Stop Motion News « Stop Motion

News: Bánh Mì, Vietnamese Sandwich Stop-Motion

This is not a how-to on making a bánh mi, but I hope it will get you interested in trying out the sandwich. It's delicious.

News: Papermation to the Psychadelic Meditations of Dan Deacon

Construction paper animator Jen Stark teams up with electronic music composer/rabble-rousing party-demigod Dan Deacon in the video below, titled "Believer". The animation is fantastic—likely constructed in a process not entirely unlike animator Ryan Kothe's paper Waves and Weaves. The basic principle: stop motion animation; so if you're inspired, start schooling yourself here.

The Joy of Destruction: Smashing, Guillotining, Igniting & More

Why is it so satisfying to squash, snap, squeeze and splatter? You know, squashing a juicy grape, snapping a twig, squeezing ketchup out of a packet—perhaps with your fist—or splattering mud across a sidewalk. But all of these actions are child's play next to animators Laura Junger and Xaver Xylophon's Joy of Destruction. The real joy of destruction is illustrated below—we're talking sawing ladies in half, exploding corn into popcorn with dynamite, burning cities, and rolling over statues wit...

News: Zoetrope + Bicycle Wheel = Cyclotrope

Kudos to student Tim Wheatley, who came up with this incredibly nifty DIY animation using a bicycle wheel, cardboard cut-outs, and wire to create a magical reinvention of the classic zoetrope, Earth's earliest form of animation (it first surfaced in China around 180 AD!). Simply give it a spin, and the animation comes to life. Inspired to make your own? First, learn the basic principles of the zoetrope here or here. Next, take a little advice from Tim to add the "cyclo" element:

DIY IMAX: 5,600 Satellite Photographs x After Effects = Fly By Footage of Saturn

The footage you're about to watch may look CG, and while it is indeed animated, the 5,600 frames used to composite this fly by glimpse of Saturn aren't fabricated—they are real hi-res photographs taken by the Cassini orbiter. Outside In—an "IMAX in a basement"—is a DIY not-for-profit IMAX project-in-progress by filmmaker Stephen Van Vuuren.

Start Your Day Off Right: Beautiful Oscar Nominated Short "The Lost Thing"

The Lost Thing is a lovely short written by Shaun Tan and co-directed by Tan and Andrew Ruhemann (executive producer of the fantastic doc My Kid Could Paint That). Based on the award-winning children’s book of the same title (also by Tan), the piece was created over a span of eight years(!) using a mix of CGI and 2D handpainted elements. Tan, whose background is in painting, spent much of the duration "carefully building, texturing and lighting of digitial elements to create a unique aestheti...

News: Sugar & Spice

Good morning. A little inspiration in the realm of stop-motion animation. By the talented Kirsten Lepore, something heartbreakingly sweet... ...and something a little spicy:

News: Born With Three Mouths

Okay, been a bit rampant with the twisted animations lately (exhibits A, B, C), but this is too amazing to pass up. By photographer and filmmaker Alva Bernadine, behold the magic of After Effects:

News: Welcome To My Nightmare

Cyriak's latest animation features '50s stock footage remixed into a horror show. Our dark and twisted animator keeps churning them out, each creepier than the last. Be warned: "a journey into horribleness, not recommended for the faint-hearted or fragile-minded..." More by Cyriak:

News: Sit Back and Watch... 'Twas a Dark, Dark Christmas

Beautiful animation with a sinister twist by Beijing Motion Graphics house, 39 Degrees North: "We started down a rather unconventional route for our Christmas card this year and there was simply no turning back. The pull of the dark side was just too strong.

News: The History of Life (On Acid)

After enjoying the sweet, yummy holiday cheer of the world's beginnings explained with cookie dough, enter Cyriak Harris' delightfully nightmarish acid trip alternative: "The abridged story of life on earth, as told through the medium of walking fingers." Previously, How Did He Do That?

News: Steamy Make Out Sessions in Clay (& More Disturbing Delights)

If you're not familiar with the animations of Jan Švankmajer, you're in for quite a trip. The Czech artist and filmmaker is known for his metaphorical, captivatingly surreal stop-motion and claymation films, and is God to many (including talents such as Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam and the Brothers Quay).

News: 144 Hours of Spray Paint Explosions Compressed Into 4 Minutes

Artist Pahnl Whatnow has breathed life into spray paint with his trippy amoeba-esque animated images. Whatnow created his "Aerosol Amoeba" by dripping spray paint on acetate for a total of 144 hours, and then condensed the motion down to four minutes.

News: World's Tiniest Film Shot with a 50x Cell Phone Microscope

Shot with a Nokia N8 cell phone equipped with a 50x CellScope microscope, Dot is the world’s smallest stop motion animated film. Created by the makers of the Wallace & Gromit series, the figures were made with a 3D printer, each hand-painted with the aid of a microscope. Watch as the heroine hops from scene to scene, Mario style: Via PopSci:

News: Photoshop Gives Birth to Biomechanical Bug

Check out this beautiful animation of a biomechanical bug by Autofuss. Entitled "The Experiment", little information is given about the project (except for what looks like an ad for Photoshop at the end).

News: iPad + Light Drawing = Holographic Magic

Dentsu London collaborates with BERG to create this futuristic stop motion animation. Made with light drawings on the iPad, the result is beautiful. The first 1:40 of the video describes the creative process. Enjoy: “Making Future Magic”.

News: 8-Bit Trip With Two Swedish Ninja Retards

Daniel Larsson and Tomas Redigh are the Swedish band Rymdreglage, otherwise known as two "retard ninjas". Their music video 8-Bit Trip pays ultimate nerd tribute to both LEGOs and old 8-bit video games (and ninjas).

News: History of the World Explained (Using Hundreds of Buckets of Paint)

If you have yet to see the work of famed graffiti artist/filmmaker Blu, you're in for a real treat. Blu creates films with painted still images (graffiti style), installed in various public spaces. He photographs the paintings, and then assembles them into a stop motion animation.

News: Toy Story 3's Opening Short "Day & Night" Outshines Feature

Toy Story 3 has received rave reviews across the board. Curious, a couple of us here at WonderHowTo went to see it last night. We found it to be decent. Not fabulous. The opening was exhilarating. Full of action and humor and a thoroughly dynamic use of 3D, but the rest of the movie didn't exude the same energy. The story was sweet and touching, and the characters were as lovable as ever. However, I was looking for a little more action.

News: Truly Insane Fire Animation

Brusspup once again blows my mind (see previously below). His latest project is an extremely well executed animation, using a grid of tea candles to represent classic video games.

News: 2,000 Watercolor Paintings + 3 Months Hard Work = 1 Amazing Animation

Loving Breakbot’s newest single, Baby I’m Yours, featuring Irfane. But I'm even more impressed by the music video. Created by Irina Dakeva (of Wizz Design), the rotoscope animation was tediously made with over 2,000 watercolor paintings. Check out motionographer's interview with Irina on her process. Previously, Björk Rides Magnificent Waves of Clay.

News: WTF! That Car's Got Better Hair Than Me

Man, I'm kinda jealous of this car's hair. It's blowing in the wind so nicely (mine just doesn't flow like that)!

News: Do Do Do, DoDo Do-Do, DoDoDo-Doo DoDoDo DoDoo...

Does that (hopefully somewhat correct) tune ring any bells? Here's a reminder: Once upon a time there were two Italian plumbers named Mario and Luigi. Mario and his sidekick resided in the Mushroom Kingdom, a monarchy ruled by the beautiful Princess Peach. Mario's mission: stop the villain Bowser from his numerous attempts to kidnap the lovely princess.

News: 8-Bit Your Desk

Well, you might need to take a few lessons in animation first. Another cool 8-Bit animation (previously, Evil Pixels Demolish New York City). This one is short and sweet. And especially beautiful.

News: I AM IRON BABY

French Canadian filmmaker Patrick Boivin's Iron Man parody, featuring his own baby daughter, is absolutely impeccably done. The special effects look FANTASTIC.

News: Papercraft Parkour Brought to Life by Hand (Literally)

Parkour + Papercraft + Animation... what could be better? Truly original piece of work entitled "Parkour Motion Reel" by Serene Teh and Noel Lee. Previously, Sick. Decapitating-Head-Exploding Paper Animation (NSFW!)

News: Trip Out On This (Perhaps NSFW)

Far-out animation entitled "Love and Theft" by Andreas Hykade of Germany. Careful - there's some slightly risqué imagery in there (depending on how liberal-minded your boss is). Apparently Hykade was inspired by Bob Dylan:

News: If Neo Was a LEGO

This incredible brick film titled "Trinity Help" is a frame-accurate stop-frame animation of the famous

News: Grand Theft Auto-Style Car Chase Via Google Maps

Fun little animation from Honest Directors, in which Google Maps hi-res satellite footage of New York is used to create a faux car chase through the streets of Brooklyn. Previously, Evil Pixels Demolish New York City.

News: Evil Pixels Demolish New York City

Amazing animation by Patrick Jean. NYC is destroyed by 8-bit evil forces from 70s and 80s video games such as Space Invaders, Pacman and Donkey Kong.

News: The Buildings Are Alive

Amazing building facade animation art by Urban Screen. "How it would be, if a house was dreaming"... Previously, Magical LED Graffiti "Paints" With Video.

News: T-Shirt War (Stop Motion Style)

This clever stop motion film by comedy duo Rhet and Link uses 222 t-shirts and few special effects. To learn more about the process, check out the second video in the gallery below.

News: Beautiful Animated Boxes Conducted by Drummer

You don't want to miss this animation. The overall concept -particularly the color, movement and sound- is beautiful. The piece is entitled "Box Animation, performed by Mike Edel, and created by Jordan Clarke.

News: LEGOmation

Brickfilms. Michel Gondry brought LEGOmation into the spotlight with his "Fell in Love With a Girl" music video (White Stripes). However, LEGOmation has been around since the late 80's, the first known brickfilm being Lindsay Fleay's The Magic Portal.

News: Sick. Decapitating-Head-Exploding Paper Animation (NSFW!)

VIDEOGIOCO, an insane animation by Donato Sanson and Enrico Ascoli. Careful. Definitely NSFW, particularly in the 0:30 range.

News: Björk Rides Magnificent Waves of Clay

Whether you love Björk or you hate her, her Wanderlust music video is must-not-miss. Created by Encyclopedia Pictura, a California based production company, the video combines live action, puppets, scale models, and computer generated animation.