Jump for Joy Pose Reference

Draw one curved line before anything else. It starts at the kicked-up heels, runs along the backs of the thighs, bows forward through the arched spine and finishes at the raised fists. That arc is the line of action, and the more you bend it, the happier the figure feels. The mannequin hangs 45 cm above the floor, knees bent so the feet fly up behind, chest pushed forward, arms spread into a V with the fists above the head. The head drops back so the face points up.

Because the curve runs front to back, the side view (figure facing left) is the clearest angle: it shows the full bow and how far the heels travel toward the seat. The front view flattens the arc, so there you rely on the V of the arms and the knees bending toward you, with the shins hidden behind the thighs. From the back, the soles of the feet and the shoulder blades squeezing together are the key shapes. The low angle is the most celebratory, implying open sky behind the fists, while the high angle reveals the gap between feet and floor.

Keep the legs bent. Straight legs dangling down read as a small hop, and the energy drains out of the picture. Arms reaching forward rather than up look like someone about to catch a ball. A straight spine is the third trap: without the arch, heels and fists no longer connect.

Celebrations, exam results, a goal scored, the last page of a story or a birthday card all suit it. Put a shadow on the ground beneath the figure, smaller and lighter than usual, to sell the height. In the editor, open one fist into a spread hand or bend one knee more than the other for a less symmetrical, more spontaneous leap.