^ZSSSSSS^^9^.

mm

PUBLISHED BY WALTER T. FOSTER

LEARN HOW TO DRAW ANIMATED CARTOONS

 CONSTRUCTION OF TMC HEAD
THINK OF THE HEAD ASA BOUNDED MAGS, EITHER. BALL SHAPED, PEAR SHAPED OR EGG- SHAISS*
AS THE CASE MAY BE — IN ANIMATION TH£ HEAD SHAPE MAY CHANGE PEPSPECTIVE AND FORM.
A GREAT NUMBER OF TIMES DURJNG A SCENE.—TO SIMPLIFY MATTERS A CORRECT PERSPECTIVE
FRAMEWORK SHOULD FIRST BE DRAWN .THEN THE DETAILS CONSTRUCTED OVER THIS FORAA.

tws character flams DRAW AROUNO n«* A C 00.1 AT RX>HT ANOLSC TO Bass op eves and top NOW THE 06TAILS ARC PWT
WITH A ROOND otcst TV4AI »IU OlViDC *AC( IN TMC THIS PUT IN TMG SYS O* NOS 6 nm INTO CYC LINE- IN OVER THE TRAMCWOCK
M'CCSC UNOTMWISC — T*l« unc aackS-TWicttrs NOTKC PCRSPCITIVS MAPCS
ftUBXWCS TMS TICTO* M£AO FACS UP Oft DOWN. u/r eve ••OOCR tmat «jomt

A NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Preston Blair, Cartoon Director, is one of the fine artists of Animation. Associated with the Disney Organization, he animated in
"Pinocchio," "Bambi," and "Fantasia,” in the later he designed the hippos. Later for Fred Quimby, shorts Producer at Metro-
Goldwyn-Mayer, he designed and animated the highly successful, "Red Hot Riding Hoad," directed "Barney Bear" shorts, and
animated in "Anchors Aweigh." Blair is active in magazine illustration and fine arts, and is a member of the California and
American Watercolor Societies. Recently when he won first prize in our National Print Exhibition at the Laguna Beach Art Gallery,
I met him and suggested he make this book for you. I am sure it will prove interesting and helpful to all those studying this
popular cartoon medium.

4
Cl
 MOfeE HEAPS CONSTfeUCTEP

START WITW ADD NOSE CON- ^ U \ U / I \

STRUCT I ON “SEE NOW PUTIN OVALS w I / \ V V \
B
AN OVAL ANC
URSPECT l VE
UIDE LINES.
THAT THIS FITS FOR THE EVES - • • A
SOLIDLY ON,
^
WATCH “PERSPECTIVE AND CONSTRUCT THE REMAINING
U
DETAILS

ALL ANIMATED CARTOON CHARACTERS STUDY THE BASIC

CAN BE REDUCED TO A BASIC FORMULAE FORMULAE T HAVE
THIS MAKES THEM EASY TO MASTER. AND INDICATED HERE,THEN
INSURES UNIFORMITY “THRUOUT A FILM AtJHO DRAW THIS DOC
SEVERAL ARTISTS WORK ON THE SANE CHARACTER IN OTHER POSITIONS

We are grateful to Fred Quimby, Shorts Producer, at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, for his permission to allow some of M.G.M's.
excellent cartoon characters to appear in this book, among them Tom and Jerry that riotously funny team of cat and mouse,
that have captured the hearts of all of us, including the Motion Picture Academy judging from the Oscars the two have received
with Fred Quimby. Yes, our hots are off to these fellows and M.G.M., creators of the most entertaining and amusing cartoons
in recent years! 1
 AND SQUASH ON HEADS

A CARTOON HEAP CAN BE STRETCHED OR

SQUASHED TO STRENGHTEN AN EXPRESSION.
-YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE OVAL
CONTAINING- THE EYES COES NOT CHANGE
GREATLY-MOST VARIABLE IS MOUTH AREA* •
SMALL DETAILS ALSO RE-ACT LIKE THE
LARGE FORM IN WHICH THEY ARE IN.

c
BODY BUILT FROM ROUNDED OR CIRCULAR FORMS
TME ANIMATED CARTOON CHARACTER
IS BASED ON THE CIRCLE AND
ROUNDED FORM-AS SEVERAL PEOPLE
MAY WORK ON THE SAME DRAWING IN A
CARTOON STUPIO.THE ROUNDED FORM IS
USER DUE ID ITS SIMPLICITY-ANIMATION IS
THUS EASIER-ALSO CIRCULAR FORMS
"FOLLOW THRU'gETTER ON THE SCREEN^TUDY
THESE DRAWINGS I HAVE ANALYZEEP-
-VISUALIZE ALL FORMS AS
SOLID MASSES WITH 3 DIMENSIONS.

3
 THE SKELETON FOUNDATION
BUILD THE CARTOON UP FROM A ROUGH SKELETON -- DONT EXPECT TO GET THE RJGHT
SKELETON THE FIRST TRY ALWAYS-NO ONE CAN DO THAT-EXPERIMENT- DISCARD-MAKE SEVERAL
THEN PICK THE BEST ONE -- HERE ARE THE ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS " TOM T J ERRY" (WHO
APPEAR IN M.GM. PICTURES) TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA HOW IT2S DONE,~W0RK L0OSE0N CONSTRUCTION.

WORK CUT A SKELETON-CONSTRUCT BODY MASSES AROUND IT-THEN BUILD DETAILS OVERTHIS

4
 LIME OF ACTION
An IMAGINAfeY LINE EXTENDING THRU THE MAIN ACTION OFTHE
FIGURE IS THE"LINE ©FACTION"-- PLAN YOUR. FIGURE AND IT'S
DETAILS TO ACCENTUATE THIS LINE--BY SO DOINCr YOU STRENGHTEN
THE DRAMATIC EFFECT -THE FIRST THING TO DRAW WHEN CON¬
STRUCTING- A FIGURE IS THE LINE OF ACTION-THEN BUILD OVER THAT.

WRONG/ LINES OF ACTON UNFIT - - - RIGHT/ LINES OT ACTION FIT AND ARE ACCENTUATED

BELOW T^M+JERRyfMGM STARS.ILLUSTRATE THIS CARTOON LAW,

5
 These are progressive steps taken by an animator in drawing a cartoon character

1 Draw in "Line of Action" to establish general stance of figure.

2 Rounded masses for head and body are put in.

3 Perspective lines around these masses are put in to establish front, side, tilt etc. of body and head.

4 Now arms, legs and eyes are constructed or "anchored on" in their definite position to perspective lines.

5 Details are now fitted in or hinged into their position.

6 Character is cleaned up around these construction lines.

7
v/ HERE ABE SOME «DU6H SKETCHES
r OP AN OWL-TO SHOW YOU HOW A
BIRDS WIN6 CAN BE HANDLED- IT
CAN BE STRAIGHT, OB AT OTHER TINES ,
TAKE ON ALL THE CHARACTERISTICS /
Cf A HAND WITH THE FEATHERS AS FW6EK5. 0
Moke a repeal cycle of this

bulldog running using drawing

to right for one position. See

"run” in “movements of the

four legged figure” on page

25 for guide.
 HERE NZE SOME IDEAS FOR.
DRAWING A SQUIRREL-AS IN
CUTE CHARACTERS, HEAD IS
LARGE.-IMPORTANT ARE
THE TWO FRONT TEETH,

TWIST LITTLE FELLOW APPEARED

IN AN M.G.M. CARTOON WITH
BARNEY BEAR. AND HE WAS A
RIOT--BELOW IS ROW HE
COMPARED IN SIZE TO BARNEY

m <
m,
 THE SCREWBALL TYPE LOW
FORE¬
IN THIS FORMULAE ELONGATED HEAD HEAD
YOU WILL RECOGNIZE NOT TOO BIO.
SOME FEATURES SKINNY NECK—-
THAT ALL THESE
COCKY-WISE GUYS ' / ~\
HAVE IN COMMON , \ ^i BIO
LITTLE OR
SKINNY LEGS

the: antics of
.2) these bad boys
HAVE BEEN SOME
5 OF THE FUNNIEST
ON THE SCREEN

12
 o^SMALL HEAD-HELD FORWARD
GOOFY CHARACTERS HAIR. HANGS OVER EYES
HERE IS THE BASIC FORMULAE FOR — DROOPY HALF-AWAKE EYE'S
GOOFY TYPES THAT ACT LIKE A
BEAK OR NOSE
SIMPLE SIMON CLOD-HOPPER:
LONG SKINNY NECK.---- X BUCK TEETH
HUMP BACK-STOOP SHOULDERED. */ /ABSOLUTELY NO CHIN /-THIS
LONG DROOPY ARMS.--- IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WITH BIG HANDS. ( BOBBLINO ADAMS APPLE
OVER-HANGING FANNY- ^ vSUNKEN CHEST
PANTS LOW AND ^ ^ BIO STOMACH PORTRUDES
A ? LOOSE ■+■ BAGGY
=—— LOW CROTCH IN PANTS
/< ENORMOUS -F
—TRY DESIGNING A
\ \ CLUMSY FEET
J CHARACTER OF YOUR
OWN USING THESE POINTS.
 COMPARATIVELY HU6E CHIN HEAVY EYEBROWS
SMALL CRANIUM AND JOWL'S LITTLE EARS ' EYES CLOSE AND
/ /•' v BEADY
HEAVY THICK
NECK WHEN IT x/ 8l<3 LOWER
SHOWS \ V Yl\P STICKS

J j our

SMALL HIP
AREA ARMS LON6
AND HEAVY
Little
BIO HANDS
SHORT
HEAVY
LEOS

THE HEAVY
PU6NACI0US
CHA&AOm
ABOVE IS A FORMULAE
FOR TH^E BAD BOY£
WHICH APPLIES AL-SO
TO FOUR LE6CEP TYPES
-A£ THE BEAPL.
BELOW AND THE BULL-
DOO ON THE NEXT PA6E.

14
 HEAD LARGE IN RELATION
THE CUTE ^TO THE BODY.

CHARACTER HIGH FOREHEAD IS

VERY IMPORTANT
CUTENESS IS BASED ON EYES SPACED LOW ON
THE BASIC PROPORTIONS HEAD T USUALLY LARGE
OP A BABY + EXPRESSIONS AND WIDE APART.
OF SHYNESS OR COYNESS.
NOSE •f-MOUTH ARE
EARS ARE SMALL IN ALWAYS SMALL.
RELATION TO ADULT SIZE. ARMS ARE SHORT AND
NO NECK-HEAD JOINS ON TO NEVER SKINNY AND
Body directly. TAPER DOWN TO THE
BODY PEAR SHAPED HAND AND TINY FINGERS
AND ELONGATED. TUMMY BULGES -
SWAY BACK-WITH THIS LINE LOOKS WELL-FED.
CONTINUING UP BACK OF HEAD FAT LEGS-SHORT AND
AND DOWN INTO FANNY. ■TAPERING DOWN INTO
FANNY PORTRUDES-NEI/ER SMALL FEET FOR TYPE.
BULGES-BUT FITS INTO LEO
LINES AND
BASE OF

NOTICE HOW
ABOVE POINT'S
ARE USED IN
THESE ANIMAL'S

15
 •HANDS
TO DRAW THE HAND FIRST START AS IF IT WERE A MITTEN <g)
AND (S) — THEN PUT THE TWO MIDDLE FINGERS IN FOLLOWING
THIS SHAPE © — THE LITTLE FINGER IS THEN PUT IN , VARVING IT
IN ANV FASHION TO PREVENT MONOTONY (g) — IT IS OFTEN A GOOD
IDEA TO EXAGGERATE THE BASE OF THE THUMB. \

CARTOON HANDS ARE TRICKY - SO BELOW I'VE DRAWN AN AVERAGE

HAND IN ALL KINDS OF POSITIONS TO GIVE VOU SOME IDEAS.-
NOTICE THAT THE FINGERS SHOULD BE UNEVENLY PLACED TO PRE¬
VENT A MONOTONOUS QUALITY.

u
 FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
AN ANIMATOR JOB IS THE SAME AS AN ACTOR'S JOB IN LIVE ACTION
PICTURES.—BOTH SHOULD BE MASTERS OF PORTRAYING EMOTIONS.-STUDYINO
YOUR OWN GRIMACES IN A MIRROR IS A MUST— PICIC A CHARACTER. YOU KNOW
-f GO THRU THE EXPRESSIONS WITH HIM, AS I HAVE HERE WITH "JERRY MOUSE.

YELL LAUGH
SMILE
Skeptical

TIRED

9 TRAGIC
THOUGHT

FRIGHT
ALOOF
SURPRISE

IMPATIENT

Ashamed

WINK

KNOLKED-OUT

SMILE

CRYIN6 CONTEMPT

17
THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS
 THE BASIC BOUNCING BALL ACTION

AS BALL PALL'S- ITS yf

SPEED INCREASES^
•DRAWINGS ARE SPACED
FURTHER APART.--
AS BALL HITS
ON S-7-I2-I4 NOTICE/^ IT RECOILS-
BALL STRETCHES IN ^ BECOMES
FALLING-+ TAKING OFF SQUASHED

NOTICE' BALL FOLLOWS A DEFINITE PATH OF ACTION --STUDy CLOSELY THE

SPACING OF BALL ALONG THIS PATH -- NOT\CB THE BASIC SIMILARITY OF THIS
BALL ACTON TO THE HOP AND JUMP BELOWr ALSO TOTH£ WALK-ftUN-LEAP-SKIP-ETC.

NOTICE A-C-E ARE

LIKE S-7-H--I4* ABOVE WHEN MR.SCREWY PILGRIM
CHARACTER STRETCHES - B BIT-PLAYER-IS UNDER
CONTRACT WITH M.G.M.
15 LIKE RECOIL ON 6-13 AND
D IS LIKE THE NORMAL 2-10-17

22
MOVEMENT OF BOW MASSES
HERE ARE SOME SIMPLIFIED FIGURES IN ACTION TO SHOV^
YOU THE TWIST AND TURN AND VARIATION OF PERSPECTIVE
IN THE MAIN BODY MASSES AS THE FIGURE ANIMATES -BUILDING
THE FIGURE IN SOUPS MAKES ANIMATION EASIER TO‘FEEL"OUT

23
 MOVEMENTS OF THE TWO LEOdEP FldURE
HERE IS A COMPARISON OF THE VARIOUS TWO LEGGED FORWARD MOVEMENT CYCLES ~I HAVE
DRAWN ONE-HALF OF EACH CYCLE BELOW—REVERSE HANDS + FEET FOR THE OTHER HALF-
-THESE CYCLES CAN BE USED AS "REPEATS'-(THAT IS THE DRAWINGS MAY BE REPEATED OVER
-t-OVER IF THE FIGURE REMAINS CENTERED ON THE SCREEN 'AND THE BACKGROUND MOVES.

WALK-

POUBLE
BOUNCE
WALK—

STRUT

SHUFFLE-

SNEAK-

RUN —

JUMP —

FAST
RUN —

24
 MOVEMENTS OF THE FOUR LEGGED FIGURE
HERE IS A COMPARISON OF THE MAIN CYCLES OF FOUR. LEGGED MOVEMENT-
SOME OF THESE CYCLES ARE COMPLETE —OTHERS ARE ONE-HALE OF THE CYCLE -
ON THESE REVERSE FEET FOR THE OTHER HALF.--STUDY THE DIFFERENCES IN THESE

m
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wW/fM mm

CANTEk
X/hZd
ilL

GALLOP
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'zmrrjx'Aism 7//.V
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SNEAK /j¥//'/7f
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TIP-TOE- 997

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SNIFF-
HI
/7/z

V///J

25
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WALK + RUN

Above ore the contact drawings from® The Walk® The Run ©The Fast Run. The contact drawing is the drawing on which
the foot, after being lifted, strikes the ground. In laying out a run or walk for animation, usually it is these contact drawings
that are determined first. This sets the speed, size of character, etc. of the action. Then the rest of the action is built around them.
The position of the back foot on the contact drawing determines the speed more than any other single factor. Notice on (a) the back
foot is down still contacting the ground. On® the back foot has left the ground. On ©the position of the back foot is still higher.
The front foot is stretched out further on the walk contact position, the body is more upright, denoting less speed. On the run
drawing the body leans forward, and the front foot is back further. On the fast run drowing the body leans away forward
denoting speed, and the front foot is back now under the body.
The arms swing conversely with the legs. The left arm swings with the right leg and vice versa. Also the arms swing more
violently in the run. In the fast run the swing on the arms would be too violent. It has been found they are more effective when
held straight out in a reach position.
Compare the action of the walk with the run, and you will note that in the walk, the drawing in which the arms and legs are
stretched out further is the contact drawing. On the run, however, the stretch comes when the figure is up in mid-air at the
high point in the action.

T-HE WALK

(T) LEFT FOOT CONTACTS HI6H POINT INSTEP

fefGHT FOOT RAISED.
THE GROUND.

RIGHT LEG STIFFENS (©RECOIL POSITION' ©"RABBIT UPAS LEFT , H/OH POSITION
INTO CONTACT POSITIONS LE6S BEND. LEOS LIFTS. fjo.® FOLLOWS THIS.
 <T> Rl&HT focrr DOWN @ RJGHT FOOT TAKES (D RIGHT FOOT PUSHES @ BOP/ AT H/GHEST
IN CONTACT POSITION WEIGHT OF BODY w BODY OFF POINT IN RUN

g) LEFT FOOT REACHES © RECOIL - RIGHT FOOT © LEFT TOOT STRETCHES ® ARMS + LEGS STRETCH
^ FOR GROUNp COMING THROUGH FOR TAKE-OFF NO.0 FOLLOWS THIS.

In animating a fast run here is a

rule about animation to remember:
To have an action drowing in
practicolly the some silhouette posi¬
tion os another within one or two
frames (exposures) is not a good
practice. The action will be apt to
look monotonous and might often
give a false illusion and o different
effect than the one you ore striving
to create. As for exomple, those
moving wheels in old fashioned
movies, that appear to be goinp
backwords instead of forwards. In
the walk ond run there ore enough
drawings between similar silhouette
positions 0 and 5 above) so that
there is no problem here. But that is
not the case with this four drowing
cycle «5f a fast run. Notice thot all
fool action drowing is varied and
not similar to any other. 3 is varied
to be different from 1, ond the some
with 2 and 4. There is a single
circular action on the head and body
instead of a double circular oction
os In the walk and run.
The speed lines around the feet
help in o fast oction like this.
The Crosses above and below draw¬
ings represent o fixed point on the
screen. If you trace these repeats
be sure that they coincide.
28
 THE STRUT
STARTING PROM A POSE ON (f).A STRUT STEP
STARTS ON®, ENDS ON &>.AND THEN WE CHAR¬
ACTER COES INTO ANOTHER POSE ON M)—THE
ACTION IS COMPLETE AS IS. AND CAN NOT BE HOOK¬
ED UP INTO A CYCLE —THE WALK. IS SI MILIAR.
TO THE STRUT. EXCEPT THE HIGH POINT IN THE
ACTION, IN THE STRUT, IS WHEN THE FOOT CON¬
TACTS THE GROUND, AND WHEN THE
FOOT IS LlPTED IS THE LOWEST. IN
THE WALK. THIS IS REVERSED.-
-I DESIGNED AND ANIMATED THIS „
CHARACTER 'RED HOT RIDING HOOD
IN THE SEVERAL M OM. CARTOONS
THAT SHE HAS APPEARED. CO-STARRED
W/TH ’THE HOLLYWOOD WtfLF" (SEE
THE PAGE ON”TAKES").— MlSSINO*
NUMBERS IN THIS ACTION ARE- IN-
BETWEENS. SOME ARE UNEVEN L-Y
SPACED. WHEN AN IN-BETWEEN IS
UNEVENLY SPACED A CHART IS MADE
ON AN’EXTREME'(DRAWING), NEXT TO
IT, SHOWING THE IN-BETWEENS POS¬
ITION. ALL DRAWINGS HERE AgE*SX-
TREMES * BELOW ARE THE IN-8ETWEEN
CHARTS THAT WERE PUT ON THEM.
-r¥%

vv
¥7

2?
 THE SKIP
HERE ARE THE EXTREMES OF A 24 DRAWING SKIP CYCLE'-- /
-THE MISSING DRAWINGS ARE "iNBETWEENS'CDRAWINGS (
SPACED EVENLY BETWEEN THESE DRAWINGS)--7HlS IS WITH
THE EXCEPTION OP IZ+24--A/OHCE THE CHARTS EXPLAINING \
THE UNEVEN SPAClfJCr ON THESE DRAWINGS-- IZ INSTEAD
OF BEING EVENLY IN BETWEEN 11+13 IS /3 OF THE WAY - -
AND CLOSER TO II - THE SAME HAPPENS WITH 24 WHICH
IS 1/3 OF THE WAY BETWEEN 23+H -- DRAWING 24 THUS
COMPLETES THE CYCLE.- - THE SKIP IS THE SAME AS THE RUN ON THE
BODY AND HANDS - -THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE ACTION OF THE FOOT
WHICH PUSHES THE BODY OFF THE GROUND AND THEN RAISES IN AN
ARC AND CONTACTS THE GROUND ITSElF FIRST - - -THE CROSSES ABOVE
AND BELOW EACH DRAWING APE REGISTRATION MARKS - -TRACE BACH
DRAWING ON A SE PE RATE SHEET OF PAPER. (MAKING SURE THESE
CROSSES OVERLAP) THEN FLIP THE DRAWINGS AND STUDY THE/CHON THIS WAy
THE SNEAK IS A WALK IN WHICH THE RECOIL
(AFTER THE FOOT CONTACTS THE GROUND)
HAS BEEN EXAGGERATED ANDTHE SPEED
THE FOOT COMES DOWN INTO THE CONTACT
POSmON SLOWED UP—THIS GIVES THE
ILLUSION OF STEALTH - THAT THE
\ FEET ARE CAREFULLY PUT DOWN TO
\ EVADE NOISE AND DETECTION
 LINE OF ACTION IN ANIMATION

O '

' .

32
OVERLAPPING ACTION — FOLLOW jHRU—SQUASH l£TfcETCH

SQUASH AND ST8ITCH — When o sond bog moves

OVERLAPPING ACTION —Here is o rule Ihot holds in the modify of onwwotion
actions; "In anlmafing o character from one point to another, don't go there oil thru the oir# it will stretch the direction of movement

at iho some time." By this I moon Iho main action con bo preceeded ond followed ond when h’s progress is orresUd it w*4l squosh out.

by lossor actions thol oil relore o< art the reivlt of tho main action. Those or# If it were olive (anything con hoppen in o cortoon) it
would oHo squosh in onticipoting on action in which
known os "Overlapping Actions" ond the proper use of them will greatly improve
the quality of your work. Notice from on onticipotion on 8 this cop comes up to it stretches. Notice 8 ond 10 here. The proper use of
squosh ond stretch wilt strengthen on oction ond if»»
on extreme occent on 10 os he storts toying "ell right." TM» mein action on the
figure couses a lesser action or reoction on the cop's stomach. Oown on 10 if essentiol in creating o feeling of weight in characters.

recoils up like rubber on 13 to 16, bounces bock on 18 ond then Anoly settles You con bet I used it when I

bock up on 24. In other words o main action between 8 ond 10 hos caused on fv designed ond oni* /

overtopping lesser oction to occur from 10 oil the way to 24. Study this cop closely
ond you will see other ox*
omples of overtopping \ "Fonloiio!” ///

oction on ell ports

of the figure

It:

RJ
A TAKE REGISTERS A CHARACTER'S SUDDEN SURPRISE IN A CARTOON,
-THE AVERAGE CARTOON IS FULL OF THESE --SOME ARE SUBDUED TAKES
OTHERS ARE VIOLENT LIKE THE ONES ON THIS RAGE -THE TAKE IS NEARLY
ALWAYS PRECESDED BY A GOOD ANTICIPATION DRAWING-LIKE® BELOW,
_ ^ n [l -THIS NETWOD OF GOING INTO THE TAKE
I A) v\ GIVES IT ASOCK. - BELOW M&M/S
r ) ^ ;■ \ HOLLYWOOD WOLF (A) SEES UGLY DAME

,, ^ THE
L & CARTOON
(M'TAKZ"

ALMOST ANYTHING GAN

HAPPEN IN A TAKE-THE
CHARACTER MAY STAG¬
GER-FLY THRU THE AIft-
ETC, AT LEFT CONVICT
wolf’Takes'at HIS
PURSUER. SGT M'POODLE
OF THE MOUNT! ES, —
 DIALOGUE
WERE ARE THE MAIN MOUTH EXPRESSIONS USED IN DIALOGUE.-FEEL THAT
T-HE FACE IS AN ELASTIC MASS THAT CAN BE SQUASHED OR STRETCHED
TO FIT THE MOUTH EXPRESSIONS.-THIS GIVES A GOOD CONTRAST
BETWEEN POSITIONS AND THAT HELPS YOUR ANIMATION. -STUDY YOURSELF
IN A MIRROR. AS YOU SPEAK THE WORDS YOU ARE ANIMATING- PRONOUNCE THE
WORDS VERY DISTINCTLY AND THE CORRECT POSITIONS WILL BE APPAR-ENT
THE VOWELS THE CONSONANTS NOW 8ELOW TO HELP
YOU GET STARTED-I'VE
COMBINED A FEW MOUTH
POSITIONS TO MAKE WORDS

H E LLO

A AND I
PETE

FINE

DAY
LxH

I S N T

HOW
^ f
ARE
ANOTHER THING- TO REMEMBER IN
DIALOGUE--WHEN ANIMATING A
GROUP OF WORDS, STUDY THE WAY
WE WORDS MIGHT BE QUICKLY SPOKEN
TOGETHER - IT’S BETTER ID FOLLOW
you?
WIS OVER-ALL MOUTH PATTERN, AND
HOLD DOWN OR MODIFY INDIVIDUAL
F AND V | f
SYLLABLES NOT IMPORTANTTOTHE WHOLE (SOMETIMES LIRE 0 Orth)
35
 Here are the cleaned up "key” drawings from a Scene I animated in a M.G.M. cartoon to give you some ideas how dialogue
can be animated. Missing numbers are inbetween drawings put in by assistant artists. First drawing is a twelve drawing "hold."
The scene is a baseball grandstand. This little heckler is yelling, "Kill de Umpire—get 'im out o’ dere—kill de Umpire—kill
de Ump." At this time an offstage shot signifies the umpires execution. Heckler goes into a surprise "take." Then he rises, removes
his derby, and sadly watches the dead official carried off—os a trumpet plays "taps."

LOOKS AN6RY - COMES DOWN INTO ANTICIPATION - THEN SAYS : K

36
look over this action and study the animation points I have previously outlined as: Squash and stretch on heads, overlapping
action, follow thru, the use of the anticipation drawing, and the dialogue vowels and consonants from page 35 — also notice
the general phrasing of the dialogue here. How the heckler assumes a general position for a whole sentence—then changes to
another position for the next sentence—instead of changing positions on every word.

??
//'(SHOT ANTICIPATES
m • offstage) "TAKE*

/o/
/ov O'75’
"takes" INTO SURPRISED LOOK SAD EXPRESSION

na
STANDS UP REACHES FOR HAT

37
4L V

mJkM\t?r& i7 A