OpenPose is ControlNet's most-used preprocessor. It locks a character's pose with a skeleton point graph, and OpenPose Full / DWPose extend to hands and face.
Three OpenPose variants
| Variant | Extraction scope | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| OpenPose (base) | Body skeleton | Big actions |
| OpenPose Full | Body + fingers + face | Precise hand poses |
| DWPose | Whole body, more accurate | Recommended over Full |
Standard workflow
- Find a pose reference (real photo or 3D pose tool render)
- Preprocessor: DWPose (fallback to OpenPose Full if unavailable)
- Verify the extracted skeleton preview looks correct
- Weight 0.7–0.9
- End step 0.7–0.8 (let the model finish freely)
- Write the prompt and generate
Use cases
Lock a specific actionRun, jump, dance
Action reference + weight 0.85.
Lock hand poseGrip, point, hold
DWPose is 10× more accurate than describing the gesture in text.
Two-character compositionConversation, embrace
A 2-person reference yields both skeletons simultaneously.
Pitfalls
Missing skeleton preview
If the preview drops a limb, the generation likely will too. Pick a clearer reference.
Weight 1.0+ rigidifies pose
Stay 0.7–0.9.