Milt Kahl’s magnificent creation, Madam Mim, from Disney’s 1963 film The Sword In The Stone.
“You have to have high standards. I think that’s part of any profession. If you don’t aim high, well you’re not going to get anywhere.” — Milt Kahl
When I last heard the great Marc Davis speak, he noted that of all the animators in the world, there was one whose work he believed held up better than anyone else’s and that was Milt Kahl. I wholeheartedly agree. In honor of Davis’ words, I liked to demonstrate a breakdown of only one of his drawings — a pose from one of my favorite and funnest scenes animated by him from The Sword In The Stone. Here, we will see that in just this one single pose, all of the fundamental principles are given careful attention culminating into a display of not only great animation, but great artistry in general.
Line of Action & Overall Shape:
Here you see how Milt’s use of a transitional (S shaped) Line of Action (LOA) creates movement and flow thru the entirety of the pose. The overall shape (OS), which is presented in the form of a wavy triangle, gives the pose an elegant yet dynamic design. Together, the LOA and OS hold the pose in complete and beautiful harmony.
Anatomy:
One of the most poorly neglected aspects of animation today is the lack of knowledge and lack of regard for the construction of a character. (Working solely with CG puppets tends to do that to an animator.) Understanding body mechanics means first understanding body construction. Here, despite using only lines, Milt’s animation clearly displays his knowledge of the character’s anatomy and how each body part relates to another in line, form and space.
Directional Forces:
As seen above, every element, both big and small, indicate a directional flow. The spine, limbs, hair and clothing all point and aim their force and form. This gives their actions depth and dynamism.
Staging and Design:
All great animation employs solid staging and design. Here, Milt has “designed” his character in shapes so that they hold both two AND three dimensional appeal. Mim’s bottom and her hair both have bulk and weight to them, while the tapered arms and delicately placed fingers display both form and elegance. Note how the face is strategically staged for both clarity and appeal.
Torque, Twist and Turn:
This animated Madam Mim scene as a whole is a marvelous demonstration of the kind of tension and force that’s possible in this craft. But despite being only a still image, this individual drawing denotes the animator’s careful attention in his application of torque, twist and turn — concepts of movement— that indicate effort and time. It’s in this awareness and application of such forces that enables the appearance of the resulting squash and stretch in the various forms throughout the body.
Overlap:
Overlapping forms and shapes give the illusion of depth and dimension to a character. Here it’s applied not only in the shapes but also in the movement, as one area of shapes lead another in its progression. Forms moving and pressing against each also give the illusion of substance, as in the case of the folds of cloth that taper at the fingertips or the contact of the heel against the flatness of the floor.
Drag and Follow Thru:
The concept of Drag and Follow Thru are essential for the believable presentation of weight in the body and in the materials. Here, Milt applies the concept all over, in the big parts of the body like the feet and hands, but also in the details like the hair, sleeves, dress and even in the daisy-like protrusions at the bottom of her saggy pants.
Summary:
Really understanding both pose and movement is a tall task FOR ANY ANIMATOR. And they’re not isolated things to be learned and then added together; this is not math. Here — in the work of a great master’s — movement (and thus life) is present in every single pose ultimately becoming part of a scene that’s full of creativity and fun-filled magic.
“Anyone worth his salt in this business ought to know how people move.” — Milt Kahl