12 Principles of Animation
5. Follow-Through and Overlapping Action
The 12 principles of animation are guidelines created by ex-Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. They were made to teach animators how to create lifelike characters. This post will explain one principle.
Follow-through and overlapping action are two very closely related topics that generally accomplish the same goal of realistic motion. Follow-through is the idea that certain appendages and body parts might continue to move even after a motion is completed. So if a character with a scarf is running, then they stop suddenly, the scarf will fly forward past the body, then fall back where the character stopped. If a car stops moving, the antenna on top will keep moving for a second. If a cat turns suddenly, their tail might whip around.
Overlapping action is the idea that different parts of a body will move at different rates. So if you walk, your arms will move at a different speed than your head. Both overlapping action and follow-through are ways to provide convincing motion to animation.
