Tweening in Animation: What It Is & How It Works

Tweening (inbetweening) is the animation technique of creating intermediate frames between keyframes to produce smooth motion. Originally developed in the 1920s for hand-drawn animation, it has evolved into digital methods with two main types: classic tweening for basic 2D frame-by-frame transitions, and motion tweening for more automated, flexible animations in games and 3D environments. Modern software like Adobe Animate simplifies the process through automated tools, allowing animators to define keyframes and let the software generate the transitions, making professional animation more accessible.