Here is a (relatively small, I must say) compilation of tips and tricks for character drawing from one of Dreamworks' animators, Rad Sechrist. I Follow him on Twitter, Blogger and Tumblr (from which all the below images are). His work and instructions have certainly helped me with my own figure drawing, especially his points about 'pushing' angles and proportions which can give characters a more cartoonish look that's really suited for animation. I've been practicing these techniques whenever I sketch people now, and look for their skeleton inside their frame and to see which way they curve. radfordsechrist.tumblr.com
'short-hands for boarding'
'Some thoughts on bones. The bones are bent, but sometimes I'll use a strong straight to show tension, flexing, etc.'