Hot Stop Motion How-Tos
How To: Make replacement mouths for stop motion armatures
Mouths are so expressive, which can be tricky to animate. A simple way to capture the movement is to craft several mouths to alternate. Watch this video animation tutorial and learn how to make replacement mouths for stop motion animation armature puppets.
How To: Keep armature puppet standing without a tiedown
Armatures basically stand up on their own, but while animating, the balance might become uneven and precarious. An easy way to keep the puppet standing is to give the armature large feet. Watch this video animation tutorial and learn how to build an armature puppet that will stay down during the stop motion animation without using a tiedown.
How To: Discover claymation stop motion animation
Making an animated film? This short and easy animation tutorial provides beginners the bare minimum to begin creating a claymation or stop motion animation film. This instructional video shows how to move claymation characters, how to control the lighting, and how to create a visually interesting set with props. This claymation video also compares the different results when you vary the frames per second.
How To: Make a Mamshmam's claymation character
This quick instructional claymation video reveals how to make a Mamshmam claymation clay person for a stop motion animation video. Follow these simple steps to create a Mamshmam claymation character: roll into a ball, pinch the top to create the head, push the middle to make the stomach, squish the sides to create arms, push down clay to finish legs, and smooth him out.
How To: Make a claymation character for stop motion animation
Here is a video tutorial that offers basic tips on crafting a simple claymation character using everyday, household objects. Soften a single chunk of material and pull your claymation character's limbs and head from it. Insert a toothpick (or armature) to stabilize the body and head. Pull out facial features with small tools. Experiment with different poses and facial expressions to make a fun animation. This playful claymation how to video is great for beginning animators, so sit back and en...
How To: Do the sandercurl claymation trick for stop motion
Watch this short animation tutorial on how to perform the sandercurl trick for claymation animation videos.
How To: Sculpt hair onto a claymation armature
The final humanizing step in building a claymation armature is the crowning step, the head of hair. As hair moves independent of the body, and is not a solid unit, it can be especially tricky to sculpt out of clay and to attach properly. Watch this video animation tutorial and learn how to sculpt a head of hair onto a clay armature for a realistic stop motion figure.
How To: Pose a claymation armature for stop motion animation
This video animation tutorial demonstrates the process of moving a clay armature into poses for stop motion animation. It can be a challenge to instill expression into an inanimate object, but therein lies the skill of a talented animator. Watch this instructional video and learn how to pose a claymation figure.
How To: Make a 6 inch armature for stop motion animation
Stop motion animation can actually be created at home. Build an armature out of wire and epoxy. Follow along with the step by step directions in this instructional video and learn how to build an armature. Watch this video and start shooting some stop motion animation.
How To: Dress and pose a clay armature for stop motion
This video animation tutorial shows how to take a raw claymation figure and apply a costume onto it, as well as pose it in a scene. In this particular video, the demonstrator creates a wrap-around dress out of a sheet of clay and position it onto the armature. Also shown, is the process of molding the armature into a natural shape or body position as a starting point of a scene. Watch this instructional video and learn how to dress and pose an armature for claymation stop motion animation.
How To: Make clay look like fabric for stop motion armatures
This video animation tutorial demonstrates a technique for creating a fabric-like effect out of clay for stop motion figures, or armatures. Instead of smooth clay, try to give a more authentic finish to clay that will be used to create clothing. This technique will also create patterned fabrics. You'll need to chop the clay up first in a food processor, and then put it through a pasta machine. Watch this instructional video and learn how to make clay look like fabric for claymation armature c...
How To: Sculpt the face of a polymer clay stop motion armature
This video animation tutorial demonstrates the process of sculpting a human face out of polymer clay as part of an armature for stop motion animation. The demonstrator begins by molding a piece of polymer clay into the general shape of a human skull and neck, and impresses the more finite features with the aid of a flexible sculpting tool. Watch this instructional video and learn how to sculpt the face of a polymer clay stop motion armature.
How To: Make a stop motion film
This is a sequence of videos which will provide a stop motion tutorial. It's an amateur one and not expected to be a definitive one. I do encourage others who make stop motion films to also make a few for aspiring film makers and those with some experience such as myself.
How To: Make stop motion animation
This video will show you can create a good stop motion animation, just like Gumby.
How To: Do a stop motion animation
Are you a fan of Gumby? This video will show you how to make your very own stop motion video with clay figures.
How To: Make a keyframe video and animation in amateur film
This tutorial will show you basic keyframe and animation techniques for amateur film making.
How To: Break down cartoon construction with JohnK
JohnK (creator of Ren and Stimpy) explains cartoon contstruction and how to learn from other people's art.
How To: Create simple claymation using a digital camera
Check out this video to learn how to make a basic claymation sequence. You can expand on this technique to create claymation animations for your film and video uses. This technique involves using a still digital camera and importing it into Quicktime Pro.
How To: Make wire armatures for stop motion
Learn how to use 16" gage aluminum wire to make stop motion puppet armatures. It is very easy to do, and wire works great for anyone just starting out. You can also see how to make basic wood feet using tie downs.
How To: Make eyes for clay animation puppets
This tutorial teaches you how to modify delrin balls using a pin vice and 1mm drill bits. The end result is a really nice set of eyes that you can insert in your clay puppet for animation.
How To: Make a 3D stop motion animation figure
Watch this video to learn how to make a 3D stop motion animation using playdoh and a wire armature. You must have some knowledge of stop motion animation and Movie Maker software to make an animation. This is easy to do and just takes some creativity.
How To: Make a simple stop motion animation using a drawing
Watch this video to learn how to make a simple stop motion animation using a drawing of a knight. It took approximately 90 minutes to make. Use your own drawing to make a stop motion animation movie!
How To: create animation by hand
One great, award winning How-to. Produced 20 year ago. You might have observed that on Sundays we tend to slow down the pace. Which is to say that we enjoy offering a leisurely How-to on the Lord's holy day. Be patient, Tonto: the subtitling is primitive: and the running time is as long as it needs to be: and yes, it was produced before the frenetic era of the internet.
How To: Make a wire armature for a stop motion puppet
Learn how to make a stop motion armature with end nuts and 20 gauge wire.
How To: Do different types of traditional hand animation
This film was awarded the Green Ribbon in Itami Film Festival, 1993. Learn how various techniques of animation work and see some amazing examples- including an animated pin up girl! The film is in Japanese dialogue with English subtitles.
How To: Do stop motion animation with the right equipment
This video shows you how to do stop motion animation and what equipment is required.
How To: Make stop motion movies with clay
Claymation is an animation form by using stop motion filming. Learn the technique and how many frames or shots you need to make your movie.
How To: Create stop motion animation
DIY Stop Motion Animator, Javan Ivey, shows us how to create stop motion movies with some great software and helpful hints.
How To: Rotoscope
Videomaker magazine shows you how to create rotoscoping effects (the same animation effect seen in their videos) for your videos.
How To: Build a DIY professional animation studio
Indy Mogul Weekend Extra peers into the brilliant mind of Javan Ivey, who shows you how to to save thousands of dollars when building your own home animation studio.
How To: Do cartoon animation
In this free video series on how to animate drawings, learn the basic techniques and principles behind capturing your artwork.
How To: Draw animations
In this video series on how to draw animated cartoons, learn the fundamental techniques and principles that guide the development of any animation idea.
How To: Create single frame animation
You can learn how to create single frame animation by shooting many photos with a digital camera and lining them up properly for editing. The video should run at 30 frames per second and you have to manually control the camera's settings.
How To: Create claymation characters
Go Magazine and CHTV have teamed up to give you insight into the world of claymation. See how to create claymation models and storyboards to use in your own clamations with the help of The Clayman & Associates. A good introduction but you'll need to figure out a lot on your own. Create claymation characters.
How To: Do stop motion animation
Blake Whitaker shows you the basics of doing stop motion animation. You are going to need some particular equipment, and a lot of creativity.