1. A computer-readable medium storing instructions for causing a computer to display a portion of a schematic representation of a graphics image that includes one or more objects, performing the steps of: generating a list of relationships, each entry in the list of relationships identifying two nodes that each define an element, wherein each element represents at least part of a topology of at least one object within the graphics image, and a link between the two nodes defines a relationship type between the two elements, wherein the relationship type reflects how one of the two elements is animated in response to the other element being modified or manipulated; receiving selection data specifying one relationship type of a plurality of relationship types in the generated list of relationships, wherein the plurality of relationship types includes a constraint relationship type, the constraint relationship type comprises a distance constraint, and the distance constraint limits the distance between a first object and a second object in the graphics image to a particular value; and displaying a portion of a schematic representation of the graphics image, wherein the portion of the schematic representation includes at least two nodes and a link between the at least two nodes, wherein the link is associated with a respective entry in the list of relationships, and the link corresponds to the one relationship type specified by the selection data.