Embedded Files
Bouncy Balls
Bouncy Balls
Project 3 due October 16, 2025
Storyboard
Storyboard
3 Animation Principles
3 Animation Principles
Squash and Stretch
In this scene, the checkered ball demonstrates the principle of Squash and Stretch as it bounces. When it hits the ground, it squashes to show impact and flexibility, and as it rises, it stretches to emphasize speed and momentum. This exaggeration brings the motion to life, making the ball feel elastic and more realistic while maintaining its overall volume.
2. Anticipation
This sequence demonstrates Anticipation, which prepares the audience for the ball’s upcoming action. In Frame 1, the ball is off-screen, creating a moment of suspense. In Frame 2, the ball appears on the platform, signaling that something is about to happen. By Frame 3, the ball disappears, completing the anticipation and setting up the viewer’s expectation for its jump or movement.
Frame 1
Frame 2
Frame 3
3. Arcs
This scene demonstrates the principle of Arcs, which gives motion a natural, fluid path. The ball follows a smooth, curved trajectory as it bounces from one table to another, mimicking the realistic motion objects take under gravity. Using arcs makes the animation appear more believable and visually pleasing, as straight-line movement would look stiff and unnatural.
4. Timing and Spacing
This scene demonstrates Timing and Spacing, which control the rhythm and speed of the ball’s motion. As the ball travels between platforms, the spacing of its position across frames determines how fast or slow it appears to move. Wider spacing between frames creates a faster, more energetic fall, while closer spacing near the peak of the jump slows it down to show weight and realism. The even timing between jumps keeps the motion consistent and natural, giving the ball a believable sense of gravity and momentum.
Lighting Setup Explanation
Lighting Setup Explanation
Four lights were used to illuminate the scene: three spotlights and one ambient light.
The spotlights were positioned at different angles to highlight the objects and create depth through shadows and focused illumination. The ambient light provides general background lighting to ensure that darker areas remain visible without harsh contrasts.
The side view shows the placement and direction of each light source relative to the objects, helping achieve a balanced and realistic lighting composition.
Explanation
Explanation
For this animation project, I created two Maya files to demonstrate four of Disney’s 12 Principles of Animation. The first file features a blue ball that highlights Anticipation, Arcs, and Timing and Spacing as it jumps across 3 tables to get to the floor. These principles work together to make the motion feel natural — the ball follows a smooth arc through the air, and moves with realistic speed changes to show weight and gravity. The second file features a checkered ball that demonstrates Squash and Stretch, showing how the ball deforms upon impact and elongates during motion to emphasize flexibility and energy. Together, these two animations showcase how combining fundamental principles can create believable, dynamic movement.
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