From dylantarre-animation-principles
Use when creating or animating characters that need to connect with audiences—hero protagonists, memorable villains, lovable sidekicks, or any figure that must have personality and presence.
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Think like a casting director watching auditions. Appeal isn't just "cute"—it's magnetic. Characters must demand attention, invite empathy, and feel uniquely themselves.
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Think like a casting director watching auditions. Appeal isn't just "cute"—it's magnetic. Characters must demand attention, invite empathy, and feel uniquely themselves.
Before animating any character, ask: Why would anyone want to watch this person?
Appeal is the quality that makes audiences invest. It's not prettiness—villains have appeal. It's the sense that this character is worth following. Their movement reveals their soul.
Appeal — The principle itself. Design and motion that invites connection. Clear silhouette. Readable expression. Movement that expresses inner life. Characters you remember.
Solid Drawing — Characters must have dimensional presence. They need to feel like they could be picked up, like they have weight and mass. Solidity creates believability.
Exaggeration — Personality pushed to clarity. A cautious character is extremely cautious in movement. A bold character moves with unmistakable confidence. Amplify defining traits.
Staging — Present characters for maximum impact. Their best angles, their clearest poses. Give them their spotlight moment. Staging serves character.
Anticipation — Character-specific preparation. How does this particular character wind up for action? A nervous character anticipates differently than a confident one.
Timing — Personal tempo. Every character has their own natural rhythm. Quick and anxious. Slow and deliberate. Timing is personality in motion.
Secondary Action — Habits and quirks. The gestures a character does without thinking. A hair-twirl, a nose-scratch, a weight-shift. Secondary actions individualize.
Follow Through & Overlapping Action — Physical personality. Heavy characters settle differently than light ones. Hair and clothing respond to how the character moves.
Squash & Stretch — Elasticity of personality. Rigid characters barely squash. Flexible personalities stretch easily. The body type reflects the inner type.
Arcs — Personal movement quality. Graceful characters move in flowing arcs. Aggressive characters have sharp direction changes. The shape of motion is character.
Slow In & Slow Out — Energy signature. How does this character accelerate and decelerate? Gentle easing or snappy action? Each character has their own physics.
Straight Ahead & Pose to Pose — Character work often benefits from straight ahead exploration to find unexpected personality moments, then pose-to-pose refinement for clarity.
Appeal Elements:
Character Movement Questions:
Building Character Through Motion:
When character feels "generic":
When character feels "unappealing":
Types of Appeal:
Appeal is the promise that this character is worth your time. Every motion should reveal who they are. Characters aren't moving puppets—they're people. Give them souls, and audiences will follow them anywhere.