Squash & Stretch
Part of: The 12 Principles of Animation
Squash and stretch is an animation principle in which an object's shape is distorted to convey weight, speed, and material, while the object's overall volume stays consistent.
This principle gives animated objects weight and flexibility. Without it, movement can feel rigid. Importantly, the object's volume must remain consistent throughout. It is fundamental to both character animation and motion design.
Related
Related concepts
Related services
Sources
Academic papers, recognised industry standards, and canonical industry texts that back up claims in this entry.
- The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation. Thomas, Johnston, Abbeville Press, 1981Supports: volume consistency weight flexibility
- The Animator's Survival Kit. Williams, Richard, Faber & Faber, 2001Supports: shape distortion weight speed
Frequently asked questions
Why must volume stay consistent during squash and stretch?
Because objects in the real world conserve volume: a ball squashing flat must also widen. If volume changes, the object reads as growing or shrinking, not as deforming under force. Holding volume is the rule that keeps squash and stretch from looking wrong, even when the deformation is heavily pushed for cartoon energy.
Where does squash and stretch get used in motion design?
Almost everywhere with bouncing, snapping, or impact. A logo bouncing into frame, a button snapping under a click, a graphic compressing as it lands. The deformation is usually subtler than in character animation, but it is the single trick that makes motion design feel alive instead of rigid. Timing and spacing work alongside it.
Can AI handle squash and stretch automatically?
Some auto-rigging and physics-based tools include built-in squash-and-stretch behaviour, useful for secondary motion and simulation. The artistic decision of how much to push it stays with the animator. Inside our AI-assisted animation workflow, AI helps with mechanical deformation; the stylised cartoon push stays a human craft choice.