CARTOON ANIMATION - by Preston BLAIR

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AN ACTION LIKE THE SWING OF A PENDULUM IS A MOVE BETWEEN TWO EXTREME POSITIONS. AN ACTION DRAWING OF THE PENDULUM IN CENTER POSITION HAS LITTLE VISUAL VALUE TO DEPICT THE ACTION. IT IS THE EXTREME POSITIONS OF THE PENDULUM THAT DEPICT THE ACTION - AND MEASURE IT. THE FIRST. EXTREME IS ANTICIPATION: GET-SET, WIND UP, PULL BACK CONTRACTION-CROUCH OR RISE, OR PULL UP (THE LATTER FOR A DOWN MOVE). THE SECOND EXTREME IS THE REACTION-RECOVERY FROM THE MOVE - EITHER A CRASH OR A STRETCH-AND-SETTLE THAT MAY VIBRATE.

START AT A

DRAW-BACK

MOVE

GO PAST B

BACK TO B

THE SLIGHTEST MOVE IN ANY DIRECTION MAY BE REINFORCED WITH A MOVE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, INTO AN ANTICIPATION BEFORE THE ACT, AND THEN A RECOVERY PROCESS. NOTE: THE ACTUAL CONTACT DRAWING IS OF SUCH LITTLE VALUE THAT IT IS OFTEN BEST TO ELIMINATE IT, AS SHOWN BELOW.

IN THE GOLF SWING WE ELIMINATE THE CENTER DRAWING OF THE CLUB ACTUALLY HITTING THE BALL; IN A FOOTBALL KICK, WE SKIP THE FOOT CONTACTING THE BALL, ETC. THE EFFECT OF THIS TRICK IS A CRISPNESS OF EXECUTION BECAUSE YOU NEVER SEE IT. IN THE ACTIONS BELOW WE DON'T ACTUALLY SEE THE RABBIT CONTACT THE BULLDOG OR THE WOODCUTTER HIT THE TREE. THIS IS NOT A TRICK; IT'S A TIMING EXAGGERATION.

HOWEVER, A TRICK LIKE THE MAGICIAN'S SLEIGHT OF HAND IS VALUABLE TO THE ANIMATOR. CALLED A "FAKE", IT IS USED IN SITUATIONS LIKE THE DRAWING OF THE WOODCUTTER. HIS AXE FITS THE ACTION SIMPLY, AND THE TRUTH IS A QUICK, CONFUSING TWIST ON THE AXE. WHEN AN ACTION IS CONCEALED FOR A FLASH OR WHEN A QUICK MOVEMENT LOSES THE EYE, CHANGE THE LEGS, HANDS, OR WHATEVER AWKWARD SITUATION YOU ARE IN.

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Cartoon Animation (The Collector's Series)

by Preston Blair

" I've been in or near the cartoon business for 50 years and Preston Blair's "Cartoon Animation" played a big role in my education. "