The concept under examination serves as a basic animation principle employed to swiftly evaluate the quality and fluidity of movements before extensive refinement. It involves creating rough, uncleaned versions of key animation frames and then playing them back in sequence, often using traditional media such as paper and pencils. For instance, an animator might sketch the start, middle, and end poses of a character jumping, then rapidly flip between these drawings to get a sense of the jump’s timing and arc.
This method offers significant advantages in terms of time and resource management. By identifying and rectifying issues early in the process, animators can avoid costly rework later on. Historically, before the advent of digital animation software, this type of preliminary assessment was indispensable. It provided a tangible and immediate way to judge motion, timing, and spacing, contributing to the overall effectiveness of the animated sequence. The simplicity and directness of the method allowed for efficient collaboration and communication among animation teams.
