Pose reference
Pose reference library for drawing
74 hand-built poses, including two-person scenes, plus 800 real poses from motion capture, across 21 categories. Each preview is the actual 3D pose; open it in the Studio to orbit, re-light, adjust joints and export.
Pose references by category
All poses
74 poses
Neutral standing
Balanced, symmetrical stance. A clean starting point for proportions and construction studies.
- Standing
- · Easy
Contrapposto
Weight on one leg, hips and shoulders tilted in opposition. The classic relaxed figure-drawing stance.
- Standing
- Relaxed
- · Easy
Hands on hips
Confident stance with elbows out and feet apart. Good for practising foreshortened forearms.
- Standing
- · Medium
Arms crossed
Closed, guarded body language. The forearms overlap in front of the chest.
- Standing
- Relaxed
- · Medium
Looking over the shoulder
Back turned to the viewer, head and chest twisting to look behind. Strong torso twist study.
- Standing
- Relaxed
- · Hard
Thinking
One hand at the chin, the other arm supporting the elbow. Quiet character moment.
- Standing
- Relaxed
- · Medium
Waving
Arm raised to the side with the forearm up, a friendly greeting.
- Standing
- Relaxed
- · Easy
Pointing forward
Arm extended toward a target with the head following. Clear directional gesture.
- Pointing
- Standing
- · Easy
Pointing up
Arm raised overhead pointing at the sky, head tilted back to look up.
- Pointing
- Standing
- · Easy
Carrying a box
Both forearms forward at waist height, torso leaning back slightly to counter the load.
- Carrying
- Standing
- · Medium
Carrying a heavy bag
A load in one hand pulls the shoulder down; the torso leans away and the free arm lifts for balance.
- Carrying
- Balance
- Standing
- · Medium
Walking stride
Mid-stride with opposite arm and leg forward. The torso counter-rotates against the hips.
- Walking
- · Easy
Running
Driving knee, pumping arms, forward lean. A flight-phase snapshot of a run.
- Running
- · Medium
Sprint
Exaggerated sprint: high knee, long rear leg and a strong forward lean.
- Running
- Balance
- · Hard
Landing
Absorbing a landing: deep knee bend, arms forward for balance, chest over the knees.
- Jumping
- Crouching
- Balance
- · Medium
Falling backward
Losing balance mid-air, arms thrown out, head tucked. Useful for dramatic panels.
- Falling
- · Hard
Climbing
Reaching for the next hold with one leg stepping high. Back view reads best.
- Climbing
- · Hard
Pushing
Leaning into a heavy object, arms extended, rear leg driving.
- Balance
- Standing
- · Medium
Pulling a rope
Leaning back against tension, hands forward, front knee bent.
- Balance
- Carrying
- · Medium
Boxing guard
Bladed stance, fists up by the chin, knees soft. The base for any fight scene.
- Fighting
- Punching
- · Medium
Right cross
Rear hand fully extended, hips and shoulders rotated through the punch.
- Punching
- Fighting
- · Medium
Uppercut
Dipping the body and driving the fist upward from low to high.
- Punching
- Fighting
- · Hard
Front kick
Knee driven high and foot extended forward, torso leaning back for balance.
- Kicking
- Fighting
- Balance
- · Hard
Side kick
Leg chambered out to the side, torso tilted away to keep the line from head to heel.
- Kicking
- Fighting
- Balance
- · Hard
Horse stance strike
Wide, low stance with one palm forward and the other fist chambered at the hip.
- Fighting
- Crouching
- Balance
- · Medium
Throwing wind-up
Front leg lifted, throwing arm cocked back. Peak of the load before release.
- Balance
- Fighting
- · Hard
Seated (chair height)
Upright on an invisible chair with hands resting on the thighs. Add your own chair when drawing.
- Sitting
- · Easy
Seated, legs crossed
Relaxed lean back with one knee crossed over the other.
- Sitting
- Relaxed
- · Medium
Sitting on the floor
Legs extended, leaning back on straight arms. Relaxed beach or park pose.
- Sitting
- Relaxed
- · Easy
Hugging knees
Curled up on the floor, arms wrapped around the shins. Compact, emotional silhouette.
- Sitting
- · Medium
Cross-legged
Seated on the floor with legs folded and hands on the knees. Meditation or casual floor pose.
- Sitting
- Yoga
- Relaxed
- · Medium
Kneeling on one knee
One knee down, the other foot planted. A forearm rests on the raised knee.
- Kneeling
- · Medium
Kneeling upright
Both knees on the ground, torso tall, hands resting at the sides.
- Kneeling
- · Easy
Crouching
Low crouch on the balls of the feet, arms forward. Ready to spring or hide.
- Crouching
- · Medium
Deep squat
Hips below the knees, heels down, arms reaching forward for counterbalance.
- Crouching
- Balance
- Stretching
- · Medium
Lying on the back
Resting on the back with one knee raised and the head turned.
- Lying
- Relaxed
- · Easy
Lying on the side
On the side with knees drawn up and the top arm draped forward.
- Lying
- Relaxed
- · Medium
Lying on the stomach
Face down, chest lifted on the forearms, lower legs up. Reading or daydreaming pose.
- Lying
- Relaxed
- · Medium
Dance, hip pop
One arm up, one out, hip pushed to the side with a pointed foot.
- Dancing
- · Medium
Arabesque
Balanced on one leg with the other extended behind; arms frame the line.
- Dancing
- Balance
- · Hard
Split leap
Mid-air split with arms open. A high-energy dance or gymnastics moment.
- Dancing
- Jumping
- · Hard
Side stretch
Both arms overhead, torso bending to one side. Shows the long curve of the ribcage.
- Stretching
- · Easy
Morning stretch
Up on the toes, arms reaching high, chest lifted.
- Stretching
- Relaxed
- · Easy
Forward fold
Folding from the hips with arms hanging toward the floor. Hamstring stretch.
- Stretching
- Yoga
- · Medium
Low lunge
Front knee bent deeply, rear leg long, arms overhead.
- Stretching
- Yoga
- Balance
- · Medium
Warrior II
Wide stance, front knee bent over the ankle, arms extended, gaze over the front hand.
- Yoga
- Balance
- Stretching
- · Medium
Tree pose
Standing on one leg with the other foot against the inner thigh, palms together overhead.
- Yoga
- Balance
- · Medium
One-leg balance
Knee raised to hip height with arms out to the sides for balance.
- Balance
- Standing
- · Easy
Handshake
Two figures meeting with a handshake. The hands are aligned with IK, so the grip lines up from any angle.
- Two people
- Standing
- · Easy
High five
Celebratory high five with weight shifting into the slap.
- Two people
- Standing
- · Easy
Punch and block
A right cross meeting a raised forearm block. A starting point for fight choreography.
- Two people
- Fighting
- Punching
- · Hard
Sword duel
Two fencers with blades crossed at the centre line. Props included.
- Two people
- Fighting
- · Hard
Partner dance hold
Closed ballroom hold: lead’s hand on the follow’s back, joined hands extended.
- Two people
- Dancing
- · Medium
Helping someone up
One figure leans down and grips the hand of a friend sitting on the floor.
- Two people
- Sitting
- Carrying
- · Medium
Back to back
Arms crossed, standing back to back. Classic cover or poster composition.
- Two people
- Standing
- Relaxed
- · Easy
Holding hands
Walking side by side, hand in hand, glancing at each other.
- Two people
- Walking
- · Easy
Embrace
A close hug: arms around the waist and over the shoulders, heads turned aside.
- Two people
- Standing
- · Medium
Back hug
Hugging from behind, arms around the waist, chin near the shoulder.
- Two people
- Standing
- Relaxed
- · Medium
Forehead touch
Leaning in until their foreheads touch, hands at the waist and arms.
- Two people
- Standing
- · Medium
Includes poses derived from the CMU Graphics Lab Motion Capture Database (mocap.cs.cmu.edu), created with funding from NSF EIA-0196217.
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