Cartoon moves

A move is a small program that tells a character how to move: hop, sway, wave, walk in, bow. Every move here plays on every character, because it moves body parts by name, and a body without one of those parts leaves it out: a dog doing Hands on hips stands and sways. Every move is free to copy and change.

Each move's page shows it playing, explains its program line by line, names the animation principle it shows and gives two changes to try. To make your own, open any move in the block editor and change it.

Entrances and exits

Moves that bring a character into a scene or take it out, by walking, running, flying, sliding or hopping. Most of them start off to one side and end on the character's spot; the exits do the reverse.

  • A cartoon person crouched low with both knees bent, and a dog with its legs folded under it, both sunk down on the grass.Crawl inKnees fold and the body sinks 78 pixels, as if ducking into a tent or a hiding place, then rests there.
  • A cartoon person and a dog floating above the grass, tilted mid-flight, on their way down to land.Fly inSwoops down from the upper right, rocking and fluttering, and eases onto its spot.
  • A cartoon person and a dog tilted as they rise above the grass, taking off.Fly outRocks, flutters and speeds up as it rises to the upper left, until it has left the frame.
  • A cartoon person and a dog in the air mid-hop, a little taller and narrower than normal, travelling to the right.Hop acrossLittle 34-pixel hops that carry it 640 pixels to the right, with a squash on every landing.
  • A cartoon person and a dog in mid-hop with arms and front legs swinging, as if running in.Run inBounds in from 1,300 pixels off to the left with its arms pumping, then keeps bouncing on its spot.
  • A cartoon person and a dog bounding with arms and front legs swinging, on their way off to the left.Run off and backBounds 1,700 pixels away to the left, stays out of sight for a beat, then bounds all the way back.
  • A cartoon person and a dog sliding in from the right, both a little wider and shorter than normal mid-slide.Slide inMade for props: glides 460 pixels in from the right, squishing wider on the way, and settles on its spot.
  • A cartoon person and a dog mid-stride with one leg forward, walking across the grass.Walk inAn entrance on foot: real steps from 760 pixels off to the left, easing to a stop on its spot.
  • A cartoon person and a dog waddling with their legs swung apart, partway through walking on.Walk on and offA whole cameo: waddles on from the left in 1.5 seconds, stands for its line, then waddles back out.

Feelings

Happy, cross, scared, sad, proud. These moves act out a feeling, from a small happy hop to a furious shake, and most of them are made to play under a line of dialogue.

  • A cartoon person with both arms held out and down, standing a little to one side and tilted, and a dog beside it, both lifted slightly off the grass.AlarmedSenses trouble: shifts away to one side, tilts, holds its arms out, and flinches sharply every few seconds.
  • A cartoon person and a dog caught mid-shake, nudged off their resting spots and tilted a few degrees.Angry shakeA hard, fast rattle side to side, up and down and tilting, squat and tense, with snapping hands. It never settles.
  • A cartoon person and a dog lifted a little off the grass mid-huff, tilted slightly to one side.AnnoyedSmall huffy bounces, a twitch to the side and fidgeting hands: fed up, but not furious.
  • A cartoon person and a dog high in the air above the grass, the person's arms lifted out from the body at the top of the jump.BounceSpringy 95-pixel jumps on the spot, 1.7 a second, the arms lifting at the top. Pure, noisy excitement.
  • A cartoon person with both arms lifted up and out to the sides, and a dog with its front legs shifted, both trembling on the grass.CowerFear in three parts: the body shrinks, both arms lift up and out from the sides, and everything trembles.
  • A cartoon dog with its tail swung to one side and its ears out, and a person beside it with a happy face, both lifted a little off the grass.Happy wagThe happiest thing a dog does: the tail swinging over three times a second, ears flapping, head swinging, a bounce.
  • A cartoon person and a dog in mid-hop, both lifted off the grass, stretched a little taller than at rest.HopTwo small hops a second with a squash on each landing and a gentle rock: the quickest way to look pleased.
  • A cartoon person at the top of a leap with both arms straight up, and a dog in the air with its front legs raised.Jump for joyCrouch, spring 150 pixels with the arms thrown high, land with a squish, catch a breath, and again.
  • A cartoon person mid-step with one leg forward, and a dog mid-stride beside it, both walking slowly on the grass.PaceShort, tired steps while it drifts 170 pixels to one side and back over about 14 seconds. Worried, or waiting for news.
  • A cartoon person standing slightly larger than normal with the right forearm folded across the front, and a dog standing beside it.ProudPuffed up and held there: 4% wider and 3% taller, arms tucked in, knees giving a little with each bob.
  • A cartoon person and a dog shaking hard, both drawn a little larger than normal and nudged off their resting spots.Puff upRage that builds: a hard shake while the body swells 7% bigger over two seconds, its hands held tense.
  • A cartoon person and a dog lifted well above the grass, the person's right forearm swung in across the front.Rise upRises 40 pixels as the arms swing in, drops back a little bigger, and keeps a proud bob that fades.
  • A cartoon person and a dog standing low on the grass, sunk a little at the bottom of a sigh.SadWhere a happy idle rises, this one sinks: a 4-pixel drop with every slow sigh, and a soft rock.
  • A cartoon person and a dog sunk low into the grass and a little shorter than normal, as if all the air had gone out of them.SlumpAll the air goes out: sinks 26 pixels, shrinks to 90% of its height over 1.6 seconds, and trembles.

Idle loops

Quiet moves for a character who is on screen but not the centre of attention, so it never freezes like a photograph. Still is here too, for props and for a deliberate hold.

  • A cartoon person and a dog standing at ease on the grass, lifted a few pixels and very slightly taller, as if breathing in.BreatheThe smallest sign of life: a slow 9-pixel lift and settle, a hint of stretch, a gentle lean. For waiting.
  • A cartoon person and a dog standing on the grass, lifted a few pixels and leaning very slightly to one side.FidgetSomeone waiting for a bus: a small restless bob over a lean so slow it takes 15 seconds to swing back.
  • A cartoon person and a dog lifted a few pixels and shifted a little to one side, mid-shuffle.PeckBusy as a bird on the ground: small bobs and a side-to-side shuffle in step, so the body traces little loops.
  • A cartoon person and a dog standing completely still on the grass in their resting poses.StillThe empty move: one hat block and nothing under it, so a prop or a character holds exactly still.
  • A cartoon person and a dog lifted a little off the grass, the person's arms held slightly out from the body.SwayRelaxed and swaying: a 12-pixel bob, a slow rock, and arms that drift out from the sides and back.
  • A cartoon person and a dog mid-stride, walking across the grass with one leg forward.Walk back and forthOn patrol for ever: walks 420 pixels, turns round, walks back and turns again. Two legs or four.

Talking and gestures

Moves for a character who is speaking or gesturing: one that follows the loudness of the voice, a wave, a held arm, an upright stance and a dance on the beat.

  • A cartoon person and a dog standing upright on the grass, leaning in very slightly.AnnounceThe calm stance of a speaker who has the floor: a slight lean in and a slow, steady bob.
  • A cartoon person with the right forearm swung in across the body on the beat, and a dog beside it, both dipped slightly at the knees.GrooveDancing to 96 beats a minute: knees bouncing, body shifting, a different arm swinging in on each beat.
  • A cartoon person with the right forearm folded in across the front of the body, leaning very slightly, and a dog beside it.PointHolds the right arm turned 28 degrees with a slight lean and a small bob. One change on its page makes a real point.
  • A cartoon person and a dog with their mouths open, mid-sentence, the person's arms moved a little from the sides.TalkMoves as loud as the voice: bob, gestures, a nod and an open mouth. Silent, it is still; loud, it moves a lot.
  • A cartoon person with the right arm raised high and the forearm bent, waving, and a dog with a front paw lifted beside it.Wave helloRight arm up to 150 degrees, the forearm waving back and forth, a happy bob. A dog waves a front paw.

Skeleton moves

Newer moves written with the skeleton's own blocks. They bend the spine, aim hands at named spots on the body, turn between the front, side and back views, and let ears, tails and hair follow on springs.

  • A cartoon person seen side-on, bent forward at the waist in a bow, and a dog in a play bow with its chest down and rear up.BowTurns side-on, bends 40 degrees at the spine while the head and ears trail behind, then stands and turns back.
  • A cartoon person and a dog high in the air mid-hop, the dog's ears and tail swung behind the jump.Floppy hopHopping on the spot while the soft parts lag behind: ears, tail, hair and hands flop after each landing.
  • A cartoon person standing with both hands on the hips and the head tilted, and a dog standing on all four legs beside it.Hands on hipsBoth hands reach for the hips and stay there while the body sways and the head tilts. On four legs the paws stay down.
  • A cartoon person seen from the side looking right, and a dog seen side-on, mid-way through looking around.Look aroundLooks about by changing views: side-on, the other way, to the front, its back to you, and front again.
  • A cartoon person waving with the right hand up beside the head, the head tilted toward it, and a dog with a front paw raised in front of its chest.Wave and lookThe right hand rises beside the head with the reach block and waves three times while the head tilts toward it.
  • A cartoon dog with its tail curled in an S-shape mid-swish and its ears flopped, and a person beside it.Whip tailA wave that travels down the tail, segment by segment, so the tip whips and curls; the ears flop and the body bounces.