Easing Functions in Animation | Principle of Motion Design

Easing functions are the secret ingredient that breathes life into animations, turning mechanical motion into smooth, natural transitions.

Linear Functions

Linear functions maintain a constant speed throughout the animation, offering no acceleration or deceleration.

Cubic Bézier Functions

Cubic Bézier functions add flexibility by allowing animations to accelerate, decelerate, or combine both effects. They create smoother, more natural movements through a curved progression.

Ease-In

Ease-in focuses on gradual acceleration at the start of the motion. This type of easing is often used for introducing objects or elements into a scene. For example, a ball might start rolling slowly before gaining speed, creating a sense of anticipation and buildup.

Ease-Out

Ease-out emphasizes deceleration toward the end of the motion. It is commonly used when objects come to a natural stop. For instance, a sliding door might move quickly at first but slow down as it approaches its fully open position, creating a satisfying conclusion to the animation.

Ease-In-Out

Ease-in-out combines the features of ease-in and ease-out, with gradual acceleration at the beginning and deceleration at the end. This creates a balanced and natural motion, ideal for transitions where the movement needs to feel fluid and harmonious, such as an object zooming in and out of focus.

Steps Functions

• steps(n, start): The first jump happens immediately when the animation begins, with the remaining steps progressing evenly.

• steps(n, end): The final jump occurs at the end of the animation.

• steps(n, both): Both the first and last jumps occur at the start and end of the animation.