1. A method of operating a system for creating an animated sequence of images from one or more still images of a particular object from a plurality of objects or a particular living being from a plurality of living beings, the system comprising at least one processor for communicatively coupling to a display device for displaying the animated sequence of images and to an image capture device for capturing a plurality of images of a user of the system, the method comprising: recognizing one or more portions of the particular object or the particular living being in corresponding image portions of the one or more still images, wherein recognizing each of the one or more portions of the particular object or the particular living being in the one or more still images associates with each corresponding image portion, reference points and parameters for underlying structural features of the recognized portion of the particular object or the particular living being that define location, dimensions, and constraints upon motion of the recognized portion relative to other recognized portions of the particular object or particular living being; extracting, by the at least one processor, the corresponding image portions of the particular object or the particular living being from the one or more still images; applying, by the at least one processor, the corresponding image portions to corresponding surface portions of a movable mathematical model created using physical characteristics of the plurality of objects or the plurality of living beings, according to the reference points and parameters associated with the corresponding image portions and corresponding reference points of the movable mathematical model; animating, by the at least one processor, the movable mathematical model according to motion template information selected by the user of the system, wherein the motion template information comprises a time ordered series of magnitude and direction information for the respective reference points of underlying structural features of each of the recognized portions of the particular object or the particular living being; rendering, by the at least one processor, one or more images from the movable mathematical model at corresponding positions according to the time ordered series of the motion template information selected by the user for the animation; and transmitting, to the display device by the at least one processor, the one or more rendered images for display.