Gesture Response Animations
Apply Disney's 12 principles to direct user interactions.
Principle Application
Squash & Stretch: Elements compress on press (scale 0.95-0.97), spring back on release.
Anticipation: The press IS the anticipation. Response should be immediate - no delay.
Staging: Response originates from interaction point. Ripples expand from tap location.
Straight Ahead vs Pose-to-Pose: Define rest, pressed, and released poses. Transitions flow between them.
Follow Through & Overlapping: Release animation overshoots rest position. Scale to 1.02, settle to 1.0.
Slow In/Slow Out: Press: instant. Release: ease-out with overshoot cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1).
Arcs: Drag elements follow finger with slight lag on curves. Snapping follows arc to destination.
Secondary Action: Press triggers ripple + scale + shadow change simultaneously.
Timing:
- Press response: 0-50ms (must feel instant)
- Release recovery: 150-300ms (can be playful)
- Ripple expansion: 400-600ms (decorative, can be slower)
Exaggeration: Subtle for press (0.97), playful for release (overshoot 1.03).
Solid Drawing: Pressed state should feel "pushed in" - smaller scale, reduced shadow, shifted color.
Appeal: Gestures should feel physically satisfying. Like pressing a real button.
Timing Recommendations
| Gesture | Press Duration | Release Duration | Easing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tap/Click | 50ms | 200ms | ease-out + overshoot |
| Long Press | 50ms | 300ms | ease-out |
| Drag Start | 100ms | - | ease-out |
| Drag Release | - | 300ms | spring |
| Swipe | - | 200-400ms | ease-out |
| Pinch | real-time | 300ms | spring |
Implementation Patterns
/* Button press */
.button {
transition: transform 50ms ease-out;
}
.button:active {
transform: scale(0.97);
}
/* Release with overshoot */
.button:not(:active) {
transition: transform 250ms cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1);
}
/* Material ripple */
.ripple {
animation: ripple 600ms ease-out forwards;
}
@keyframes ripple {
from {
transform: scale(0);
opacity: 0.5;
}
to {
transform: scale(4);
opacity: 0;
}
}Drag Feedback Pattern
// Smooth drag with slight lag
element.style.transform = `translate(${x}px, ${y}px)`;
element.style.transition = 'transform 50ms ease-out';
// Snap back with spring
element.style.transition = 'transform 300ms cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1)';
element.style.transform = 'translate(0, 0)';Critical Rule
Gesture responses must be under 100ms to feel connected to the action. Anything slower breaks the direct manipulation illusion. Test on actual touch devices.