Timing Mastery

This one treats animation timing like rhythm, giving you a mental framework for deciding how many frames any action deserves. It maps timing principles across all 12 animation fundamentals, from anticipation holds to secondary action delays. The practical stuff is solid: timing charts for blinks (2-4 frames), gestures (6-8), and impacts, plus specific fixes when motion feels rushed or sluggish. The core insight is treating speed as a storytelling tool rather than a technical detail. Six frames reads as snappy and comedic, twenty-four frames reads as heavy and deliberate. Useful if you're blocking out action sequences or trying to nail comedic beats, though the advice assumes you're already comfortable with keyframe animation concepts.

skills.sh installs: 620
GitHub stars: 146
last updated: Aug 21, 2026

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Install

$ npx -y skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill timing-mastery --agent claude-code

Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.

Files

Timing Mastery

Think like a drummer. Animation is rhythm made visible. The space between beats matters as much as the beats themselves.

Core Mental Model

Before animating anything, ask: How many frames does this deserve?

Timing is the soul of animation. The same motion at different speeds tells completely different stories. Fast = light, urgent, comedic. Slow = heavy, dramatic, thoughtful.

The 12 Principles Through Timing

Timing — The principle itself. Count frames obsessively. A 6-frame action feels snappy. A 24-frame action feels deliberate. Know the vocabulary of duration.

Slow In & Slow Out — Time is elastic at the edges. Actions ease into existence and settle out of motion. The middles can be fast, but beginnings and endings need breath.

Anticipation — Timing creates suspense. Hold the anticipation longer than feels comfortable. The audience's tension builds in the pause before release.

Follow Through & Overlapping Action — Stagger your timing. Not everything arrives at once. Lead with the main action, let secondary elements catch up on their own schedules.

SKILL.md on GitHub