Tag Archives: Body acting and Reference

Body Acting and Reference for Animation

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The purpose of using references in animation is to assist animators in studying and analyzing the movement of objects, people, and animals. By observing how things move in the real world, animators can create more realistic and believable animations. Utilizing external sources such as videos, photographs, and real-life observations helps artists enhance the movement, appearance, and detail of their animated characters on screen.

Using references is not cheating. Many artists take personal pride in drawing from their imagination, but all artists benefit from using references to help guide their choices in acting or poses based on their observations from real life.

Disney created some remarkable live-action references during the Golden Age.

In Unit 1, I worked on animation projects that involved video references, lip-syncing, walk cycles, and quadrupedal movement. Each project presented its challenges, but watching the reference videos and analysing the movements and gestures helped me overcome those difficulties and improve my drawing skills.

I asked my friend Lenny to demonstrate the walk cycle because he excels at conveying himself through body language. And I got some exciting key poses within the walk cycle.

Acting Reference video, CSM 2025. – Rough Animation, Tvpaint.

I don’t consider character design when planning an animation sequence; that comes later, after I’m satisfied with the rough animation. My main focus is on movement because I’ve learned that if you move directly from the rough stage to cleanup and character design without ensuring the character’s movement looks right or aligns with the design, it can lead to a failed project. All that time spent on cleanup and coloring will be wasted. Therefore, I prioritize rough poses and movements first, seek additional feedback, and explore second or third options to ensure the animation works effectively.

There are various resources available, such as tutorials, reference sheets, libraries, and other online content. I’ve been following the artist Kibbizer (@Kibbi_the_Instagram) on Instagram, who provides numerous references and consistently studies anatomy. Her work has significantly helped me improve my understanding of the human figure by allowing me to focus on specific body parts, full-body poses, and different perspectives.

Character References Sheets By Kibbizer, Pateron.com/kibbitzer.

The quadrupedal walk cycle was the most challenging exercise I had to create; animating animals is not easy. You need to study animal anatomy carefully, as they have different joints compared to the human figure. I studied and analyzed cats by reading books about the Animal Kingdom and using reference photos from the library. I also recorded videos of my cat at home to observe how he walks. I dedicated time to studying the basic anatomy of the animal, paying close attention to how its body parts are connected. This helps me understand how to depict its movements accurately.

Reference video of my cat and mapping out where the joints on the cat’s body are.
An example of thumbnailing sketches, Pinterest

I start by identifying the main key poses, similar to how a human character would. The first poses I focus on are the full and mid-strides. I’ve observed that whenever the front legs are in a mid-stride position, the back legs are in a full-stride position, and vice versa. Hips play a crucial role; they serve as the engine driving a walk. The head and shoulders primarily guide the character’s direction.

Bibliography

  • BugBoss (2021). Cat Anatomy Facts – ONE ZOO TREE. [online] ONE ZOO TREE – Career Guidance for Children who want to work with Animals. Available at: https://onezootree.co.za/courses-directory/cats-2/cat-anatomy/lessons/cat-anatomy-facts/ [Accessed 3 Mar. 2025].
  • Coconut Press (2023). Disney history: Using live-action footage for animation (1939) Restored 4k. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91lEHG9DPrQ [Accessed 3 Mar. 2025].
  • Hendricks, G. (2001). Eadweard Muybridge. Dover Publications.
  • Korkis, J. (2022). Live Action Reference |. [online] cartoonresearch.com. Available at: https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/live-action-reference/.
  • Mattesi, M. (2021). Force: Animal Drawing. CRC Press.
  • Webster, C. (2017). Action Analysis For Animators..
  • White, T. (2009). How to make animated films : Tony White’s complete masterclass on the traditional principles of animation. Amsterdam ; Boston: Elsevier/Focal Press.
  • Winslow, V.L. (2009). Classic human anatomy : the artist’s guide to form, function, and movement. New York: Watson-Guptill.
  • Winslow, V.L. (2015). Classic human anatomy in motion : the artist’s guide to the dynamics of figure drawing. Berkeley: Watson-Guptill Publications.