The book "The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation" was published in 1981 by Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. These principles are based on the work of Disney animators from the 1930s onward in their quest to create more realistic animation. Some have referred to the book as the "Bible of animation," and some of its principles have been adopted by many traditional studios.

The Illusion of Life is the most massive, formidable-looking book I have ever seen about classic Disney animation. But the text is so readable and there are so many fantastic visual aids that you can get through a decent chunk of the book in one or two days. Thomas, Frank; Ollie Johnston (2002). "Animation Tips: Principles of Physical Animation". Frank and Ollie . Retrieved July 4, 2008. De Stefano, Ralph A. "Anticipation". Electronic Visualization Laboratory, University of Illinois at Chicago . Retrieved June 27, 2008.They set up a list of basic animation principles and focus on each one in turn. They go through each of the different departments, explaining what they contribute to a picture. They explain the particular challenges of the animator trying to put across different story and character points. Computer animation removes the problems of proportion related to "straight ahead action" drawing; however, "pose to pose" is still used for computer animation, because of the advantages it brings in composition. [18] The use of computers facilitates this method and can fill in the missing sequences in between poses automatically. It is still important to oversee this process and apply the other principles. [17] Follow through and overlapping action [ edit ] Follow through and overlapping action: the galloping race horse's mane and tail follow the body. Sequence of photos taken by Eadweard Muybridge. These are two different approaches to the drawing process. Straight ahead action scenes are animated frame by frame from beginning to end, while " pose to pose" involves starting with drawing key frames, and then filling in the intervals later. [12] "Straight ahead action" creates a more fluid, dynamic illusion of movement, and is better for producing realistic action sequences. On the other hand, it is hard to maintain proportions and to create exact, convincing poses along the way. "Pose to pose" works better for dramatic or emotional scenes, where composition and relation to the surroundings are of greater importance. [16] A combination of the two techniques is often used. [17] In computer animation [ edit ]

Follow through is the extra movements of a character or object after a certain action. On the other hand, overlapping action is the combination of 2 moving things commencing at different paces or times. 6. Slow-out and Slow-in In essence, it is used to direct attention to the most important aspects of a scene. 4. Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose Animation Most natural action tends to follow an arched trajectory, and animation should adhere to this principle by following implied "arcs" for greater realism. This technique can be applied to a moving limb by rotating a joint, or a thrown object moving along a parabolic trajectory. The exception is mechanical movement, which typically moves in straight lines. [23]I loved reading about Disney's animation from the viewpoint of two veteran Disney animators, as there were so many great anecdotes and in-jokes to be found here. The descriptions of animation and storytelling processes are both lively and informative, and the huge amount of pictures is just what is needed for a book on the subject. Not only are there animation drawings and film stills, but also concept art, candid photos, and staff caricatures. Though the latter aren't essential for understanding the animation itself, they are a great personal touch and give glimpses into the personalities of the caricaturists and their subjects. Timing refers to the number of drawings or frames for a given action, which translates to the speed of the action on film. [12] On a purely physical level, correct timing makes objects appear to obey the laws of physics. For instance, an object's weight determines how it reacts to an impetus, like a push: a lightweight object will react faster than a heavy one. [27] Timing is critical for establishing a character's mood, emotion, and reaction. [12] It can also be a device to communicate aspects of a character's personality. [28] Exaggeration [ edit ]