Stop-Motion Animation Workshop LESSON 5 CREATING CHARACTERS FOR ANIMATION • Appreciate the attention to detail and time require- Introduction ments associated with professional animation This guide will introduce you to the methods and process production; involved in the creation of sturdy clay characters for use in stop-motion animation. You will learn about armatures, • Identify the characters needed for your animated including how to construct them, and view examples of production; animated films that employ them. You will then create and build the characters needed for your stop-motion animation • Create and build stop-motion animation characters. video. Learning Outcomes Simple Sturdy Characters Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to: Materials Required to Make a Simple Character • Identify methods and parameters for successfully To make your own clay animation characters, here is a list of building strong and sturdy stop-motion animation clay basic materials you will need: characters; • Plasticine in a variety of colours (you can also use • Explain what an armature is and how to construct one; similar products called Sculpey and Fimo) • Discuss various examples of animation that contain • Sculpting tools armatures; Modelling clay that is oil-based is perfect for stop-motion animation characters, as it will not dry out and crack. 1 HamiltonBuhl.com Stop-Motion Animation Workshop Stop-Motion Animation Workshop LESSON 5 CREATING CHARACTERS FOR ANIMATION To see how characters are made, watch the following can articulate, usually by means of ball-and-socket joints. Animated Films Using Armatures The Hungry Squid by John Weldon (2002, 14 min 35 s) video: This allows for the creation of a stronger character that can be youtu.be/diuns1FMVeQ] positioned in more complicated poses. Madame Tutli-Putli by Chris Lavis and Maciek https://youtu.be/S0LoYOuC51M Szczerbowski (2007, 17 min 15 s) Synopsis: This animated short spins a tall tale about ] Materials required to build an armature include: youtu.be/GGyLP6R4HTE young Dorothy and her myriad troubles: absentee par- ents, bad hair and a menagerie that devours her home- This film takes viewers on an exhilarating work. But when her pet squid rampages through town and • Aluminum wire (or pipe cleaners) Synopsis: More Complex Characters existential journey into the fully imagined, tactile world of people finally realize that the homework-eating creatures • Aluminum foil Madame Tutli-Putli. As she travels alone on the night train aren’t a figment of her imagination, Dorothy decides that it’s Make stop-motion puppet with 3D Printing Pen: • Various bits of hardware, wing nuts, bolts, screws, with all her earthly possessions and the ghosts of her time to get the situation under control. (Recommend-ed 3D Printing Pen Character: etc. for grades 5–9; Diversity/Pluralism/Identity, Health/ • Wire cutters past, she faces both the kindness and menace of (3 min 18 s) Personal Development/Problem Solving, Family Studies.) • Needle-nose pliers strangers. Finding herself caught up in a desperate • Safety glasses (tiny pieces may snap off the wire metaphysical adventure, adrift between real and imag- ined worlds, Madame Tutli-Putli confronts her demons. The Sand Castle by Co Hoedeman (1977, 13 min 17 s) while you’re cutting it) ] (Recommended for grades 11–12.) youtu.be/hzvqmoPu2H4?listxs84cYb The following site provides examples of wire armatures: Note: While this film effectively shows the elaborate nature of puppet armatures, certain scenes contain mature content. It is Synopsis: A short animated film about the sandman recommended that educators view this film and select and the creatures he sculpts out of sand. They build a Joshua Mosley’s Tutorial on Building Armatures for Clay scenes of interest before screening it for their students. castle and celebrate the completion of their new home, Animation only to be interrupted by an unwanted guest. (Recom- Creative Tips, Clip 4: joshuamosley.com/tutorials/claymationArmature/armature.html] mended for grades K–6; Arts Education/Visual Arts.) More about Creating Characters Subservience by Patrick Bouchard (2007, 8 min 9 s) youtu.be/P0hWYR1HNyM] (1 min 23 s) Stop Motion Works’ Photo Gallery of Armatures Ryan by Chris Landreth (2004, 13 min 57 s) stopmotionworks.com/gallery2.htm] Synopsis: Bourgeois selfishness and the passivity youtu.be/nbkBjZKBLHQ?t=8s of its servants take center stage as a puppet show ] Explore the following examples of NFB animation containing presents the tragicomedy of a society in its death Synopsis: An animated film about the life of Ryan Larkin, armatures. As you will see, armatures can be made to look throes, post apocalypse. a Canadian animator who produced some of the most quite realistic or be totally outrageous. As you watch different (Recommended for grades 9–12; Ethics and Religious influential animated films of his time. Interviews with selections, pay particular attention to the armature’s facial Culture, Ethical Values, Civics/Citizenship/Human Ryan’s friends shed light on his downward spiral and features and movements. Also, note the de-tailed intricacies Rights.) struggle with addiction. (Recommended for grades 11–12; of the sets or backgrounds. Armatures Art Education and Visual Arts, Health/Personal Development, Mental Health/Stress, Sub-stance Use and Materials Required to Make an Armature Abuse/Addiction.) A more elaborate character, often used in professional ani- mation, requires the building of a wire armature. An arma- ture is the strong inside skeleton of a clay character that HamiltonBuhl.com 2 2 HamiltonBuhl.com Stop-Motion Animation Workshop Stop-Motion Animation Workshop LESSON 5 CREATING CHARACTERS FOR ANIMATION To see howcharacters are made, watch the following can articulate, usually by means of ball-and-socket joints. Animated Films Using Armatures The Hungry Squid by John Weldon (2002, 14 min 35 s) video: This allows for the creation of a stronger character that can be youtu.be/diuns1FMVeQ] positioned in more complicated poses. Madame Tutli-Putli by Chris Lavis and Maciek https://youtu.be/S0LoYOuC51M Szczerbowski (2007, 17 min 15 s) Synopsis: This animated short spins a tall tale about ] Materials required to build an armature include: youtu.be/GGyLP6R4HTE young Dorothy and her myriad troubles: absentee par- ents, bad hair and a menagerie that devours her home- This film takes viewers on an exhilarating work. But when her pet squid rampages through town and • Aluminum wire (or pipe cleaners) Synopsis: More Complex Characters existential journey into the fully imagined, tactile world of people finally realize that the homework-eating creatures • Aluminum foil Madame Tutli-Putli. As she travels alone on the night train aren’t a figment of her imagination, Dorothy decides that it’s Make stop-motion puppet with 3D Printing Pen: • Various bits of hardware, wing nuts, bolts, screws, with all her earthly possessions and the ghosts of her time to get the situation under control. (Recommend-ed 3D Printing Pen Character: etc. for grades 5–9; Diversity/Pluralism/Identity, Health/ • Wire cutters past, she faces both the kindness and menace of (3 min 18 s) Personal Development/Problem Solving, Family Studies.) • Needle-nose pliers strangers. Finding herself caught up in a desperate • Safety glasses (tiny pieces may snap off the wire metaphysical adventure, adrift between real and imag- ined worlds, Madame Tutli-Putli confronts her demons. The Sand Castle by Co Hoedeman (1977, 13 min 17 s) while you’re cutting it) ] (Recommended for grades 11–12.) youtu.be/hzvqmoPu2H4?listxs84cYb The following site provides examples of wire armatures: Note: While this film effectively shows the elaborate nature of puppet armatures, certain scenes contain mature content. It is Synopsis: A short animated film about the sandman recommended that educators view this film and select and the creatures he sculpts out of sand. They build a Joshua Mosley’s Tutorial on Building Armatures for Clay scenes of interest before screening it for their students. castle and celebrate the completion of their new home, Animation only to be interrupted by an unwanted guest. (Recom- Creative Tips, Clip 4: joshuamosley.com/tutorials/claymationArmature/armature.html] mended for grades K–6; Arts Education/Visual Arts.) More about Creating Characters Subservience by Patrick Bouchard (2007, 8 min 9 s) youtu.be/P0hWYR1HNyM] (1 min 23 s) Stop Motion Works’ Photo Gallery of Armatures Ryan by Chris Landreth (2004, 13 min 57 s) stopmotionworks.com/gallery2.htm] Synopsis: Bourgeois selfishness and the passivity youtu.be/nbkBjZKBLHQ?t=8s of its servants take center stage as a puppet show ] Explore the following examples of NFB animation containing presents the tragicomedy of a society in its death Synopsis: An animated film about the life of Ryan Larkin, armatures. As you will see, armatures can be made to look throes, post apocalypse. a Canadian animator who produced some of the most quite realistic or be totally outrageous. As you watch different (Recommended for grades 9–12; Ethics and Religious influential animated films of his time. Interviews with selections, pay particular attention to the armature’s facial Culture, Ethical Values, Civics/Citizenship/Human Ryan’s friends shed light on his downward spiral and features and movements. Also, note the de-tailed intricacies Rights.) struggle with addiction. (Recommended for grades 11–12; of the sets or backgrounds. Armatures Art Education and Visual Arts, Health/Personal Development, Mental Health/Stress, Sub-stance Use and Materials Required to Make an Armature Abuse/Addiction.) A more elaborate character, often used in professional ani- mation, requires the building of a wire armature. An arma- ture is the strong inside skeleton of a clay character that HamiltonBuhl.com 2 2 3 HamiltonBuhl.com Stop-Motion Animation Workshop CREATING CHARACTERS FOR ANIMATION Glasses by Brian Duchscherer Madame Tutli-Putli Puppet Design. (2001, 22 min 32 s) [ffc 0%%iii$YjZg\WX$Vb`] http://www.nfb.ca/film/glasses] ] Synopsis: An exploration of elementary school life and just how hard it can be when you don’t see Fantastic Mr.