Summary (TL;DR)

 

 

Before we proceed, remember this simple idea:

1. Poses are the storytelling moments
2. Extremes define the movement limits
3. Breakdowns explain how movement happens
4. Inbetweens smooth everything out

 

Now we are delving further.

 

Because all of those aspects live inside something called…

Frames.

 

 

What is a Frame?

 

Let’s make this super easy.

A frame is only:

One drawing in animation.

That is it.

Animation consist of many pictures shown rapidly one after another.

Think about a flipbook.

Every page has one drawing.

Each page = one frame.

 

When you flip the pages quickly…

The drawings look alive.

 

Real-Life Example:

 

 

Imagine taking photos of your friend jumping.

• Drawing 1 -> Standing
• Drawing 2 -> Knees bent
• Drawing 3 -> Mid-air
• Drawing 4 -> Landing

 

Each drawing is a frame.

 

When played quickly in unison…

 

It becomes a motion.

 

 

What is Frame Rate (FPS)?

 

 

FPS stands for:

Frames Per Second

 

This indicates to us:

“How many drawings are displayed every second.”

 

 

Simple Example:

 

 

Picture a cartoon playing:

 

• 12 FPS = 12 drawings in one second
• 24 FPS = 24 drawings in one second
• 30 FPS = 30 drawings in one second
• 60 FPS = 60 drawings in one second

 

More frames usually means smoother motion.

 

Although…

 

More frames also means more work.

 

 

Real-Life Comparison:

 

 

Think of riding a skateboard downhill.

 

 

Few Frames:

 

 

Movement feels jumpy.

Like hopping down stairs.

 

 

Medium Frames:

 

 

Motion feels smoother.

 

Like riding on a normal road.

 

 

Many Frames:

 

 

Movement feels very smooth.

 

Like skating on an icy stadium.

 

 

Common FPS Used in Animation:

 

 

Let’s simplify the most common ones.

 

 

12 FPS

Very common for beginners and many Anime.

 

• Simpler to animate
• Fewer drawings needed
• Still looks nice

 

This is a point where many starting animators begin.

 

 

24 FPS

 

 

Very common in movies and animation.

 

Looks smoother and more realistic.

 

But remember:

24 FPS does NOT necessarily mean 24 new drawings every second.

 

This is very important.

 

We will come back to this in a while.

 

 

25 FPS

 

 

Common in some TV systems.

 

Feels very similar to 24 FPS.

 

 

30 FPS

 

 

Very smooth for everyday movement.

 

 

60 FPS

 

 

Incredibly sleek.

Often used in games or high-dynamic motion.

But for animation?

It can become a lot of work.

 

 

Do You Really Need New Drawings for Every Frame?

 

 

Short answer?

 

No.

 

This is one of the biggest beginner misconceptions.

 

You do NOT always need:

• 24 drawings every second
• 30 drawings every second
• 60 drawings every second

 

Animators typically reuse drawings all the time.

 

 

Animating on 1s, 2s & 3s:

 

 

This sounds horrifying at first.

Yet it is actually simple.

 

 

Animating on 1s:

 

 

A new drawing shows up on every frame.

At 24 FPS:

24 new drawings per second

Totally smooth.

Used for:

• Fast action
• Fight scenes
• Wild movement

 

But also…

It consumes so much of your precious time.

 

 

Animating on 2s:

 

 

Each drawing holds for 2 frames.

 

At 24 FPS:

Only 12 drawings per second

 

This is EXTREMELY common.

 

Why?

 

Because it conserves time while still looking smooth.

 

Many cartoons and Anime use this constantly.

 

 

Animating on 3s:

 

 

Each drawing stays for 3 frames.

 

At 24 FPS:

Only 8 drawings per second

 

Movement gets choppier.

 

However, sometimes that style is effective.

 

Especially for:

• Humor
• Slow scenes
• Limited movement

 

 

Simple Pizza Analogy:

 

 

Assume sharing pizza slices.

 

 

On 1s:es

 

 

Everyone gets tiny fast bites.

 

Very smooth.

 

 

On 2s:

Bigger bites.

Still enjoyable.

 

 

On 3s:

 

 

Even fewer bites.

Movement feels more “staggered.”

 

 

How Many Drawings Do You Need?

 

 

Let’s calculate this simply.

 

 

5 Seconds of Animation

 

 

At 24 FPS on 1s:

 

 

24 drawings × 5 seconds

 

120 drawings

 

 

At 24 FPS on 2s:

 

 

12 drawings × 5 seconds

 

60 drawings

 

At 24 FPS on 3s:

 

 

8 drawings × 5 seconds

 

40 drawings

 

 

1 Minute of Animation

 

 

1 minute = 60 seconds

 

 

At 24FPS on 1s:

 

 

24 drawings × 60 seconds

1,440 drawings

 

 

At 24FPS on 2s:

 

 

12 drawings × 60 seconds

720 drawings

 

 

At 24FPS on 3s:

 

8 drawings × 60 seconds

480 drawings

 

 

1 Hour of Animation:

 

 

1 hour = 60 minutes

60 minutes = 3,600 seconds

 

 

At 24FPS on 1s:

 

 

24 drawings × 3,600 seconds

86,400 drawings

 

Yes.

 

That is why animation takes time.

 

 

At 24FPS on 2s:

 

 

12 drawings × 3,600 seconds

43,200 drawings

 

Still huge.

 

 

At 24FPS on 3s

 

 

8 drawings × 3,600 seconds

28,800 drawings

 

 

Important Beginner Truth:

 

 

This is why animators:

• Simplify scenes
• Reuse movement
• Hold frames longer
• Use smart planning
•  Make reusable assets

 

Animation is not about drawing endlessly.

 

It is about drawing smartly.

 

 

What is a Keyframe?

 

 

A keyframe is:

The most important frame in a motion.

 

Remember extreme poses from the last blog?

 

Keyframes are often those important moments.

 

 

E.g: Bouncing Ball

 

 

1. Ball at top → Keyframe
2. Ball hitting ground → Keyframe
3. Ball back at top → Keyframe

 

These define the action.

Everything else links them together.

 

 

Simple Analogy

 

 

Consider keyframes like story checkpoints in a video game.

 

They are the important moments.

 

Without their presence…

The story falls apart.

 

 

What is a Blank Keyframe?

 

 

A blank keyframe is basically:

An empty frame.

No drawing yet.

Just space waiting for something.

 

E.g:

 

 

Imagine a theatrical play.

 

The curtain rises…

But no performer is on stage yet.

 

That empty moment?

 

That is basically a blank keyframe.

 

 

The 2 Major Animation Methods:

 

 

Now we reach something VERY important.

There are 2 main ways animators make cartoons:

Pose to Pose Animation:

 

 

This is the technique most animators usually employ.

Especially in professional workstation.

 

 

How It Works?

 

 

First:

You draw the essential poses.

 

Then:

You add breakdowns.

 

Then:

You add inbetweens.

 

 

E.g: Jumping

 

You first draw:

1. Standing pose
2. Jump pose
3. Landing pose

 

THEN you connect them.

 

 

Why Pose to Pose is Useful?

 

 

It gives:

• Better control
• Better planning
• More consistency
• Cleaner storytelling

 

You are already aware where the motion starts and ends.

 

So less guessing.

 

 

Real-Life Analogy:

 

 

Think about cooking.

 

Pose to Pose is like:

1. Planning ingredients first
2. Preparing steps
3. Then cooking calmly

 

Everything feels organized.

 

 

Straight Ahead Animation:

 

 

This is not the same.

Here…

You just keep drawing non-stop.

Scene after scene after scene.

No extensive planning first.

 

Why Beginners Often Call It “Frame–by-Frame”?

 

 

Children and students naturally animate this way.

 

They simply:

1. Draw one frame
2. Then the next
3. And another

 

So many newbies call this:

“Frame by frame animation”

 

For something that little children came up with, honestly makes sense.

 

 

Why Straight Ahead Feels Fun?

 

 

It seems:

• More alive
• More energetic
• More spontaneous

 

Because you discover movement while animating.

 

 

E.g:

 

 

Imagine drawing someone running in a marathon.

 

Instead of planning every position…

 

You just keep moving ahead instinctively.

 

The movement can feel untamed and organic.

 

If Pose to Pose is Better… Why Does Straight Ahead Still Exist?

 

 

Great question.

Because Straight Ahead is ASTOUNDING for specific animations.

Things That Move Wildly:

 

 

Like:

• Fire
• Ears
• Hair
• Tails
• Cloth
• Water
• Smoke
• Explosion
• appendage

 

These things move unpredictably.

 

Too much planning can make them appear stiff.

 

 

Expressions & Acting:

 

 

Tiny facial expressions often improve with Straight Ahead.

Because emotions are complex in real life.

People do not react perfectly.

 

 

Effects Animation:

 

 

Explosions. Magic. Energy.

 

Straight Ahead helps these feel relaxed and natural.

 

 

Organic Movement:

 

 

Anything living or flowing like chubby body part often benefits from Straight Ahead.

 

 

When Animators Use Each Method:

 

 

Situation	Better Method
Dialogue scenes	Pose to Pose
Clean acting	Pose to Pose
Action planning	Pose to Pose
Wild effects	Straight Ahead
Hair/cloth/tails	Straight Ahead
Chaotic energy	Straight Ahead

 

 

 

Fast Action Scenes:

Fight scenes sometimes mix BOTH methods.

• Main body movement = Pose to Pose
• Appendage, tail, hair and cloth = Straight Ahead

This gives structure + energy together.

 

 

What Should Beginners Practice First?

 

 

Begin with:

 

 

Pose to Pose:

 

 

Why?

 

Because it teaches:

• Clarity
• Planning
• Structure

 

You learn movement properly.

 

 

Then Slowly Explore Straight Ahead:

 

 

Once comfortable…

Experiment with freer movement.

This builds confidence and creativity.

 

 

What Professionals Actually Do?

 

 

Here’s the funky fact.

 

Most professionals merge BOTH techniques.

 

They plan the necessary movement…

 

Then loosen up certain parts.

 

That’s how animation feels both:

• Controlled

AND

• Alive

 

 

Everyday Example:

 

 

Think of a banana being slipping on a its own peel.

 

 

Pose to Pose Part:

 

 

You plan:

1. Standing
2. Slipping
3. Falling

 

 

Straight Ahead Part:

 

 

Then maybe:

• Arms flail wildly
• Hair bounces
• Clothes react naturally

 

Both methods collaborate together.

 

 

Final Thoughts:

 

 

Animation feels complicated at first…

Until you note:

It is just:

• Pictures
• Shown over time
• Planned carefully

 

That’s it.

 

Frames create movement.

 

Keyframes create structure.

Timing creates feeling.

And your drawings bring all your dreams to reality.

 

You do NOT need thousands of perfect drawings to start.

 

You just need:

• Practice
• Patience
• Understanding

 

And truthfully?

You already understand more than you did before reading this.

 

That’s true progress.

 

 

What’s Your Next Step (Coming Thursday):

 

 

You now get what are:

• FPS
• Frames
• Keyframes
• Animation methods

 

But there’s one massive question still left:

Why do some movements feel heavy… while others feel light?

 

That is where animation starts feeling alive.

 

See you until the next relive.