Timing for Animation- 1981

Another book of note released the same year as the indispensable Illusion of Life is Timing for Animation written by Harold Whitaker and John Halas, both having had long standing careers as animators by the time they co-authored the book. You can see a full list of screen credits for each author on their respective IMDB pages. Both worked on Animal Farm, and some examples from the movie are in the book.

Timing for Animation delves in depth into one of, what Frank and Ollie defined as, the 12 principles of animation in their book the Illusion of Life. That principle being Timing, of course! The book is divided into topics which span only a few pages each and cover all of the 12 principles of animation but with an emphasis on timing in each explanation. If you’re already familiar with the principles, then it will provide a great way for you to better understand how timing effects your animation. Some of the topics covered are: timing of inanimate objects, force transmitted through jointed limbs, spacing of drawings, timing to suggest weight and force, water, rain, timing animals’ movements, timing and music. There’s a lot to be gained by reading this book and although it is deceptively light with its small size and low page count, there’s plenty of good information for animators to soak in. I like to keep it as a handy reference for when I’m animating a particular kind of movement and need another perspective on how to approach it. Such as, p. 64’s Timing an oscillating movement which provides tips on animating animal tails and twanging motions. The simple explanation and tips were very helpful.

The first copy of the book I owned was actually a Japanese translation I picked up while studying abroad working on my first animated short. Even without being completely fluent in Japanese at the time I gained a lot from studying the example images which appear at least on every other page. Once I bought my English copy and could read the text without a struggle, it was as if a light bulb was turned on and what I’d soaked in from studying the pictures really took hold.

Timing for Animation is a valuable reference for animators, but it’s not a definitive source on animating. It serves as a great secondary resource with some helpful reminders about things like physics and spacing and all things concerning timing. For that reason it’s a great reference book to have in your collection. Current reprints of the book even feature a wonderful forward by John Lasseter about his personal struggle with the topic. Small in size; at 142 pages you can surely find room for Timing for Animation on your shelf!

John Halas

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0354691/

Harold Whitaker

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0924266/