Shawn20's Basic Tutorial

Alright, I am High rookie/Med Rookie so, heck. It might not be good but, it's called a tutorial.

Step 1:Easing
Easing is to have caution with a object and be gentle with it.
So, you will increase the speed from the start and decrease the speed at the end.
Here is a example of easing.

There is easing. Sometimes, you can over ease things.
What this means, is that if you ever ease the ball and it's to slow and you need to stop it but you don't, it's now over eased. Which looks horrible! Here is a example of a over ease.

As you see, It is slow and needs to stop, but it doesn't.
That is BAD to put that in your anims.
Here is Bad easing.

That has NO easing. That is not good at all.
Do easing at all costs.

Step 2:Smoothness
Smoothness is a thing that all of our animations need to be good.
If we don't have this, don't expect to be moved.
Smoothness makes our animations look real.
Here is a example of a animation which is not smooth which is called "stiff."

This run is horrible. Yes, it might be funny, but it is very stiff.
Here is a example of a smooth animation.

That is smooth. It is also eased. Don't forget the first step!
That is also the good thing about that anim. It is eased.
Now, remember that stiff anim I showed you? It is also uneased as well. Horrible.
Anyway, now you get the point of smoothness.
Now go to step 3.

Step 3:Reducing Shaking
Shaking is one of the most common things seen in animations.
This is where a stick figure shakes when he is going to the side, like going up and down when he shouldn't.
Here is a example of a shaky animation.

The stick figure is really shaky.
Here is a example of a animation which isn't shaky.

That is not shaky at all. To reduce it, Make sure you move your mouse across, down or up exactly as good as possible without moving to the sides.

Step 4:Making Good Sticks
Making a Stick figure is Easy. You just make what comes to your head that is easy.
Like this:
They are easy to make. To make one, Go to edit.
It will come up with something inside it. You don't want that.
Hit new. It should be 1 skinny line.
The first button on that panel makes a line.
The second makes a circle.
The third Changes a Line to a circle or a Circle to a line.
Forth and fifth Change how skinny (and wide) the circle/line is.
Sixth Copies a Line or Circle.
Seventh makes a line move able or Un-move able.
Eighth, Deletes a line or circle.
In Options you can turn on edit mode which allows you to edit a line/circle again.
File just allow you to Open,Save and Add to animation.
That is it. Get making!

Step 5:Using your Sticks
Using Your sticks is really important. You make one that you like and is right for you.
If you don't want to make one that you like than you can go here for some.
Using your sticks is good. Make sure that you give Credit to the person that made one that you use.
You will animate your best if you have one that suits you.
Make sure that your stick is good to looks at and isn't bad.
Use your sticks and have fun.

Step 6:Ideas
Ideas come from your mind and that has a lot of them.
The ideas have to be good though. As in it has to be realistic.
The Laws of Physics has to be in order too.
The thing about this is that animations are animations. They can do all sorts of things.
They need to be real though to get a move up. That makes it more believable.
If you make it real and make it more believable, it will make you a better animator.
This is good because you will get a move up faster.

Step 7:Editing
Editing, The thing that is VERY important.
What most people don't do is save their animation to edit them again.
What you're going to get on every animation you make is advice.
Advice tells you your wrongs and your rights.
If you keep your animation file, you can edit it again and fix it and maybe move up.
So, save the animation file!

That is my Tutorial. Hope it helped!