keyframes
Animation's defining moments
Keyframes are reference points that define the start and end states of an animation or transition.
Software interpolates the movement between them—so an animator sets a character's position at frame 1 and frame 24, and the computer generates the frames in between.
In CSS and video editing, keyframes mark where properties change: I added keyframes to fade the title in and out.
The term comes from traditional animation, where senior artists drew the key poses and assistants filled in the rest.
Refining content for clarity
- cutsSevers or reduces
- transitionsMovements between states
- markersPens with porous tips
- scrubbingCleaning by rubbing hard
playhead · timeline · premiere · codec · compression · bitrate · streaming · encoding
Planned visual sequence drawings
- beatsPulses or defeats
- scenesDivisions within acts
- actsDeeds or play sections
- structureArrangement of interconnected parts
arc · pacing · climax · transitions · continuity · blocking · composition · staging
Route for traveling
- trajectoryPath of moving object
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- accelerationRate velocity changes
- pivotPoint of rotation
rotate · translate · scale · transform · position · overshoot · settle · drift
Automated in-between frame generation
- interpolationEstimating between known values
- easingReducing strain or difficulty
- timelineOrdered display of events
- in-betweensThings occupying middle ground
breakdowns · extremes · poses · hold · smear · anticipation · follow-through · spacing
editing
Refining content for clarity
- cutsSevers or reduces
- transitionsMovements between states
- markersPens with porous tips
scrubbing · playhead · timeline · premiere · codec · compression · bitrate · streaming · encoding · seek
storyboard
Planned visual sequence drawings
structure · arc · pacing · climax · transitions · continuity · blocking · composition · staging · shots
path
Route for traveling
- trajectoryPath of moving object
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- accelerationRate velocity changes
pivot · rotate · translate · scale · transform · position · overshoot · settle · drift · bounce
tweening
Automated in-between frame generation
- interpolationEstimating between known values
- easingReducing strain or difficulty
- timelineOrdered display of events
in-betweens · breakdowns · extremes · poses · hold · smear · anticipation · follow-through · spacing · clean-up
- animationanimation, animator, animators, cartoon, cartoons
- animation artcels, background art, backgrounds, concept art, storyboards
- Animation Termscel animation, cels, digital animation, inking, layering
- design softwarePhotoshop, InDesign, Figma, GIMP, CorelDRAW
- video editingclips, editor, trimmer, tracks, Final Cut Pro
- 3D software3D modeling, animation, rendering, modeling, meshes