[Figure 5] The stronger silhouette exposes the goal of the gesture.

Figure 5 shows the newly created pose. The silhouette plainly shows the character motioning toward his wrist. The viewer doesn’t gain any additional information by revealing the “inner” portions of the outlined figure. The animator is relying on a strong body gesture to convey the character’s action or emotion.

Most 3D packages have settings that will automatically create a silhouetted figure for you. Oftentimes it’s accessible within the actual working view port. Other times, it will be necessary to create a quick render to get the results. Regardless of the options available, make every effort to routinely view your work in this mode.

Anatomy of a Pose
Now that the artistic aspects of poses have been discussed, it’s time to consider the mechanics that are present in a strong pose. Several fundamentals are needed in creating appealing character gestures, and providing the necessary backbone and technical foundation for your character’s expressions and actions. When combined with the artistic elements, the result is a character with both appeal and functionality.

Balance
The most common mistake I’ve seen is the inability to maintain proper balance. I’ve witnessed many shots fail to meet their expectations when an animator breaks the balance barrier and places the character in a pose that would not be possible in the physical world. The action or pose breaks the rules of physics and distracts the viewer with sheer defiance of the laws of gravity.

Characters need proper balance from a physical standpoint. This physical state involves anatomy and physics. Animated figures, although make-believe, must maintain some semblance of real-world abilities. Breaking this barrier creates an unwanted separation between audience and character.

Take, for example, the lifting of a leg. I want to place the character in a one-leg standing pose that’s going to require that he lift a foot off the ground. Many animators will solve the equation the way shown in Figure 6. They simply pull the leg straight off the ground and feel satisfied with the pose. The result is a character that would immediately fall over.

[Figures 6 & 7] The unbalanced character (left) would be unable to keep this stance. The balanced character (right) is in a more natural state. A center of gravity and B the character is off balance.

The current position of the character ignores gravity. It’s impossible to stand this way. I suggest you try putting yourself in this pose; I guarantee you can’t do it. The character must alter his mass to compensate for the weight shift. I’ll show you how to fix it.

As the character begins to raise the leg, the hips must shift over the standing leg. This redistributes the weight and creates an equal balance along the center of gravity. The character can sustain this pose with ease. (See Figure 7.)