The Incredible Incredibles

I realized I already have a post titled "The Incredibles" so I improvised a little bit.  My apologies for how over-the-top it is!

This pose is a bit of a hybrid of a couple of characters, as you'll see when you look at my reference photo below, but was ultimately inspired by Helen Parr aka Elastigirl.  That amazing woman did it all: was a loving mother, devoted partner and independent super gal who helped keep the family together during tough times.  She didn't need any help from the men to be super.

This movie holds a special place in my heart and will always be one of my favorites, so it's no surprise I decided to pull some inspiration from it!  I believe in the power of family and a united front.

I've been animating for so long now, that I sometimes forget that what I'm doing is pretty magical.  To me, it doesn't appear special any more because I figure anyone can do it.  Anyone can take a rig and stick it into a pose and there will always be someone else out there who does it better than me.  But I suppose, when I stop and think about it, that isn't entirely true.  Sure, there will always be someone out there better at it than me, but it's still a thrilling experience for me to take a boring, T-pose model and bring it to life.  Watching your character move for the first time, knowing it was all your doing, is a feeling that never gets old.

Again, because I want to continue to give credit where it's due: I'm using the Tina rig by Joe Daniels, from his Body Mechanics Rig Mega Pack.