Blinking in animation

[tb4000]

I know how this topic sounds, but it's something most animators have to deal with though. Characters blinking, and making it seem realistic, or just screwing up and not having them blink at all, or having them blink once....then never again. Are there examples that you've seen where it just doesn't appear natural at all? I know it's animation so it shouldn't be 100% realisitic, but it's a detail that some take care in doing, and others don't.

[J. B. Warner]

In "The Simpsons"' first "Treehouse of Horror" episode, there's a moment in "Bad Dream House" where Marge is yelling at the house, and Homer, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie are all blinking in unison. It's rather distracting. (And unlike the similar scene in "Team Homer", I don't think it was intentional.)

[DarthGonzo]

Heh, what about that episode of Drawn Together where the characters sit around blinking for several minutes?

[SirLemming]

I think it's one of those issues of perception: we generally don't notice people blinking in real life, so it seems "right" for animated characters not to blink regularly. It's one of many ways in which animated characters are simplified and streamlined. If they do blink it might seem distracting -- it's trying to impose realism on an inherently unrealistic character, and that often yields incongruous results. Drawing nostrils is another thing that tends to fall into this category, unless the character's nose is a strong element of his design. Obviously there's an exception when blinking is used intentionally, as a reaction or a comic timing device.

Of course, when it comes to realistic CGI characters, the Uncanny Valley effect can be invoked. If they don't blink, it could be unsettling.

[Lavenderpaw]

If characters don't blink every so often,they become weird.

[Dr.Pepper]

I usually don't notice blinking in animation unless its like super realistc CGI or something.

[tb4000]

It may not be noticeable in some cartoons where there is a lot of action and comedy, but some adult-themed animation where you have two people talking and one is just standing there listening, if their eyes don't blink at all, I do notice it.

[Ducard]

If characters don't blink every so often,they become weird.

Which is exactly why you never see L blink in Death Note.

[The Huntsman]

I never really pay attention to whether or not a character is blinking appropriately, but it’s not like everybody in real life blinks appropriately.

[Mavericker]

Do all cartoon characters blink?

[tb4000]

I will always commend the Disney animated flicks for not only maintaining the blink, but the iris of the eyes of characters even slightly move and focus, as regular eyes do. That's nitpicky, but I notice it, dude. Haha.

[Anyone00]

Which is exactly why you never see L blink in Death Note.

Well he had the excuse of being on a perpetual sugar rush.

[Lonestarr]

I distinctly remember Arnold's cousin Arnie blinking each eye individually on "Hey Arnold!". I thought that was an amusing touch.

[warnerbroman]

Heh, what about that episode of Drawn Together where the characters sit around blinking for several minutes?

i remeber an old scooby doo commercial with that too

[R-Taco]

I don't really notice much either way, unless we get a long shot of a character's face. B'sides, it's not like animating blinks is hard unless you have hyper-detailed eyelids...

[Mavericker]

I don't really notice much either way, unless we get a long shot of a character's face. B'sides, it's not like animating blinks is hard unless you have hyper-detailed eyelids...

Maybe a lot of characters don't blink because animators are lazy?

[Dr.Pepper]

but it’s not like everybody in real life blinks appropriately.

Well its a fact that women do blink more than men

[Monterey Jack]

One of the best eye blinks I've ever seen in an animated movie was in The Secret Of NIMH, when Nicodemus shows The Stone to Mrs. Brisby for the first time. The shot of her face reflected in the Stone's surface features a wonderfully-timed eye blink as she gazes in wonder upon it.

[Classic Speedy]

It's funny that you bring this topic up, because I remember as a kid being able to differentiate which shows had "smooth" blinks, and which were choppier.

South Park= 3 frames (fully open, fully shut, fully open)

Rocko= 4 frames (one with eyes fully open, one half shut, one fully shut, and again with eyes fully open)

Simpsons= 5 frames (fully open, half shut, fully shut, half shut, fully open)