59 Superficial Appearance vs. Creative Portrayal

In the course of animating on a picture, you will be called upon to draw many different actions, each one calling for a distinct set of gestures. Your character night have to display a variety of expressions like happiness, anger, confusion, determination, and so on, with actions that match each of those emotions. The character will no doubt have to walk, turn, stoop, stretch, extend arms, etc. There will be a number of characters in the film and each one of them will have different personalities that will require appropriate gestures, none of which will be repeated — at least not in exactly the same way.

In a classroom situation where you are studying a live model, it is nearly impossible to anticipate those action requirements, so you have to concentrate on the ability to capture those gestures the model performs for you. This, in effect, hones your sensitivity for seeing bodily actions, so that you are better able to apply your skills to future needs. It is nearly impossible also to find models that are “look-a-likes” to match the characters in the various stories. This may be a blessing in that if you could find them you would surely be tempted to copy the superficial appearance of the model, rather than using the time and opportunity to further your skills in gesture drawing. After all, gesture drawing to the animator is what acting is to the stage or movie actor. What the actor portrays on the stage or before the camera is what the animator draws on paper.

So a perceptive and keen observation in regard to gesture (acting) is essential to the animator.

Completion (of a drawing) does not depend on material representation. The work is done when that special thing has been said.

Robert Henri

The purpose of working with a live model is to sharpen your awareness of the possibilities of the human figure to tell a “story” with body language. In my estimation, anyone (all of you) who has made it past the “board” with your drawing portfolios, has enough knowledge of basic anatomy. You know where the knees are, how they work, and their general functions — likewise all other parts of the body. At this point, to merely copy what is before you would be just to solidify your position on a plateau, short of your potential. Now is the time to transcend that ability to make a carbon copy likeness of the model, and to discover, reveal, and disclose the rich assortments and subtleties of body language.

Then you will be better equipped to formulate the future needed variations and apply them to whatever character you happen to be working on.

The wise man brings forward what he can use most effectively to present his case. His case is his special interest — his special vision. He does not repeat nature.

Robert Henri

All of the above try to convince you to stop tiring your eyes by glancing back and forth from model to paper in an attempt to make a pretty copy but rather to “shift mental gears,” looking past the flesh to the spirit of the pose and to draw that. Think caricature, think essence of gesture, think going beyond to a better than average drawing, one that blows up in your “emotional face.” There will be rejoicing in the village if you can draw not the facts, but draw the truth.

My apologies if I sound preachy, such is not the intent. I consider myself more a kind of coach than a teacher. You have all had teachers. They have “taught” you to draw — I’m just trying to help you see more clearly so you can put that drawing ability to a more fulfilling use.

Reproduced on the following pages are some drawings that came from one of animator Art Babbit’s lectures. They show how he thinks in terms of caricaturing live action for use in cartoon action.

Here is a bonus page with a caricature by Dan Haskett. He captured the spirit of my “teaching” many years ago at the Disney School of Animation. It is quite a prophetic drawing too, for the audience are two of your current directors — Clements and Musker. Spot any others? Maybe Jerry Rees? Ed Gombert? Bluth, Pomeroy, and Goldman? Even the artist himself is there.

There are different faces out there now, but the sentiments are the same.