The Illusion of Life
There’s so much to learn from Disney, these 12 basic principles are only the start - but they’re a really good one.
Following these principles helps to make animations feel more energetic or alive. You can use them to different degrees depending upon the style of animation you are using. It’s the sort of thing that is worth brushing up on every now and then.
The 12 basic principles of animation were developed by the ‘old men’ of Walt Disney Studios, amongst them Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, during the 1930s. Of course they weren’t old men at the time, but young men who were at the forefront of exciting discoveries that were contributing to the development of a new art form. These principles came as a result of reflection about their practice and through Disney’s desire to use animation to express character and personality.
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