Mesh-tracking based dynamic 4D modeling for machine learning deformation training includes: using a volumetric capture system for high-quality 4D scanning, using mesh-tracking to establish temporal correspondences across a 4D scanned human face and full-body mesh sequence, using mesh registration to establish spatial correspondences between a 4D scanned human face and full-body mesh and a 3D CG physical simulator, and training surface deformation as a delta from the physical simulator using machine learning. The deformation for natural animation is able to be predicted and synthesized using the standard MoCAP animation workflow. Machine learning based deformation synthesis and animation using standard MoCAP animation workflow includes using single-view or multi-view 2D videos of MoCAP actors as input, solving 3D model parameters (3D solving) for animation (deformation not included), and given 3D model parameters solved by 3D solving, predicting 4D surface deformation from ML training.