Principles of Animation: The Art of Appealing Motion from Udemy

The famous "12 Principles of Animation" are the foundation for all animation learning and since they're universal principles we will learn to apply them to many animation mediums in this course by drawing, stop motion, claymation, and puppeteering in After Effects.

After each lesson, you will have a demonstration and an assignment that you can follow along with free tools online or with items around your house and a free stop motion app on your phone.

The lessons include:

The History of the Animation Principles
The Science of Animation
Squash & Stretch
Slow In/Out
Anticipation
Overlapping Action
Secondary Action
Arcs
Pose to Pose/Straight Ahead
Timing
Staging
Exaggeration
Solid Drawing
Appeal

During the course our assignments will cover*:

Flipbooks
Thaumatropes
2D digital animation
Animating in Procreate on the iPad
Animating in After Effects (project file provided)
Stop Motion Animation
Claymation

* Each assignment could be completed in any of these mediums so there's no need to have a fancy computer, expensive software, or an iPad.

You can complete this course even if you're not good at drawing.

"It's not about what moves, it's about how it moves. "

I will also share my insights working as a professional animator on big movies like Avengers and Ready Player One and how I use these principles every day in my work.

The concepts covered here are not only for beginners but for every animator to apply in their daily work and be a resource for any time you're stuck on how to add more appeal to your animations.

I look forward to seeing you in class and seeing your projects from the course.

What's inside

Learning objectives

A short history and science behind animation
The 12 principles of animation
Universal concepts to add appeal to your animation

Procreate animation on the ipad
After effects animation
Stop motion animation

A short history and science behind animation
The 12 principles of animation
Universal concepts to add appeal to your animation
Procreate animation on the ipad
After effects animation
Stop motion animation

Syllabus

Overview, History, & Science of Animation

Course Overview

Animator's Journey

Download Course Materials

Assignment Demonstration 1: Animate a Line

Short History of Animation Principles

Science of Animation

Assignment Demonstration 2: Thaumatrope

Principles

Squash & Stretch

Assignment Demonstration 3: Dancing balloon

Slow In & Slow Out

Assignment Demonstration 4: Bouncing Post-Its

Anticipation

Assignment Demonstration 5: Swimming Scissors

Overlapping & Secondary Action

Assignment Demonstration 6: After Effects Animation

Arcs

Assignment Demonstration 6: Procreate Head Turn

Pose to Pose & Straight Ahead

Assignment Demonstration 7: Procreate Head Turn cont.

Timing

Assignment Demonstration 8: Procreate Head Turn finish

Staging, Exaggeration, Solid Drawing, & Appeal

Assignment Demonstration 9: Claymation Bouncing Ball

Next Steps

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Covers the 12 principles of animation, which are fundamental concepts applicable across various animation mediums and software

Includes hands-on assignments using free online tools and readily available household items, making it accessible to learners with limited resources

Explores animation through diverse mediums like flipbooks, digital 2D, Procreate, After Effects, stop motion, and claymation, offering a broad introduction to different techniques

Demonstrates animation techniques in Procreate on the iPad and After Effects, which are industry-relevant tools for digital animation

Features insights from a professional animator who has worked on major films, providing real-world context and practical application of the principles

Uses After Effects, and while the course provides a project file, learners should ensure they have access to the software to fully participate

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Principles of Animation: The Art of Appealing Motion with these activities:

Review Basic Physics Concepts

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Reviewing basic physics concepts will help you understand the science behind animation principles like squash and stretch, timing, and arcs.

Browse courses on Mechanics

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Review notes or textbooks on mechanics and kinematics.
Watch videos explaining physics principles relevant to motion.
Solve simple physics problems related to velocity and acceleration.

Read 'The Animator's Survival Kit'

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Reading this book will provide a deeper understanding of the principles of animation and how to apply them effectively.

View Adventures in Animation: How I Learned Who I... on Amazon

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Read the chapters related to the 12 principles of animation.
Study the examples and illustrations provided in the book.
Try some of the exercises to practice applying the principles.

Practice Bouncing Ball Animation

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Practicing the bouncing ball animation will help you master squash and stretch, timing, and slow in/out.

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Create a bouncing ball animation using different software or techniques.
Experiment with different weights and bounciness.
Analyze your animation and identify areas for improvement.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Explore 'Illusion of Life: Disney Animation'

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Reading this book will provide a historical perspective on the principles of animation and how they were applied at Disney.

View Melania on Amazon

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Read the chapters related to the history and techniques of Disney animation.
Study the examples and illustrations provided in the book.
Reflect on how the principles of animation were used in classic Disney films.

Create a Short Animation Explaining One Principle

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Creating a short animation explaining one of the 12 principles will solidify your understanding and allow you to teach others.

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Choose one of the 12 principles of animation.
Plan a short animation that clearly demonstrates the principle.
Create the animation using your preferred software or technique.
Share your animation and explain the principle you demonstrated.

Animate a Walk Cycle

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Animating a walk cycle will help you apply multiple principles of animation, including timing, spacing, and overlapping action.

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Research walk cycles and study different styles.
Plan your walk cycle, including key poses and timing.
Animate the walk cycle using your preferred software or technique.
Refine your animation and add details.

Follow Advanced Animation Tutorials

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Following advanced tutorials will help you refine your skills and learn new techniques beyond the basics covered in the course.

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Search for tutorials on specific animation techniques or software.
Follow the tutorials step-by-step and practice the techniques.
Adapt the techniques to your own projects.

Career center

Learners who complete Principles of Animation: The Art of Appealing Motion will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Animator

The role of an Animator involves creating moving images using various techniques, and this course is highly relevant to such a career. The course covers the core 12 principles that guide all animation work, ranging from squash and stretch to timing and appeal. This course would be useful for an Animator because it provides hands on experience with different methods including 2D animation, stop motion, and claymation. Further, it also provides experience with industry software like After Effects. Anyone seeking to work as an Animator in any field would benefit by learning the core principles and techniques taught in this course.

See salaries and explore the career path for Animator

Stop Motion Animator

A Stop Motion Animator creates animation by manipulating physical objects frame by frame, and this course provides essential skills for this career path. Given that the course covers stop motion animation and claymation, it is very useful to aspiring Stop Motion Animators. The emphasis on universal animation principles, along with hands-on projects, such as creating a claymation bouncing ball, make this course a perfect fit for someone interested in this role. The practical knowledge and techniques taught here will prove invaluable for anyone wishing to create stop motion animation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Stop Motion Animator

Character Animator

A Character Animator specializes in bringing characters to life through movement, and this course aligns incredibly well with this career. The course emphasizes the universal principles that enhance character animation such as exaggeration, appeal, and timing, while also providing hands on projects animating characters using digital tools, and clay. This course will help any Character Animator create more believable and engaging animations. The work in both 2D animation and stop motion in this course provides a range of relevant experience for those pursuing work in Character Animation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Character Animator

Motion Graphics Artist

A Motion Graphics Artist uses animation and visual effects to create compelling graphics, and this course offers a vital foundation for that kind of career. Learning the core principles of animation such as squash and stretch, anticipation, and overlapping action, as taught through this course, will make a Motion Graphics Artist far more adept at their job. Moreover, this course provides hands-on experience with animating in After Effects, which is a key software in motion graphics. The practical exercises in this course, from flipbooks to claymation, will directly benefit a Motion Graphics Artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Motion Graphics Artist

Game Animator

Working as a Game Animator involves creating animations for video games, and this course helps build a strong foundation in the basics of animation needed for such a role. The course's focus on the 12 animation principles is essential to creating believable movement in games. The hands on work animating using various methods, including After Effects, will also help a Game Animator in their career. The exercises, such as animating a bouncing ball and creating flipbooks, can easily be translated to the world of video game animation. Anyone interested in becoming a Game Animator would benefit from this course.

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Visual Effects Artist

A Visual Effects Artist creates special effects and other imagery for use in film, TV, video games, and other media and this course may help provide a useful foundation. The universal principles of animation, such as exaggeration, solid drawing, and appeal, are all lessons that can dramatically enhance the believability of a Visual Effects Artist's work. Furthermore, experience using software like Adobe After Effects is a key component of this career, and is a major part of this course. The focus on principles, along with hands on experience, may be helpful to those pursuing visual effects work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Visual Effects Artist

Video Editor

A Video Editor manipulates video footage, and an understanding of the principles of animation can enhance their work. While video editing mainly involves splicing existing footage, understanding the principles of animation will make a Video Editor more aware of how motion works. Also, experience with animation in After Effects will be a useful skill for a Video Editor. By focusing on the principles of animation, a Video Editor may be able to use this knowledge to enhance and create more engaging edits. Therefore this course may be helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Video Editor

Digital Artist

A Digital Artist uses digital tools to create artwork, and this course provides an opportunity to explore the medium of animation. The course covers key animation principles, such as timing and arcs, which are necessary for creating moving digital art. Further, working through the assignments in different mediums such as flipbooks, 2D, claymation, and After Effects gives a Digital Artist a diverse toolset. A Digital Artist may find this course useful because it introduces motion to their practice.

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Storyboard Artist

A Storyboard Artist creates visual representations of scenes in films or animations, often involving some understanding of timing, and motion, making this course potentially helpful. While this role focuses more on composition and narrative, the principles of animation, such as staging and timing learned in the course, are useful in creating dynamic storyboards. Additionally, understanding how motion works, through the course's exercises, can help a Storyboard Artist better communicate action. While this course is not focused on the art of storyboarding, a Storyboard Artist may find it useful.

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Creative Director

A Creative Director is responsible for overseeing the creative aspects of projects, including animation, and the principles of movement taught by this course may be useful to them. Although the role is not directly involved in hands-on animation creation, understanding the principles of animation will allow the Creative Director to better guide teams. Seeing the various methods of animation, such as stop motion, 2D, and clay, will provide a Creative Director with a breadth of knowledge. The insights from this course will make a Creative Director sharper in their role.

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Art Director

An Art Director oversees the visual direction of creative projects, and the principles of animation taught in this course can provide unique insights. By exploring the various animation methods in this course, such as stop motion and 2D animation, an Art Director will gain a breadth of knowledge about movement. The course's focus on universal principles will guide an Art Director in their decision making. Though this course is not directly related, an Art Director may find the principles of motion to be helpful.

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Product Designer

A Product Designer creates user-friendly products, interfaces, and experiences and might find value in this course due to the principles of motion that are taught here. Understanding how motion is perceived and how it can add to or diminish the appeal of a presentation is a valuable skill in this field. While the course does not focus on product design, the principles of animation may be helpful for a Product Designer in their field. The course has value in its ability to help a Product Designer be more aware of the visual experience. Therefore, some may find this course to be useful.

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Illustrator

An Illustrator creates images for various media such as books, magazines, and websites, and this course may be valuable for illustrators who want to explore animation techniques. While this role primarily focuses on still images, understanding the principles of animation, such as squash and stretch and anticipation, can add dynamism to an Illustrator's static work and allow them to explore motion. The experience gained in applying animation principles will make an Illustrator aware of how an image is captured in time and how that is perceived by the viewer. Although this course is not directly focused on illustration, the principles taught here may be useful.

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Instructional Designer

An Instructional Designer creates learning materials, and the animation experience provided here may be useful for making more engaging content. The principles of animation, taught by this course, can be applied to create effective visual aids in instructional materials. For example, ideas like how to show overlapping action and squash and stretch can increase engagement even in static materials. The exposure to various animation methods will give an Instructional Designer another tool for communicating ideas. Therefore a course such as this would may be useful for an Instructional Designer.

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Educator

An Educator teaches in a variety of settings and may value the knowledge provided in this course for its potential to engage students. The principles of animation taught in this course can be used to make presentations more engaging and can be applied to various teaching styles. The course work, and working in after effects, may be helpful to an Educator to understand the creation of moving media. However, the content of this course does not focus on becoming an educator, but it may provide some new ideas.

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Principles of Animation

The Art of Appealing Motion

What's inside

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