How-To Guides about Stop Motion World

Pioneered by Rufus Butler Seder in his popular children's picture book Gallop!, and ably demonstrated by WonderHowTo favorite brusspup in the video below, "scanimation" refers to a novel (but distinctly old-timey) technique for cramming multi-frame animations onto a single sheet of paper by a process of superimposition and selective interference.

In this tutorial, we learn how to make eyes for clay animation puppets. First, drill a hole inside of a block of wood, then insert a bull so it fits snug inside of the hole. After you have done this, use a drill to make a hole that goes half way down through the pupil. Now, use paint to fill in the hole where the pupil would be at. Push the balls into clay to hold them in place while painting. Make sure the dots you have on both eyes are even. When finished, paint a black circle around them,...

Stop-motion animation is somewhat out of favor in the digital age, but there will always be a demand for its timeless look. This video will teach you one important technique for making stop-motion animation out of Legos: how to make them fly. Or at least appear to by flying in your movie. It features detailed instructions on what to do in your digital photo editing software on each frame to erase the support structures you've used to elevate your Lego minifigures, leaving you with seamless...

As many of you stop-motion animation practitioners out there have probably realized, Legos are a great material for that medium, allowing for great diversity while being relatively easy to work with. Can they fly though? This video features a British boy explaining how to use a free computer program called Bafran to make Lego characters appear to be flying in an animated video.

In this how to video, you will learn how to make a LEGO stop motion movie. First, you must create your set. The base plate must be taped down to the table or a hard surface. To create the animation, move the LEGO man's leg and take a picture. Move it again and take another picture. Keep on doing this until he reaches the destination you want. The more pictures you take the smoother the video will be. To edit the animation, import it to your computer and open up your movie editing program...

Flip book animation is a very cool video effect that is relatively easy to make. Check out this tutorial and learn how to make your flip book come alive as an actual cartoon! In this video, graphic designer and author, Alan Lastufka, shows you how to make your very own mini animated film using paper, pencil and some fancy editing technique. If you have a couple of hours to kill, why not make a flip book cartoon and impress your friends?

This video will show you how to make a stop motion film using an editing program called Windows Movie Maker. Find a place to film your stop motion movie. Preferably a well lit area where the light source is constant. Set your camera on a tripod and position at the angle you prefer. Place the object you want to use in your film outside of the camera's view, and take a picture. Move your object slightly into the camera's view and take another picture. Repeat this many times, until your...

As a slightly belated birthday tribute to Photoshop (Photoshop turned 20 this past Friday), here is a clever stop animation short honoring the software.

Add some flames to your brickfilms! A little fire always helps light up a scene, especially in your legomation creation. Check out this video tutorial to learn how to create a stop-motion Lego fire. This Lego animation technique will show you how to start the fire and keep the fire going. It's perfect for your next brick film masterpiece.

There's a HowTo behind everything, including the astounding, just released 3-D Avatar. Reviews across the board agree with one thing: the film is visually breathtaking. PopSci explains the technology behind the filmmaking.

As a beginning stop-motion animator, there's a lot of trial and error. What tools and materials do you use? How do you sculpt realistic clay figures? This video tutorial walks you through some of the essential materials, and demonstrates sculpting a torso out of Super Sculpey.

One great, award winning How-to. Produced 20 year ago.

Why make a flip book? Because all animation – even stick-figure Flash animation and multilayered, highly technical 3-D effects – is built on, and can benefit from, the basics of the craft first developed by artists working at the beginning of the last century. And while fancy computer programs are nice, you can teach yourself these basics using nothing more than a pad of paper and a pen, and replay them over and over without any extra technology needed.

The phenakistoscope is a predecessor of the flip book, but don't worry: it's easier to make than pronounce.

Want to become a cartoon master? Want to make your own animations? Well, you've found the right place!

Watch this video tutorial to see how to make stop-motion animation with Windows Movie Maker. First, you'll have to take all of the pictures for your animation, with your action figures, Legos... dolls. Import all of your pictures onto the timeline in Windows Movie Maker. Now, just learn how to edit it and time it out right in the software program. Before you know it... one sweet ass animated video.

Watch this in-depth video tutorial on how to animate LEGOs for stop motion animated brickfilms. This is a detailed peek behind the scenes of stop-motion animation from the director of the "Circle Circle Dot Dot" music video, Blunty3000.

If you're into animation, you can't pass this up... see how to widen a LEGO mini-figure's arm motion for brickfilms. Brickfilms are animated films using LEGO, Mega Bloks, or other plastic construction building block toys. Most are stop motion, but some brickfilms are even made with CGI, traditional animation and live action.

iKITMovie is stop motion animation software for PC's running Windows XP or Vista. All you need is a computer and a USB webcam or USB streaming camcorder and you are ready to make your own brickfilms or clay animation (claymation) movies. If you wish, you can simply import your JPG images (640x480) that you have already taken with your camcorder or digital still camera for simple editing.

iKITMovie is stop motion animation software for PC's running Windows XP or Vista. All you need is a computer and a USB webcam or USB streaming camcorder and you are ready to make your own brickfilms or clay animation (claymation) movies. If you wish, you can simply import your JPG images (640x480) that you have already taken with your camcorder or digital still camera for simple editing.

This tutorial shows you how to make an animated GIF out of any video on Adobe Photoshop CS3.

UncleTom of Azerothian Super Villains fame introduces the first episode of How 2 Machinima. This series of tutorials is aimed to introduce both the fundamentals and advanced techniques of WoW machinimaking.

Check out this instructional stop motion animation video that illustrates the six animation principles:1. Anticipation2. Squash & Stretch3. Follow-Through4. Ease in and Ease out5. Arcs6. StagingWatch this short demonstrational video and learn the basic principles of animation. Start making your own animation videos today!

Want to draw a stop motion animation but need some advice as to how it's done? This animation tutorial video shows you how to create a simple set up and provides you with 9 creative techniques that will help you get started on your own stop motion animation video. Watch this instructional video and learn some creative tips.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

This video will show you can create a good stop motion animation, just like Gumby.

This tutorial will show you basic keyframe and animation techniques for amateur film making.

JohnK (creator of Ren and Stimpy) explains cartoon contstruction and how to learn from other people's art.