Squash, Stretch & Smears

As objects in reality move, the forces they encounter like the ground or the air they move through affect their form. The more malleable they are, the more expressive they become.

Follow Through & Overlapping Action

In the same way that movements have anticipatory movements, changes that require a large amount of force take a lot of force to stop them.

Exaggeration

When we look at a real object, we have no cause to believe that it isn’t real. A simple square doesn’t have all of the attributes that a person does that clue us into their vitality and personality. We can use exaggeration to engage our audience.

Secondary and Layered Animation

Simple things have to work very hard to retain our attention. A single movement will not stand out in a busy stage. If you can find additional ways to show that an object is going through change, you can add interest and exaggeration to an animation.

Appeal

This last principle is simple yet incredibly important. Is the animation and design appealing to look at?