Pose to Pose

One of the 12 Principles of Animation. Pose-to-pose animation is a technique used by animators to create motion by planning out key poses or keyframes at specific points in the animation sequence, and then filling in the in between frames after. In this method, the animator starts by sketching or defining the key poses that convey the main actions or movements of the character or object being animated. Pose-to-pose animation is often used for scenes requiring precise timing, complex movements, or specific storytelling beats, such as character performances, dialogue sequences, or action sequences. The opposite technique to pose-to-pose animation is straight ahead animation, and either technique is usually chose based on an animator's personal preference.