Anticipation, smearing, easing and secondary animation in pixel art

By · October 16, 2026

Four techniques make a pixel art animation feel alive: anticipation (a small move before the main action), smearing (shapes like airwaves that show speed and direction), easing (frames that speed up or slow down) and secondary animation (parts that react to the main move). Here the sage spreads his arms, maybe to cast a spell. Try it below.

This sprite is wide. It's easier to draw on a computer, or with your phone turned sideways.

Step 1

Colors for this step
Tools
Guide

Show the finished step

The whole move at a glance

Animated pixel art sage: a long hold, a quick squat, then he spreads his arms and airwaves fly out
Roman's slide: keyframe 1000 ms, anticipation 150 ms, smearing and secondary animation at 100 ms, easing at 70 ms, keyframe 1000 ms
From my course slides: every frame of the move with its duration in milliseconds.

Anticipation

Anticipation shows the preparation for an action. In frame 2 the lower body of the sage contracts a little, like a squat, right before he spreads his arms. It tells you something is about to happen. A boxer does the same: the arm goes back a little before the punch.

Smearing

Smearing shows how strong a motion is and where it goes. Here the sage spreads his arms so hard that he makes airwaves. They move outward, and over the next frames they fade and die out. Technically there's nothing new: you already know how to draw air from the smoke lesson.

Easing

Easing speeds frames up or slows them down, to follow the physics. The airwaves take four frames. The first two last 100 milliseconds each, the last two only 70. So the airwaves start slower and speed up toward the end. An even rhythm looks mechanical, an uneven one looks real. Press Play in the trainer and you'll feel it.

Secondary animation

Secondary animation is how a second object reacts to the main one. The arms are the main object. The cuffs are the second: hit by the force of the arms, they swing left, then right, then settle, and for one more frame only a small part of the robe still moves. Hair in the wind works the same way, or a punching bag that squeezes when it's hit.

How to practice it

After the walk cycle this one is easier than it looks. Start with the technique you like most, maybe easing or the swinging cuffs, and add the others one by one. Every technique you add makes the animation look more professional.