From the moment my animation journey as a student began, I never would have pictured where my career would take me. Today, I am developing games I once played and never imagined I would be part of. While game development is my full-time job, I also work as a professor, teaching future animators and watching them achieve great things. To be honest, I sometimes can’t believe that this is what I do for a living; it feels surreal.
Throughout my career, I have observed that many of the terms used in animation are concepts already established in physics.
Despite this, as I progressed through my career. I realized that many artists dislike discussing math, physics, and the technical aspects of the craft. Unfortunately, not discussing these aspects when talking about art and animation limits the artist’s potential. As Oscar Wilde once said, “Art imitates life.” It was noticing this limitation that led me to realize how closely related animation and physics are, yet many people disregard this relationship.

I believe that, by design, we humans are curious creatures, and discovering ‘the why’ is part of our nature. I started this book with the goal of combining my love for animation and science, and of providing you, the reader, with answers to why things happen the way they do.

As my animation research deepened over the years and my questions piled up, I began seeking answers outside the animation world. Instead, I looked at our world and the universe. Eventually, I realized that some aspects of animation reminded me of my high school physics classes. The more I learned, the clearer it became that my industry colleagues and high school science teachers were saying the same thing in different words.

Fortunately, I have surrounded myself with great people who can navigate both realms and mentor me through my career, and I encourage any budding animators to do the same. I shifted my focus to understand how and why things move and behave the way they do, and went beyond a handful of the same books and training that most people around me suggested, on my journey of personal growth.

Don’t take me wrong, I apply physics on my work but I am still an animator, and an artistic mindset is fundamental in the craft, however it is impossible to disregard physics when animating.