Pose space deformation generalizes and improves upon both shape interpolation and common skeleton-driven deformation techniques. This deformation approach proceeds from the observation that several types of deformation can be uniformly represented as mappings from a pose space, defined by either an underlying skeleton or a more abstract system of parameters, to displacements in the object local coordinate frames. Once this uniform representation is identified, previously disparate deformation types can be accomplished within a single unified approach. The advantages of this algorithm include improved expressive power and direct manipulation of the desired shapes yet the performance associated with traditional shape interpolation is achievable. Appropriate applications include animation of facial and body deformation for entertainment, telepresence, computer gaming, and other applications where direct sculpting of deformations is desired or where real-time synthesis of a deforming model is required.