14/10/2026
In 1981 two of animators, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, published the 12 principles that make a drawing feel alive. Nearly all of them work on a website too, so we put all twelve on buttons, toggles, drawers and cards. Sound on.
The short version:
Squash & stretch: soft things give a little when they move.
Anticipation: a small wind-up before the big move.
Staging: one thing at a time, so people know where to look.
Pose to pose: design the start and the end, and let the tween fill the gap.
Follow through: what’s inside keeps moving after the box stops.
Slow in & out: nothing real starts or stops dead.
Arcs: things fly in curves.
Secondary action: the little burst that makes a like feel good.
Timing: the same move, slower, feels heavier.
Exaggeration: a wrong password shake nobody can miss.
Solid drawing: a bit of depth makes flat things feel real.
Appeal: make it something people want to click.
Save it for your next build. Which one does your site skip?
