Chapter 1 – Mannequin blockouts and pose libraries

Chapter 1: Mannequin Blockouts & Pose Libraries

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Mannequin Blockouts & Pose Libraries

1. Why Mannequins and Pose Libraries Matter in 2D / 3D Hybrid Costume Work

In a modern costume concept pipeline, you’re rarely working purely in 2D or purely in 3D. Most studios live in a hybrid space: quick 3D blockouts to test forms, 2D paintovers to push style, pattern sims to validate cloth behavior, and photobash or kitbash to accelerate realism.

In that hybrid space, mannequin blockouts and pose libraries become your quiet superpower. They:

Give you consistent anatomy and proportions across an entire cast.
Let you test how costumes behave in a variety of gameplay poses early.
Speed up iteration while keeping your work on‑model and on‑rig.
Reduce guesswork for 3D, rigging, and animation teams later in the pipeline.

This article focuses on how to build and use mannequin blockouts and pose libraries as part of a 2D / 3D hybrid method for costume design, with emphasis on:

Blockouts – rough 2D or 3D forms for the body and costume.
Pattern sims – using cloth simulation to test drape, volume, and layering.
Kitbash – mixing and matching existing pieces to rapidly explore ideas.
Photobash ethics – using photo and 3D resources responsibly and transparently.

It’s written equally for:

Concept‑side costume artists who are exploring designs and selling the vision.
Production‑side costume artists who are cleaning, standardizing, and packaging designs for handoff.

2. What Is a Mannequin Blockout?

A mannequin blockout is a simplified representation of the character’s body and basic proportions that you use as a reusable base for costume exploration.

You can think of it as your personal “fit model” or “dress form” for the project:

It may exist as a 3D base mesh in your modeling or sculpting software.
It may exist as a set of 2D templates—front, side, and key poses—already drawn and proportioned.
It might be a combination: 3D base mesh → screenshots → 2D line cleanup → paintovers.

The key is consistency. Once your mannequin is established, every costume concept you design for that character archetype sits on the same underlying structure. This gives:

Reliable fit and proportion across skins and variants.
Dependable rig alignment (shoulders, hips, elbows, knees line up with the actual skeleton).
Faster turnarounds and pose explorations, because you’re not redrawing anatomy from scratch.

2.1 The Role of Mannequins for Concept‑Side Artists

For concept‑side artists, mannequins:

Free your brain to focus on shape language, story, and material instead of re‑figuring anatomy.
Let you quickly test different silhouettes on the same body to compare reads.
Make it easier to work in a team: everyone uses the same base, so lineups and comparison sheets feel cohesive.

2.2 The Role of Mannequins for Production‑Side Artists

For production‑side artists, mannequins:

Provide a known reference body that matches 3D’s base mesh or rig.
Help in building standardized turnarounds and orthos.
Ensure that when a costume is passed to 3D, the proportions are already on‑rig, minimizing rework.

Production‑side often own the official mannequin library for a project, keeping it version‑controlled and aligned with the latest rigs.

3. Building a Mannequin Library: 2D, 3D, or Both?

Your mannequin library can be purely 2D, purely 3D, or a hybrid—but in a 2D / 3D hybrid costume pipeline, hybrid is usually best.

3.1 3D Mannequins

A 3D mannequin is a simple, clean base mesh that matches your in‑game character proportions and rig. It might be:

A neutral A‑pose or T‑pose model from the character team.
An archetype set: different heights, builds, genders, or species.

Advantages:

You can pose it using the actual game rig or a simplified rig.
You can quickly generate multiple angles (front, side, 3/4) with accurate perspective.
You can use it as a base for pattern sims (cloaks, skirts, coats).

3.2 2D Mannequins

A 2D mannequin is a drawn template based on the project’s proportions. This may include:

Front, side, and back orthos for lineup and blockout.
A small pose set: neutral idle, run, attack, jump, emote.

Advantages:

Fast to iterate and adjust by hand.
Easy to print or drop into any 2D painting app.
Good for thumbnailing and quick silhouette passes.

3.3 The Hybrid Approach

In a hybrid workflow, you might:

Start from the official 3D base mesh.
Pose it roughly and take screenshots.
Clean those up into clear line drawings and save as 2D mannequin templates.
Use those templates as the base for costume explorations, all while knowing you can go back to the 3D source when you need new poses.

This gives you the accuracy of 3D with the speed of 2D.

4. Pose Libraries: Capturing Gameplay, Personality, and Cloth Behavior

A pose library is a curated set of poses that represent how your characters actually move in the game.

Instead of designing costumes only in a static neutral stance, you use your pose library to:

Test how the costume reads and functions in real gameplay moments.
Understand where cloth needs to stretch, compress, or flare.
Ensure that key design cues—team color, class elements, rarity flourishes—are visible in core poses.

4.1 Types of Poses to Include

Your pose library might include:

Gameplay core: idle, walk/run cycle, primary attack, ultimate, damage/react.
Role‑specific: tank blocking, support casting, assassin dashing, sniper aiming.
Expression poses: victory, defeat, emotes, social interactions.

Each pose can exist as:

A posed 3D mannequin screenshot.
A cleaned 2D mannequin drawing.
A combination of both, depending on your workflow.

4.2 Concept‑Side Use of Pose Libraries

On the concept side, you use the pose library to:

Sketch costumes on top of poses and see if the silhouette and patterns hold up.
Check for problem areas where skirts clip, armor locks joints, or props intersect the body.
Explore attitude and personality: a tank’s armor might need to look stable even mid‑impact; a rogue’s outfit must look agile mid‑leap.

4.3 Production‑Side Use of Pose Libraries

On the production side, pose libraries help you:

Validate that the finalized design works in the game’s animation set.
Prepare mobility and deformation callouts for rigging (e.g., stress zones, cloth behavior in certain poses).
Provide marketing and cinematics teams with pre‑vetted poses that preserve costume integrity.

Pose libraries give everyone a shared visual vocabulary for how the costume behaves in motion.

5. Blockouts: Rapid, Honest Tests of Volume and Read

Blockouts are rough versions of your design that prioritize volume, proportion, and readability over detail.

In a hybrid pipeline, blockouts often start with your mannequin + pose library, then you layer costume shapes on top.

5.1 2D Blockouts

In 2D, blockouts might be:

Simple silhouette passes: big black shapes over the mannequin.
Grey‑box paintovers: flat shapes for armor, coats, skirts, and props.

Goals:

Check overall silhouette at gameplay distance.
Make sure role and faction read comes across clearly.
Ensure that major costume elements (capes, coats, wings) don’t conflict with core animation.

5.2 3D Blockouts

In 3D, blockouts might be:

Primitive geometry (cubes, cylinders) shaped into armor plates, skirts, or props.
Roughly sculpted clay‑like forms for bulk shapes.

Goals:

Validate thickness, volume, and overlap around joints.
Check camera angles that matter (3rd‑person, top‑down, isometric).
Give early heads‑up to 3D and rigging on potential problem areas.

5.3 Integrating Blockouts into the Costume Pipeline

Typical flow:

Start with a mannequin in a core gameplay pose.
Lay in big shapes as 2D or 3D blockouts.
Evaluate readability and function before spending time on materials and details.
Iterate quickly: adjust volumes, simplify overlap, tweak skirt length.
Once the blockout works in multiple key poses, you move into refined design and pattern sims.

Both concept‑ and production‑side artists benefit here: concept explores, production checks feasibility.

6. Pattern Sims: Using Cloth Simulation as a Design Partner

Pattern sims use cloth simulation to test how garments behave: drape, folds, collision, and movement.

In a hybrid costume workflow, pattern sims help answer:

Does this cloak collide nicely with the backpack and pauldrons?
Will this skirt flare in combat or tangle in the legs?
Does the long coat cover important UI cues (like team color badges) in some poses?

6.1 When to Use Pattern Sims

You don’t need sims for every tiny design, but they are extremely useful when:

The costume involves long, layered cloth (capes, skirts, coats, veils).
The game has dynamic movement: acrobatics, air dashes, parkour.
The costume design includes unusual shapes (asymmetric coats, train‑like skirts, oversized sleeves).

Concept‑side artists often do quick sims early to see if an idea is viable; production‑side artists refine sims for accuracy and turn them into reference for tech art.

6.2 Lightweight Pattern Sim Workflow

A simple workflow might be:

Import your 3D mannequin into a cloth sim tool.
Block out basic garment patterns (capes, skirts, tabs) with simple geometry.
Run a few key poses and motions from your pose library: idle, run, attack, jump.
Capture screenshots of the cloth results.
Paint over the sim results in 2D to refine silhouette and design details.

You’re not trying to produce final garments here—just to get honest feedback from gravity and motion.

6.3 Pattern Sims for Production‑Side Cleanup

Production‑side artists can take pattern sims further by:

Refining seam lines and panel breaks based on sim behavior.
Identifying collision hotspots where cloth consistently intersects armor.
Preparing cloth behavior guides for tech art and rigging: which parts should be simmed, which are skinned, how heavy or stiff each piece should feel.

This turns pattern sims into direct production documentation, not just idea prototypes.

7. Kitbashing for Costumes: Mix, Match, and Stay Honest

Kitbashing means assembling new designs from existing parts—3D models, pattern pieces, or modular costume elements.

In a 2D / 3D hybrid costume pipeline, kitbash is powerful because it:

Speeds up exploration by reusing trusted, on‑model pieces.
Maintains style and proportion consistency across a lineup.
Encourages a systemic mindset: costumes as modular sets, not one‑off paintings.

7.1 3D Kitbash Libraries

On the 3D side, a kitbash library might contain:

Standard boots, gloves, belts, harnesses.
Faction‑specific shoulder pads, helmets, emblems.
Shared pouches, straps, and gadgets.

Concept‑side artists can:

Drop these onto the mannequin in 3D for fast blockouts.
Take screenshots and paint over in 2D, editing shapes and details.

Production‑side artists can:

Maintain and update the kitbash library to reflect actual game assets.
Ensure that kitbashed designs remain buildable and asset‑compatible.

7.2 2D Kitbash Libraries

In 2D, you might kitbash by:

Keeping a library of silhouette shapes, hats, collars, armor plates, and motifs you use repeatedly.
Copy‑pasting and transforming these pieces over your mannequins for quick iteration.

The key is to always re‑draw, adjust, and integrate these pieces so they feel like part of the design, not pasted stickers.

7.3 Kitbash Ethics and Clarity

Ethically, kitbash is fine when:

The base pieces are internal assets or clearly licensed resources.
You’re transparent within the team about which parts came from existing assets.

Problems arise when:

External, unlicensed 3D models are used without permission.
Concept art is presented as wholly original when large chunks are direct lifts from others’ work.

Within a studio, it’s usually understood that kitbashing is part of production. The key is to respect source licenses and always push beyond mere recombination to true design decisions.

8. Photobash Ethics in Costume Work

In a 2D / 3D hybrid pipeline, photobash is often used alongside 3D and paint: real fabrics, stitching, accessories, and materials are pasted in to speed up realism.

Photobash isn’t inherently good or bad—it’s a tool. The ethical and practical questions are: What are you using, and how are you transforming it?

8.1 When Photobash Helps

Photobash shines when you:

Need believable material cues quickly: denim, leather, satin, chainmail.
Want to convey real‑world construction: seams, zippers, pockets.
Are exploring style direction for marketing or cinematic fidelity.

In these cases, photobash can accelerate iteration and give downstream teams richer references.

8.2 Ethical Use of Photo Sources

Ethical photobash practice includes:

Using licensed, studio‑owned, or self‑shot photo resources.
Avoiding direct use of other artists’ finished work as texture or design pieces, unless explicitly allowed.
Transforming photos enough that they become part of a new design, not a collage of recognizable product shots.

Within a professional pipeline, it’s normal to maintain internal photo libraries, moodboards, and reference packs that are cleared for use.

8.3 Transparency to the Team

Internally, it’s healthy to be transparent:

Let 3D and production know where photobash is used heavily so they can treat those areas as reference, not strict orthos.
Mark areas where photos are placeholders (e.g., “Real leather texture used here for mood; 3D/materials team will define final shader.”).

Concept‑side artists can push visual richness with photobash; production‑side artists often do a cleanup pass to remove confusing photo artifacts and clarify design intent.

9. Putting It Together: A Hybrid Workflow Example

Let’s walk through a simplified example of how mannequin blockouts, pose libraries, blockouts, pattern sims, kitbash, and photobash can work together.

9.1 Step 1 – Set Up Mannequin and Poses

Start with the official 3D base mesh for your hero archetype.
Pose it in a few key gameplay poses using the actual rig: idle, run, attack.
Grab screenshots and make clean line drawings to form your 2D mannequin pose library.

9.2 Step 2 – 2D Blockouts on Poses

On top of these 2D poses, sketch simple silhouettes for costume ideas.
Focus only on big shapes and role/faction reads.
Explore multiple options quickly: heavy armor vs. long coat vs. robed silhouette.

9.3 Step 3 – 3D Blockout for the Chosen Direction

Take the chosen design back to 3D.
Rough in armor plates, coat volumes, and major accessories as simple geo.
Pose the mannequin in your key pose set and check for clipping and awkward volumes.

9.4 Step 4 – Pattern Sims for Cloth Elements

For major cloth pieces (cloak, skirt, coat tails), create simple cloth patterns.
Run basic sims over the mannequin’s motions.
Note where cloth collides, tangles, or hides critical design elements.

9.5 Step 5 – Kitbash and Photobash for Detail

Use 3D kitbash parts to refine boots, belts, harnesses, and shoulder gear.
Take high‑res screenshots and photobash fabrics and materials into your 2D paintover.
Stay aware of licenses and transformation: photos are reference and texture inspiration, not final design.

9.6 Step 6 – Final Concept and Production Cleanup

As a concept‑side artist, you push the design to a solid, readable, compelling costume.
As a production‑side artist, you take that design and:
- Create clean turnarounds using the mannequin.
- Add mobility, cloth sim, and material callouts.
- Organize files so 3D, rigging, and UI can all plug in.

The hybrid tools are not extra steps—they’re safety rails and accelerators that keep your costume grounded in the realities of the game.

10. Concept‑Side vs. Production‑Side Responsibilities in Hybrid Methods

Both concept and production artists use the same toolkit, but with different emphasis.

10.1 Concept‑Side Focus

As a concept‑side costume artist, your hybrid focus is to:

Use mannequins and pose libraries to explore ideas quickly, without losing anatomical accuracy.
Rely on blockouts and pattern sims to test wild ideas early before committing to polish.
Tap into kitbash and photobash to accelerate exploration, always pushing toward a coherent, original design.

Your deliverable isn’t just a single flashy painting; it’s a set of hybrid‑driven tests that lead to a strong, believable costume direction.

10.2 Production‑Side Focus

As a production‑side costume artist, your hybrid focus is to:

Maintain the official mannequin and pose library, aligned with actual rigs.
Use 3D and 2D blockouts to validate and refine concept designs for buildability.
Turn pattern sims into concrete cloth behavior guides and clear callouts.
Clean up any heavy photobash or kitbash areas into readable, production‑ready designs.

You’re the guardian of consistency and clarity. Hybrid methods are how you ensure that the final package is technically grounded while preserving the original concept’s spirit.

11. Practical Habits for Using Mannequins & Pose Libraries Well

To keep this from becoming theory‑only, here are practical habits you can adopt:

11.1 Start Every Costume on a Mannequin

Make it a rule: every serious costume exploration sits on an official project mannequin. If you begin a design on loose anatomy, port it to the mannequin before it goes further. This guarantees consistency across skins, lineups, and departments.

11.2 Test at Least Three Poses

Don’t sign off a design after only seeing it in neutral. At minimum, test:

A neutral/idle pose.
A movement/attack pose.
A strong attitude or victory pose.

This will quickly reveal whether your cloth, armor, and accessories actually support the character’s role.

11.3 Keep a “Problem Pose” Folder

Over time, your team will notice certain poses always stress costumes (deep crouch, big overhand swing, full sprint). Save these as “problem poses” in your library and test new designs against them.

11.4 Mark Sim Candidates Early

Anytime you design longer cloth or dangling elements, mark them as sim candidates right in your sketches. This helps everyone—from concept to tech art—stay aware of where hybrid tools will be needed.

11.5 Document Your Sources and Reuse Responsibly

If you photobash or kitbash, keep a small source note internally:

Which library or pack the elements came from.
Whether they are placeholders or final reference.

This fosters ethical habits and helps production know where design must be interpreted, not traced.

12. From Static Sketches to Living Costumes

Mannequin blockouts and pose libraries are sometimes seen as “technical extras” or “3D people’s tools.” In reality, they are part of the core craft of costume concept art in modern pipelines.

For concept‑side artists, they transform costume design from a series of static cool sketches into a living, moving system of shapes, cloth, and character.

For production‑side artists, they anchor the design to actual rigs, animations, and technical constraints, turning a beautiful idea into a buildable, reliable asset.

Hybrid methods—blockouts, pattern sims, kitbash, ethical photobash—are not there to replace drawing or painting. They’re there to support your eye and taste with real‑world feedback, so the final costume not only looks great in a splash image but also holds up in motion, in UI, in cinematics, and in the player’s hands.

When you treat mannequins and pose libraries as part of your creative toolbox, not a constraint, your costumes become more expressive, more grounded, and more production‑ready—without sacrificing any of the magic that made you want to design them in the first place.