Tag: animation tips

Analysis: The Anatomy of a Pose

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

Shot Analysis: A Jungle Book Sequence Part 5

We continue our analysis of scenes 13 to 16 in the fifth and final installment of our look at Disney’s The Jungle Book.

Scene 13, 14 & 15: A Lesson in Simplicity

At first glace these shots seem rather ordinary but I think that’s the entire point; they are meant to be easily understood. Baloo is making a rather basic request of Mowgli and is talking to him in as simple a manner as possible. There is quite a bit of twinned posing and action here but it’s beautifully disguised when possible. Notice how Baloo’s overacted “scare me” pose is almost childish, but that’s very likely the feeling Frank wanted. Often times as animators we get caught up trying to be original or even wanting to show off our creativity or skill, but at the end of the day, the performance to be delivered must be one of appropriateness — true to the moment and to the characters.

In the following scene, I like the choices Frank makes here with Mowgli. First, his eyes open and connect with Baloo, then he grinds out an intense emotional effort with weak bodily power and meek vocals:

In this next shot, simplicity is at play again. Held moments are crucial here; it lets you absorb the moment that Baloo has just experienced and relays his feelings about it. Notice how apathetic his expressions are. He barely budges upon hearing Mowgli’s modest squeek. In exact and uncomplicated order, he blinks, shakes his head, moves up, and then, in an almost frozen state of disbelief, let’s out the words that confirm everything that he feels about the display just witnessed. No overacting here.

After that held moment, which helps set up the contrast, he bolts directly into action. Notice there’s no pre-anticipation necessary since he’s already in a high position. From a straight and stable position, he bounces immediately into dynamic and emotional form as we return to asymmetry before match-cutting into the wide shot:

Scene 16: A lesson in Posing with Attitude

When it comes to posing, we often think of amazing draftsmen like Bill Tytla or Glen Keane — powerhouse animators that create domineering characters — but sometimes great attitudes can come from posing that just fits the character and isn’t overdone. Here, we see Frank Thomas display some actively interesting poses of Baloo that still match his profile. Remember he’s a chill, lovable guy, whose gonna temporarily go into “real bear” mode for the sake of “demonstration.” He sounds scary and the growl is very real, but the poses that lead up to the final expression are anything but dynamic or frightening — they simply fit.

In conclusion of this lengthy five part analysis, the big point I want to make here is this: don’t be so quick to pretend to know or judge a shot or any piece of art. Take the time to see what’s going on, both on the surface and between the frames. Only in this way, do we get the chance to get inside the mind of the creator. Masterworks such as these from Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston are gold and studying them, or the works of any master, gives us a glimmer of hope that maybe some of that shine will make its way onto our own work.