Squash and Stretch...
A common technique that manipulates the shape of the character or object in motion, whilst also keeping the volume consistent to give it a sense of life. A lack of squash and stretch within an animation makes it seem rigid and unnatural.
Within most contemporary practice animation it seems as though squash and stretch is used to create a far more realistic sense of animation, however in the beginning with most historic examples it was used to really exaggerate movement and take things to the extreme as they experimented with the idea. Below we have included both a historic and contemporary video clip showing clear elements of the squash and stretch principle.
Within most contemporary practice animation it seems as though squash and stretch is used to create a far more realistic sense of animation, however in the beginning with most historic examples it was used to really exaggerate movement and take things to the extreme as they experimented with the idea. Below we have included both a historic and contemporary video clip showing clear elements of the squash and stretch principle.
Classic Example:
Below is a classic example of taking squash and stretch to the extreme. It shows Big Bad Wolf's reaction, completely exaggerated and unrealistic from Tex Avery's "Red Hot Riding Hood"
Within a lot of Avery's animations, you can clearly see how much he has experimented with the squash and stretch principle, yet nobody thinks that he has overused it. The exaggerated squash and stretch adds to the comedy value even more, making the over the top reactions funnier than they would be if they mimicked reality.
Below is a classic example of taking squash and stretch to the extreme. It shows Big Bad Wolf's reaction, completely exaggerated and unrealistic from Tex Avery's "Red Hot Riding Hood"
Within a lot of Avery's animations, you can clearly see how much he has experimented with the squash and stretch principle, yet nobody thinks that he has overused it. The exaggerated squash and stretch adds to the comedy value even more, making the over the top reactions funnier than they would be if they mimicked reality.
Contemporary Example:
Below is a contemporary example of squash and stretch from the show "American Dad". The squash and stretch is not so exaggerated, nothing like Avery's squash and stretch as the use of the principle in this clip is about making the movement realistic as Roger bounces Oreos on his stomach. Nowadays within contemporary animation, squash and stretch is nowhere near as exaggerated as it was back in Avery's time, and is often used to make things appear more realistic and less rigid.
Written by Antonia Atsiaris and Nick Crimmen