames since there’s little
resistance.
Even spacing between frames to show effortless
movement.
The character’s body posture remains upright,
showing no strain.
Light object
More frames and slow movement to emphasize effort.
Slow start with close spacing (struggling to lift), then
faster motion once momentum builds.
Character’s body bends and shows strain (legs and arms
tense, shaking slightly).
Heavy object
Heavier objects move slower and require more effort, which is
shown through increased spacing variation.
Weight
The spacing before and after a collision affects how an object
interacts with surfaces (e.g., a bouncing ball will have more spacing
changes if it’s rubbery vs. a heavy rock).
Impact
A character’s motion conveys their strength,
fatigue, or emotional state, making timing and spacing key for
storytelling.
Character Performance
TWO PRIMARY METHODS USED TO CREATE
MOVEMENT
POSE-TO-POSE ANIMATION AND STRAIGH T AHEAD ANIMATION
the animator first creates the
most important poses (keyframes) that define the action.
After establishing these key poses, they go back and add the
in-between frames (or “tweening”) to create smooth
motion.
POSE-TO-POSE ANIMATION
How does pose-to-pose animation works?
Block out key poses
Add breakdown poses
Fill in in
means drawing each frame in
order from start to finish without setting up key poses first.
This approach is more spontaneous and fluid.
Straight Ahead Animation
How does straight ahead animation works?
Start with the first frame.
Draw the next frame based on the last one, progressing
through the motion sequentially.
Continue until the sequence is complete.
