How to Read Timing Charts (Finally Explained Simply)

If the YouTube membership isn't available in your country,

The pen display I used at the start of the video is a Huion Kamvas 16 pro 4k:

Hi! Let's understand timing charts once and for all 😄 Timing charts are an essential tool in frame-by-frame animation, but most beginners (and even intermediates) have a hard time understanding them.

So in this video, we'll discuss:
1. what timing charts are
2. timing and spacing
3. how timing charts came to be
4. how to read them
5. using timing charts on various examples

This was a difficult video to make. Explaining timing charts isn't a simple task, but we hope you'll learn and enjoy watching this video.

We hope this will be the only timing chart video you'll ever need. 😁

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
02:11 - What are timing charts?
02:31 - The origins of the timing chart
04:33 - How to make a timing chart
05:47 - Timing and spacing
06:32 - How to read timing charts
09:32 - Timing charts as a communication tool
10:31 - What do the curves mean in timing charts?
14:57 - Adjusting timing vs Adjusting spacing
16:06 - Timing charts as notes for yourself
18:08 - Anime example
20:00 - Kick example
21:00 - Slash example (with camera animation)
28:29 - Timing charts on multiple keyposes
32:57 - Conclusion

[plainlysimple]

Support our channel to access the full lesson library:

If the YouTube membership isn't available in your country,

[mullandglow]

As someone who did go to animation school, you did a much better job explaining it than any of my teachers

[xanderjakeq]

timing chart being about spacing is the missing piece i needed xD

[sewoh]

"Timing charts" should really be called "spacing charts" because that's how you read them.

[jiowgqz]

I HAVE BEEN CONFUSED ON THIS FOR AGES. AGES. THANK YOU, I AM FOREVER INDEBTED TO YOU. HALLELUJAH 🗣️🗣️🗣️

[Aidenillu]

As someone who has been animating for years, i finally understand it

[Neptoid]

A timing chart is not for timing, but for spacing. Usually with equal time

[dutchielander]

I tried animation in the past, frame by frame and it's really demotivating when you spend a lot of time on drawing and the end result is bad or not what you hoped for.
This video might help me in the future since it motivates me to try again.
Thanks!

[drakashifaze]

IVE BEEN WAITIN YEARS FOR THIS GOOD GOD MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED, thank you

[dillonwright]

As an animator, I commend this video, it even taught me things about timing charts I didn’t even know, specifically the use of curves in the charts.

[shubhamrishik]

Never thought, that the day I join, I will get the video on the topic I really needed

[Uhfgood]

I think I read somewhere that timing charts come from actually timing out an action, like on a stop watch. You would act out an action or scene, you would time how long it takes to do the action, and you would mark your poses on the timing chart. Then you would go back through it and mark out the in-betweens. Hence it being called a timing chart instead of spacing chart.

[lolmbrill]

Ah, that's what I need. Thank you for making this, as a self-taught animator, I feel discouraged because I didn't go to animation school.

[mezack]

I'm Brazilian, I haven't even found a video with such educational content, it's an explanation as detailed as yours, thank you very much, I finally wanted the "timing charts".

[robertpoole]

Honestly the editing on this video could not be more perfect. Everything just helps point out how things are related between the timing chart and frame timeline

[ferneto-htfc]

Man, you really explained it WAY BETTER than anybody, I was struggling on this FOR YEARS, so THANK YOU SO MUCH, do NOT stop doing this free lessons for us, you are my hero and I became your new subscriber.

[misc.]

As someone who does no animation whatsoever, this was a really cool breakdown on a process I thought would be much more complicated than it actually is!

[Kitsunama]

Genuinely the best breakdown and explanation of this process I’ve seen! I have watched so many videos about timing charts and still couldn’t understand it. Thank you so much for this you’re a life saver 🙏❤️

[Angel-dvv]

Hello! I am a young artist who is interested in animating, this is the first video I've seen with timing charts and I immediately went from knowing nothing at the beginning to understanding everything you said at the end! This was a very easy to understand video that did teach me a lot! This was also the first video I've seen from this channel and I do plan on watching more! You earned a new subscriber and I am glad that I stumbled upon this!

[sporepapo]

28:48 gave me one of the biggest moments i've had in a while. Thank you so much, this is an amazing guide