How many figures are on each sheet?

Four figures for each action, and each action is drawn in all three styles, nine pictures in all.

What is a line of action?

It is the curve that runs through the body and shows its direction of movement; the mannequin style marks it as one line through each figure.

How do comic inks and anime differ?

Comic inks uses bold contour lines that swell and taper, while anime is thin, uniform lineart with the hair and loose clothes flying with the motion.

Can I ask for a different action?

Yes. Type it in the direction field and the sheet is drawn to match, though the result is not a promised match.

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/action-pose-references · illustration

Action pose references: running, jumping, fighting

Action pose references — a sheet of four figures sprinting, one leg fully extended behind, the torso leaning forward, the arms pumping, seen from side and three-quarter view, a construction mannequin drawing, bodies built from ovals, cylinders and joint circles, the line of action drawn as one curve through each figure, thin even lines

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every sample — three subjects, three styles ↓

Reading 1Running

Reading 2Jumping

Reading 3Fighting

Comic and anime artists work from poses with a strong line of action, the body caught mid-motion. These sheets show figures running, jumping and fighting, with the foreshortening of the nearest limbs visible, drawn as lines on white. Each action comes in a mannequin build, bold comic inks and anime lineart. Type a different action or character, such as a sword swing, and the sheet is drawn to it.

a dynamic pose study for a comic page
a reference for an anime fight scene
a sketchbook warm-up on the line of action
a pose base for a martial arts character

Frequently asked questions

How many figures are on each sheet?: Four figures for each action, and each action is drawn in all three styles, nine pictures in all.
What is a line of action?: It is the curve that runs through the body and shows its direction of movement; the mannequin style marks it as one line through each figure.
How do comic inks and anime differ?: Comic inks uses bold contour lines that swell and taper, while anime is thin, uniform lineart with the hair and loose clothes flying with the motion.
Can I ask for a different action?: Yes. Type it in the direction field and the sheet is drawn to match, though the result is not a promised match.

About toile

This page is a showcase and a starting point: nine samples already rendered, three readings of the pack crossed with three styles, each shown at the size and ratio it was made for. Take any of them further on the wall with a few words, or ask for all nine again under your own direction; a sign-in keeps what you make, and it is free while Toile is new. The recipe behind each sample — the subject, the style, the palette, the framing — travels with the image rather than staying private to the render: it is in the alt text of every sample and in the page's own structured data, so a search engine reads the same handles a person would.