Abstract: Motion capture animation, shape completion and markerless motion capture methods are provided. A pose deformation space model encoding variability in pose is learnt from a three-dimensional (3D) dataset. Body shape deformation space model encoding variability in pose and shape is learnt from another 3D dataset. The learnt pose model is combined with the learnt body shape model. For motion capture animation, given parameter set, the combined model generates a 3D shape surface of a body in a pose and shape. For shape completion, given partial surface of a body defined as 3D points, the combined model generates a 3D surface model in the combined spaces that fits the 3D points. For markerless motion capture, given 3D information of a body, the combined model traces the movement of the body using the combined spaces that fits the 3D information or reconstructing the body's shape or deformations that fits the 3D information.