h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As a hobby, I try to create 3D animations, a la "Toy Story" but at a much lower level of sophistication. I have attended a few 3D conferences just to see what the pros are doing. At one, the topic was "The Disney Dozen: 2D Animation Techniques that Every 3D Animator Should Know". Starting with "Steamboat Wille", the first Mickey Mouse cartoon, and continuing through "Fantasia 2000" - especially the "Rhythm in Blues" segment with the great 2D animation - these techniques have gone beyond "standards". An example is "squash and stretch" - a ball bouncing does not maintain a perfectly spherical shape, like a steel ball bearing might. Rather, it "squashes" - a lot - on hitting the floor, then "stretches" - a lot - when in the air. This applies to more than balls - like, characters.

As in any art, these are not rules (unless you are a beginning animator at Disney ), but knowing that people are expecting them allows creative deviation from the "Dozen". Or not.