How can you add depth to your animations using secondary action?

1 What is secondary action?

Secondary action is a term that refers to the smaller, subtler movements that complement the main action of an animation. For example, if your character is running, the main action is the movement of the legs and torso. The secondary actions are the swinging of the arms, the bouncing of the hair, the expression of the face, and so on. Secondary actions add depth, personality, and realism to your animations by showing how the character reacts to the environment, the emotions, and the situation.

3 How to use secondary action effectively?

To use secondary action effectively, you need to follow some basic principles and guidelines. Before you start animating, plan your secondary actions and sketch out some rough poses and gestures that show the desired result. Make sure your secondary actions support and enhance the main action, not distract or contradict it. When it comes to timing and spacing, secondary actions should be slower, smaller, and softer than the main action. Use exaggeration and variation to make your secondary actions more expressive and appealing. You can also vary the secondary actions to avoid repetition and boredom. All these tips will help you create a realistic and natural animation that conveys the desired emotion or effect.

4 Examples of secondary action

To illustrate the concept and application of secondary action, let's look at some examples from different types of animation. For instance, Aaron Blaise's 2D animation of a bear cub climbing a tree showcases how secondary actions such as the cub's ears, tail, and paws move in response to gravity, friction, and effort. Additionally, the cub's facial expressions show curiosity, fear, and joy. Similarly, Pixar's 3D animation of a lamp jumping on a ball displays how the lamp's cord, plug, and switch move with inertia, tension, and impact. Furthermore, the lamp's head and base rotate and tilt to show excitement, anticipation, and satisfaction. Lastly, Aardman's stop-motion animation of sheep dancing reveals how the sheep's wool, ears, and legs move with rhythm, bounce, and twist. Moreover, the sheep's expressions and gestures vary to demonstrate individuality, mood, and attitude.

5 How to practice secondary action?

The best way to practice secondary action is to observe and analyze real-life examples of movement and emotion. You can watch videos, movies, cartoons, or people around you and study how they use secondary actions to communicate and interact. You can also record yourself or a friend performing different actions and emotions and use them as reference for your animations. Another way to practice secondary action is to experiment and improvise with different poses and gestures. You can use a mirror, a camera, or a drawing tool to capture and refine your secondary actions. The more you practice, the more you will develop your sense of timing, spacing, exaggeration, and variation for secondary action.

Secondary action is a vital technique that can make your animations more lively, realistic, and expressive. By using secondary actions wisely and creatively, you can add depth, personality, and appeal to your animations and make them stand out from the crowd.