Hi Mike,
I understand what you mean, and you're partially right about the still images with lip sync. But, and this is a big but, when the characters are moving, picking objects or fighting, that requires an huge knowlegde about body mechanics. You have no idea man. Animating weight is one of the hardest things ever, because, believe me, animation is not about moving forms, it's all about moving forces.
In the other hand, acting in animation is quite difficult too, it is necessary to show that the character is thinking, that he has feelings (the internal force that leads him to react and move for a reason), and with that, estabilish an emphatic relationship with the audience. It's no easy task, believe me.
Despite of how well you can do drawings, animation will never be good if it's not sincere and natural about the illusion of life.
Anyway, i don't do traditional animation (i suck at hand drawing). I am a 3D artist, so i use the computer, that's why i believe that i can have a chance to get a job in a japanese studio. Otherwise i wouldn't even try, they have a lot of amazing 2D animators already.
If you are interested in what i wrote above, take a look at this simple flour sack animation. It's just a bunch of simple lines moving? No, it's a flour sack that THINKS and you understand how he feels, and yet he doesn't speak a single word or have any facial expression. It's brilliant. It's all about animating internal and external forces.
It was made by a Pixar animator, by the way. Enjoy!
VNOG Blog: Flour Sack Animation Test
