K–6Creative Studio
Animation Basics
2D animation principles
Quincy
CassBefore you start
- Age band
- K–6
- Time
- 45–90 minutes
- Quest type
- Hanging Out
- Guardian
- Raya · Garfield
- Materials needed
- Flipbook Pad (blank)
- The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams
- Graphics Drawing Tablet (small, beginner)
Why this skill rocks
You can make your drawings dance and bring your favorite characters to life right now. Imagine telling your own animated stories!
2034Where this could take you
In 2034, you could be designing cool animated mascots for the Olympics or creating the next big cartoon series everyone watches.
What You'll Need
Optional materials for this quest.
Flipbook Pad (blank)
RequiredA pre-bound flipbook pad with thick, slightly translucent pages — you can see through to the page below, making it easy to trace and adjust your drawings frame by frame. Perfect for learning the bouncing ball and walk cycle before going digital.
The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams
RequiredThe most referenced animation book in the industry, written by the director of animation for "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." Covers timing, spacing, walks, and all 12 principles with frame-by-frame diagrams. Available new or used.
Graphics Drawing Tablet (small, beginner)
A small Wacom Intuos or Huion HS610 tablet makes digital frame-by-frame drawing much smoother than using a mouse. Not required — you can start with a mouse or trackpad — but a tablet dramatically speeds up your progress once you go digital.