1. SQUASH AND STRETCH This action gives the illusion of weight and volume to a character as it moves. 2. ANTICIPATION This movement prepares the audience for a major action the character is about to perform, such as, starting to run, jump or change expression. 3. STAGING A pose or action should communicate to the audience the attitude, mood, reaction or idea of the character as it relates to the story and continuity of the story line, directs the audience's attention to the story or idea being told. 4. STRAIGHT AHEAD AND POSE TO POSE ANIMATION Starts at the first drawing and works drawing to drawing to the end of a scene versus a more planned out and charted with key drawings done at intervals throughout the scene. 5. FOLLOW THROUGH AND OVERLAPPING ACTION When the main body of the character stops all other parts continue to catch up to the main mass of the character, such as arms, long hair, clothing, coat tails or a dress, floppy ears or a long tail (these follow the path of action). Nothing stops all at once. When the character changes direction while his clothes or hair continue forward. 6. SLOW-OUT AND SLOW-IN As action starts, we have more drawings near the starting pose, one or two in the middle, and more drawings near the next pose. Fewer drawings make the action faster and more drawings make the action slower. 7. ARCS All actions, with few exceptions (such as the animation of a mechanical device), follow a slightly circular path. 8. SECONDARY ACTION Adds to and enriches the main action and adds more dimension to the character animation, supplementing and/or re-enforcing the main action. 9. TIMING The basics are: more drawings between poses slow and smooth the action. Fewer drawings make the action faster and crisper. Also, there is timing in the acting of a character to establish mood, emotion, and reaction to another character or to a situation. 10. EXAGGERATION A caricature of facial features, expressions, poses, attitudes and actions. 11. SOLID DRAWING The basic principles of drawing form, weight, volume solidity and the illusion of three dimension apply to animation as it does to academic drawing. 12. APPEAL An easy to read design, clear drawing, and personality development that will capture and involve the audience’s interest.