Hello,

Here are some simple concepts you can use when you are drawing for animation. These are some of the things that took me a while to find, and would have helped if I knew them when I began to animate. These principles can apply to full body figures and sticks alike.

Line of Action

The line of action is always something I had heard of but confused me. The line of action is usually described as a line starts from the head and continues through the feet to convey motion. I would always be confused when trying to draw a line of action, because I would try to make the line always go from the head to the foot. Instead, I just think of the line of action as a simple line that conveys the motion you are trying to create, and acts as a guide to help you visualize the motion in the pose better.

Here are some examples of a Line of Action



Flow/Rhythm

Sometimes you may draw a figure and it looks very stiff, or the animation feels choppy and does not flow well. Flow is the concept that lines move one into another to lead the eye, which creates motion. The concept of animation is making one picture flow into another to create the illusion of motion, and the same concept applies for drawing. If the different body parts of a figure flow into on another, your eye will naturally follow those lines, and by doing that you are creating the illusion of motion. This will help your figure look more energetic, and communicate motion clearly when you're animating.

Here is an example of flow/rhythm


I hope this short explanation of these concepts helps you the next time you animate, or even draw. I briefly touched on these concepts, as they can be very complicated with many different theories, but being introduced to them is the most important part, especially when starting out. Hopefully these concepts will offer some guidance and direction for any research you may do for drawing and animation.

If you have any questions I'd be more than happy to help! ^^

Thanks for your time!

-xAxiom

Wouldn't this be more helpful and apparent if it was in the community "animation" section?

or maybe tutorial section

Well, I think work for both the art and animation sections, this is some really good advice for both, but it's up to the moderators if they think otherwise.
Thanks for sharing this with us. :)

Quote from Rosie

Well, I think work for both the art and animation sections, this is some really good advice for both, but it's up to the moderators if they think otherwise.
Thanks for sharing this with us. :)

Okay love, I see you switched back to the pony pic and username has changed back
may i ask why?

Definitely in a tutorial section.

Good tips though :)

Quote from Xero

Wouldn't this be more helpful and apparent if it was in the community "animation" section?

Don't you have a full blown art tutorial post in the art section?

Quote from xAxiom

Don't you have a full blown art tutorial post in the art section?

Yes, but it's central focus is in general art, so it's obvious I place it here.
I was suggesting the animation section because it's population is much greater than the art section's, making it more easily noticed: therefore, more people will recieve it's advice.
It's a good tutorial, very informative; but I guess it doesn't matter where it's put at the moment.

Quote from Apex93

Okay love, I see you switched back to the pony pic and username has changed back
may i ask why?

Visitor message her that bro

Yeah it isn't really a tutorial, but rather just explaining and introducing terms and concepts that people eventually have to learn. Try to do something nice but get shit on, ohwell. watevs

Anything that teaches is a tutorial bro.
Tutorial>Tutor>Teach>You teach it, they learn it.
c:

So it's ok to have a giant art tutorial in the art section, but teaching something smaller specifically related to drawing and art needs to go in the tutorial section, even though people wont look for something that specific there? k.

You're taking this pessimistically bro, I suggested the animation section because of relevance and traffic (more so traffic).
It doesn't matter where you put it so much as long as it pertains a sort of relevance; I'm not saying you're wrong for where you decided to put this, which is what you seem to be implying.
I'm saying because the animation section is more popular than the art section, and this tutorial has relevance to animation, it might be helpful to a bigger mass there than here.
Remember, it's just a suggestion, not a statement.