Dynamic Expression in Animation through juxtaposition of non-chronological phases of movement

Abstract

The expression of lived-movement in animation depends on all the elements that build this medium. «Lived-movement» is the one which transmits the dynamic essence without the supposedly objective means of depiction. One of these components is studied in this article, the «spatio-temporal interpretation» (commonly known as «timing»), specifically a special use of it: by the juxtaposition of non-consecutive phases of movement. This involves an alternative to the detailed analysis of the chronological development of motion. The phenomenon is analysed through several examples extracted from animated films, and it is extended to the artistic practice in animation. We have created 6 animated sequences based on the technic of drawn-on-film animation (in which it is painted or drawn directly on celluloid). In these sequences, frames do not represent correlative stages of motion. Our objective is verifying how it is possible to express lived-movement through juxtaposition of phases.