# exaggeration-mastery

A skill that helps you decide how far to push motion past realism so key moments land on screen.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 502 installs · ★ 124
- Author: dylantarre
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/dylantarre/animation-principles/tree/HEAD/skills/11-by-principle-focus/exaggeration-mastery/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2025-12-30
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/exaggeration-mastery

## What it does

The skill lays out an exaggeration spectrum: subtle at 1.1-1.2x for corporate contexts, moderate at 1.3-1.5x for consumer products, bold at 1.6-2x for games and playful work, theatrical beyond that. For each level it lists what to push — poses, timing, spacing, squash and stretch, arcs, expression — and what to leave alone. Proportions during motion, inconsistent physics for the same object, and pushing everything equally are all called out as mistakes.

There is a five-step calibration method: start with realistic motion, name the quality you want to communicate, push it by 50%, judge whether it reads as true or cartoonish, then adjust. The default heuristic is 10-20% exaggeration for professional contexts and 30-50% for consumer or entertainment work.

Where it earns its keep is when animation feels stiff and you cannot tell whether the fix is more energy or less. The restraint paradox is the useful part: push until it is clearly too much, then pull back 20%. Internal consistency matters more than the exact number — if one element is pushed 30%, related elements should move proportionally, or the result reads as sloppy.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill exaggeration-mastery -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/exaggeration-mastery/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/exaggeration-mastery/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill exaggeration-mastery -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/exaggeration-mastery/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill exaggeration-mastery -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/exaggeration-mastery/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install dylantarre/animation-principles exaggeration-mastery
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/exaggeration-mastery/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill exaggeration-mastery -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/dylantarre/animation-principles --path skills/11-by-principle-focus/exaggeration-mastery
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/exaggeration-mastery/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add dylantarre/animation-principles --skill exaggeration-mastery -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/dylantarre/animation-principles/tree/HEAD/skills/11-by-principle-focus/exaggeration-mastery/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- pick an exaggeration level that fits a serious enterprise UI
- make button and transition micro-interactions feel alive
- amplify success states without going cartoonish
- push hit reactions and knockback in a game
- keep exaggeration consistent across related elements

## Example prompts
- review the modal animation — is the spring overshooting too much?
- pick an exaggeration level for a mobile onboarding flow
- check whether the card and tooltip timings are consistent

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

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BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 8929de7e3e2769f2
```text
---
name: exaggeration-mastery
description: Use when determining how far to push motion beyond realism, calibrating animation intensity for context, or making key moments register with audiences.
---

# Exaggeration Mastery

## The Truth Beyond Realism

Exaggeration isn't about making things unrealistic—it's about making things feel true. A perfect photographic copy of motion often feels dead on screen. Animation requires pushing beyond literal reality to capture the essence of movement, emotion, and intent.

## Core Theory

**The camera lies**: Film loses dimension, haptic feedback, and environmental immersion. What reads clearly in real life often flattens on screen. Exaggeration compensates for this loss.

**Essence over accuracy**: Exaggeration distills motion to its essential quality. A sad slump becomes sadder. A joyful leap becomes more joyful. The caricature captures truth the photograph misses.

## The Exaggeration Spectrum

**Subtle (1.1-1.2x)**: Corporate, serious contexts. Motion feels polished but grounded.
**Moderate (1.3-1.5x)**: Consumer products, friendly brands. Motion feels alive and engaging.
**Bold (1.6-2x)**: Entertainment, games, playful contexts. Motion has personality and energy.
**Theatrical (2x+)**: Cartoons, comedy, stylized work. Motion defines the reality.

## What to Exaggerate

**Poses**: Push silhouettes further than comfortable. If a lean feels like 15°, make it 20°.
**Timing**: Compress fast actions further, extend holds longer.
**Spacing**: Increase contrast between fast and slow phases.
**Squash/stretch**: Push deformation beyond physical limits.
**Arcs**: Sweep paths wider than strict physics suggests.
**Expression**: Amplify emotional poses and reactions.

## What NOT to Exaggerate

**Proportions during motion**: Unless the style supports it, characters shouldn't distort
**Physical laws differently for same object**: Stay internally consistent
**Everything equally**: Exaggeration needs contrast with restraint

## Interaction with Other Principles

**Squash/stretch is exaggeration's primary vehicle**: How much deformation defines how cartoony the motion feels.

**Timing exaggeration shapes genre**: Snappy timing = comedy; held timing = drama.

**Anticipation often gets exaggerated**: Big wind-ups before small actions (comedy), or tiny wind-ups before big actions (surprise).
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 8929de7e3e2769f2

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