Animation from Pencils to Pixels

2D animation is not just a matter of sitting down at a desk and producing an endless sequence of drawings without any planning or forethought. The very best of animation utilizes a large array of processes and techniques that ensure that it is achieved competently and moved in accordance with the animator’s (and the director’s) wishes. The following is an explanation of the most important processes and techniques that go into successful 2D animation. It is theoretically possible to animate on “a wing and a prayer,” but the techniques explained here will provide a surer way of achieving what is required.

Keys, Inbetweens, and Timing

The one thing that differentiates 2D from other forms of animation is that it is based on a fundamental two-fold ...