ABSTRACT
Animation is derived from the Latin anima and means the act, process, or result of imparting life, interest, spirit, motion, or activity. Motion is a defining property of life and much of the true art of animation is about how to tell a story, show emotion, or even express subtle details of human character through motion. A computer is a secondary tool for achieving these goals-it is a tool which a skillful animator can use to help get the result he wants faster and without concentrating on technicalities in which he is not interested. Animation without computers, which is now often called “traditional” animation, has a long and rich history of its own which is continuously being written by hundreds of people still active in this art. As in any established field, some time-tested rules have been crystallized which give general high-level guidance to how certain things should be done and what should be avoided. These principles of traditional animation apply equally to computer animation, and we will discuss some of them below.
