ABSTRACT
Non-cartoon (i.e., anatomically based) animation will require you to apply the same squash and stretch distortion principles as with the bouncing ball; however, for this you’ll need to achieve it by working with the actual anatomy of the character, rather than distorting it as if it were made of rubber. To achieve this, you need to sketch a (say) jumping realistic figure through 3 modes of action: static, squashing, and stretching. This realistically means sketching first a standing figure, and then one with the knees bent and the body leaning forward slightly, in preparation for a jump, and finally, one where the figure is reaching up vertically, off the ground, at the height of the jump. Use a real-world reference for this if you can, and exaggerate the poses to provide a stronger, more dramatic effect. (Take no more than 3 minutes to complete each drawing.)
