Los 12 principles of animation: Stretch and Shrink (Squash and stretch)

An animation is a complex technique of creating a credible illusion through images usually reinforced with sound. The first animation work performed in the learning process is macadamente robotic and lacking expressiveness. The improvements based on the classical principles of animation bring credibility to the characters and scenes.

Los twelve principles set animation references a traditional world of animation that ensure brand credibility plasticity [1] characters. These are [2]:

1. Stretching and Shrinking (Squash and stretch)
2. Staging (Staging)
3. Direct Action and Pose a Pose
4. Superimposed Action and Continuous Action (Follow Through and Overlapping Action)
5. Slow easing (Slow In and Slow Out)
6. Arcos
7. Secondary action
8. Timing
9. Exaggeration
10. Solid Drawings
11. Personality or Appearance

Additionally new principles are incorporated to collect the needs of emerging technologies and methods of animation. Los 12 born with early production experience in cartoons. Incorporating computer animation force largely these new structures.

Stretch and Shrink (Squash and stretch)

Deforming an object. body or face of a character can bring humor to drama or action. A blow, a change in speed or direction of an object, a tense situation (scare) etc., can be emphasized with an effect that transforms the shape of objects accompanying action.

The principle of animation considered the most important of which relates to the deformability of the objects.

The effect of stretching and corresponding shrinkage can be the basis for the narrative sequence, as done for example in “Bubblefish”

It can serve as an expressive, to gesture with simple elements and “humanize” characters. An inanimate object reaches personality; part grows into a whole as in the following example in which one eye has “life”.

The force acquires the character and dramatic action merge with humor (black in this case) in which “deformation” protagonist is.

1. Lasseter, John. “Principles of Traditional Animation applied to 3D Computer Animation.”

ACM Computer Graphics, Flight. 21, Number 4, July 1987: 35-44.2. Thomas, Frank., and Ollie Johnston. The Illusion of Life. New York: Abbeville Press, 1981.

[1] http://www.3dyanimacion.com/nota_tapa.cfm?link=12principios

[2] http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doce_principios_(animaci%C3%B3n)

SQUASH Y STRETCH

Los 12 principles of animation