How to animate characters

In order to animate characters what you first need to do is get an idea of human form. Once you have understood the anatomy the rest of the formation is going to become easier for you. Which will also allow you to form characters that stand out from others. In addition to that to create animated characters you will be required to take reference from real life which will make your animations more realistic. Allowing your viewers to relate to your content easily. What are the other methods to create animated characters in your opinion?