Spatial Thinking

This is for animators who need to think about depth, not just flat movement across the screen. It connects all 12 animation principles to three-dimensional space: arcs that curve through depth, squash and stretch that maintains volume in all directions, staging that uses foreground and background layers. The checklist alone is worth it (Where is the floor? What overlaps what? Where is the light source?). Use this when your animation feels flat or when characters seem disconnected from their environment. The core idea is simple but easy to forget: the screen is a window into 3D space, not a canvas you're decorating.

skills.sh installs: 572
GitHub stars: 146
last updated: Aug 21, 2026

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Install

$ npx -y skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill spatial-thinking --agent claude-code

Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.

Files

Spatial Thinking

Think like a sculptor working in time. Your characters exist in three-dimensional space, even on a 2D screen. Every frame is a frozen moment in a world with depth.

Core Mental Model

Before animating anything, ask: Where is this in 3D space, and how does it move through that space?

Animation is 4D: three spatial dimensions plus time. Characters have fronts and backs. Rooms have depth. Actions travel along vectors through real (imagined) environments.

The 12 Principles Through Dimension

Solid Drawing — The foundation of spatial thinking. Every object has volume. Turn it around in your mind. Know what the back looks like. Draw through forms, not around them.

Arcs — All movement happens in 3D space. An arm swinging traces a curve through depth, not just across the screen. Think spherical paths, not flat shapes.

Staging — Spatial composition. Where in the Z-axis is each element? Foreground, midground, background create depth. Overlap establishes position in space.

Squash & Stretch — Deformation happens in 3D. When a ball squashes, it spreads outward in all directions, not just sideways. Maintain volume in depth.

SKILL.md on GitHub