The Animator's Survival Kit

1. Character Construction: Proportion and Form

PROPORTION IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CONSTRUCTING A CARTOON CHARACTER.

Proportion is key. When creating cartoon characters, proportion is paramount. The relative sizes of body parts dictate the character type. For instance, a pugnacious character has a small head and large chest, while a cute character mirrors baby proportions with a large head and oval body.

Head size as measurement. Cartoon studios often use head size as a unit of measurement to maintain consistency. A cute bear might be three heads high, whereas a pugnacious bear could be five or six heads high. This ensures that the character's proportions remain consistent across different poses and actions.

Circular and rounded forms. Animated characters are based on circular, rounded forms for simplicity and better follow-through on screen. These forms make animation easier and more visually appealing. The parts of the character fit together at socket points, combining circular heads with rounded, pear-shaped bodies to add interest.

2. Building Believable Characters: Stance and Emotion

DRAW A "LINE OF ACTION" THROUGH THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL PARTS TO ORGANIZE AND SET THE ATTITUDE OR ACTION.

Line of action. To create believable characters, start with a "line of action" through the three-dimensional parts to organize the attitude or action. Construct the drawing as if fitting together the parts of a puppet at the joints, according to a character formula. This makes the character believable and evokes emotional responses from the audience.

Skeleton foundation. Build the cartoon from a rough skeleton, experimenting and discarding until the best drawing emerges. Work loosely when constructing the character, developing body masses around the skeleton and then adding detail over the masses.

Head construction. Think of the head as a rounded mass, either ball-shaped, pear-shaped, or egg-shaped. In animation, the head shape may change perspective and form many times during a scene. Simplify matters by drawing a framework in proper perspective first, then constructing the details over this form.

3. Animation Basics: Line of Action and Rhythm

THE LINE OF ACTION IS THE BASIS FOR RHYTHM SIMPLICITY, AND DIRECTNESS IN ANIMATION.

Line of action. The line of action is the foundation for rhythm, simplicity, and directness in animation. Start animation with a line of action, then draw the skeleton and details. This imaginary line extends through the main action of the figure, accentuating the dramatic effect.

Rhythm and design. Rhythm and design are secret formulas behind the appeal and charm of great cartoon art. The basic "S" curve of rhythm and opposing arcs have great value for drawings. Repetition of lines in different parts of the cartoon adds contrast to opposing lines.

Movement of body masses. Simplified figures in action demonstrate the twist and turn and variation of perspective in the main body masses. Building the figure in solids makes animation easier to "feel out." This involves understanding how body masses move and interact in three-dimensional space.

4. Character Types: Cute, Goofy, and Pugnacious

IN THIS FORMULA YOU WILL RECOGNIZE SOME FEATURES THAT ALL THESE COCKY WISE GUYS HAVE IN COMMON.

Cute characters. Cute characters often feature large heads in relation to their bodies, rounded forms, and exaggerated features like large paws or expressive eyes. These proportions evoke a sense of innocence and vulnerability.

Goofy characters. Goofy types often act like a "Simple Simon" clodhopper. They may have exaggerated features or awkward movements that contribute to their comedic appeal. The key is to design a character that embodies simplicity and clumsiness.

Pugnacious characters. Heavy, pugnacious characters have a small head, large chest or body area, heavy arms and legs, and a protruding jaw and chin. This formula also applies to four-legged types, such as bears and bulldogs. These characters exude strength and aggression.

5. Facial Expressions: Stretch, Squash, and Attitude

A CARTOON HEAD CAN BE STRETCHED OR SQUASHED TO STRENGTHEN AN EXPRESSION.

Stretch and squash. A cartoon head can be stretched or squashed to strengthen an expression. The oval containing the eyes does not change much, but the mouth area varies greatly. Small details react along with the larger form in which they are contained.

Hand expressions. Cartoon hands are tricky to draw, but they can tell a complete story with just a simple pose. Fingers should be placed unevenly to prevent a monotonous quality. Begin as if it were a mitten, then add the fingers.

Facial expressions. The job of an animator is the same as the job of an actor in live-action pictures. Both should be masters of portraying emotions. Studying your own grimaces in a mirror is a must. Pick a character you know and go through the expressions with him.

6. Movement Principles: Anticipation and Reaction

AN ACTION LIKE THE SWING OF A PENDULUM IS A MOVE BETWEEN TWO EXTREME POSITIONS.

Anticipation-Action-Reaction. An action like the swing of a pendulum is a move between two extreme positions. The first extreme is anticipation: get-set, wind up, pull back contraction-crouch or rise, or pull up. The second extreme is the reaction-recovery from the move - either a crash or a stretch-and-settle that may vibrate.

Straight-ahead animation. Straight-ahead animation involves drawing one move after another in an evolving sequence of growth. This method is used for actions that involve rhythms in character movements. There may be several overlapping secondary actions moving in a character, and each one has different timing and rhythm.

Pose-planning dramatics. Plan well-defined actions by first drawing a path of action using perspective, and then rendering the same cycle drawing in progressive positions. The in-between drawings are planned with spacing charts and roughed in by the animator. The in-betweens can radically change an action-either improving or stunting it.

7. Walk and Run Cycles: Two-Legged and Four-Legged

A COMPLETE CYCLE FOR A TWO-LEGGED WALK IS TWO STEPS.

Two-legged walk cycle. A complete cycle for a two-legged walk is two steps. Drawings are made of the key positions of the stepping action until the next drawing would be a repeat of the first. The drawings can be used over and over again to make the character walk as far or as long as desired.

Four-legged movement. Here is a comparison of the main cycles of four-legged movement. Some of them are complete - others are half-cycles. Study the differences in the examples. The walk, trot sneak, strut and tiptoe are half-cycles. The gallop, canter, and sniff are complete cycles.

Walk vs. Run. The contact drawing is the drawing in which the foot, after being lifted, strikes the ground. In the layout of a run or a walk for animation, it is usually these contact drawings that are determined first. They set the speed and the size of the character. The rest of the action is then built around them.

8. Dialogue and Acting: Expressions and Phonetics

AN ACTOR/ANIMATOR HAS AN ENORMOUS RANGE OF FACIAL EXPRESSIONS.

Facial expressions. An actor/animator has an enormous range of facial expressions. Every expression is based on four factors: the eyebrows, the eyes, the eyelids, and the mouth/cheek area. All affect the expression and they must all work together.

Dialogue character acting. The drawings define the range of body language expressions that were the repertoire of the original actors. These actions reinforced the dialogue script which is what made the TV series so funny and entertaining. These drawings show the actions of the characters as they react to the unfolding drama.

Vowels and consonants. Below are the main mouth expressions used in dialogue. The face is an elastic mass that can be squashed or stretched to fit the mouth expressions. This created a good contrast between positions that helps your animation. Study yourself in a mirror as you speak the words you are animating.

9. Technical Aspects: Timing, Spacing, and Layout

The animator is the "actor" of the film cartoon.

Timing and spacing. The animator is the "actor" of the film cartoon. An actor’s timing, which is based on instinct and personality, is the essence of the art. The actor must learn the craft, such as how to walk or move with meaning, to never pause unless there is a reason, and if there is a pause, to pause as long as possible.

Accents and beats. The storyboard and the script are the building plans, and the film is constructed on these foundations. Each scene is described in the script for picture and sound. The scene title describes the characters, the sound, and the type.

Still backgrounds. The no. 12 field scene can have four cel levels and a number of overlays. The distant hills could be the background. The foreground and the foreground inn and tree could be two separate overlays. They could separate during a truck-down to give depth.

10. Limited Animation: Cycles and Cutouts

CYCLE ANIMATION, as shown below this page, can be put on long cels that allow twelve inches on each side of the drawing.

Cycle animation. Cycle animation can be put on long cels that allow twelve inches on each side of the drawing. Such animation can be used in the field center with a moving pan as the background. The same cels placed on moving pegs can move the character through a still background scene.

Limited animation. Limited animation for television is based on dividing characters into parts that work on separate cel levels. Here are some examples of the many divisions possible. The same set of character cels can be used in many scones.

Animation cutouts. Animation cutouts can be very cost-effective in producing animated films. Body poses, with different head attitudes, can be used over and over in multiple combinations. For example, different arms can be used on the same body, as can mouths, eyes, and noses on a single cel head without having to redraw the entire body for each movement.

11. Composition and Staging: Directing the Eye

THE DRAMA PORTRAYER BY THE COMPOSITION FIRST CATCHES THE EYE, AND THEN DIRECTS THE EYE TO THE CENTER OF INTEREST BY VARIOUS DEVICES.

Composition and drama. The drama portrayed by the composition first catches the eye, and then directs the eye to the center of interest by various devices. The characters may send forward and look at it, or the abstract design may point at it, intersect it, frame it, circle it, or bend around it.

Eye level. The viewer's eye level is important when he looks at grandeur or big monsters from a worm's-eye view, or when he looks down at small things. Appreciate the value of silhouettes to define and clearly tell the story in two dimensions, even in groups they define all alone.

Background control. The drama of metamorphosis is a valuable tool in animation. In this scene, metamorphosis is used in two ways: a special lighting effect known as "cross-dissolve" is used to change the background from light to dark, and the four dragons are "morphed" into a single fire-belching dragon monster.

Last updated: April 15, 2025