# frame by frame and keyframing Also known as [[12 principles of animation#4 straight ahead action and pose to pose|straight ahead and pose to pose]] in the 12 principles of animation. <div class="iframeDiv"><iframe width="100%" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v8quCbt4C-c?si=AzjrXLOyIeTgMoYt" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> _part of [12 principles of animation videos from Ernest Becker](https://www.youtube.com/@AlanBeckerTutorials)_ ## frame-by-frame Frame by frame is a more traditional form of animation where you draw your action linearly on one frame to the next in order one after another. You start at the beginning and move forward until you get to the end. This straight-ahead style tends to be open and loose and can feel more spontaneous. Actions can feel more smooth and natural or even wild and experimental. Since this process is mostly unplanned, a disadvantage is that the animation can easily get away from you as the action gets going. It is easy to lose track of things like proportion of elements or the relative importance of sub-actions. This form of animation is not used extensively for bigger productions. It is mostly used for small snippets of action in animations that are more planned out using keyframing. ## keyframing Keyframing is a more planned non-linear approach to animation where key poses in the action are drawn out across the sequence. Then the in-between frames are drawn connecting the key poses together. This allows for a more planned and organized approach to building a sequence with more control over timing and movement. Since keyframe animations are so controlled, they can feel less spontaneous and loose. They can feel more rigid and staged. A lot more work is needed to create a fluid sense of movement. This form of animation is used quite extensively since it is easier to organize and break down actions. It can be more efficient and much cheaper to produce. Often, a higher-priced and higher-skilled artist will draw only the keyframe poses of a sequence and then a lower-echelon of cheaper artists will draw the in-between frames. With digital animation tools, an artist can draw the key poses and then let the computer fill in the missing frames. It is easier to loop and reuse snippets of action, such as drawing a single footstep sequence and then looping into a walk cycle. [[keyframes and breakdowns|Keyframes and breakdowns]] digs deeper into the process, including the use of [[12 principles of animation#2 anticipation|anticipation]] and [[12 principles of animation#5 follow through and overlapping action|follow through and overlapping action]]. --- Learn more… - [Straight ahead and pose to pose from Pixune](https://pixune.com/blog/straight-ahead-and-pose-to-pose/) - [Straight ahead and pose to pose principle from Anideos](https://pixune.com/blog/straight-ahead-and-pose-to-pose/) - [Straight ahead and pose to pose fundamentals from Gorevity](https://gorevity.com/animation-straight-ahead-action-and-pose-to-pose-the-fundamentals/) --- tags: #animation #resources home: [[! animation]]