These 12 principles were first compiled by the legendary animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston in 1981 in their book The Illusion of Life.
They were part of Disney’s “Nine Old Men,” the core group of animators who were instrumental in creating Disney’s animation style. 
Creating the illusion of life is what the principles are all about. They help us create characters that look like they have weight, personality, and exist in a real world with real physics at work.

Even though they were developed by 2D animators, they still apply to 3D and any other type of animation.

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