Introduction to Claymation

1
Introduction to Claymation

• Unleash your
• creativity and imagination.

2
Examples of Claymation
Click on the picture to see some examples of
claymation.
3
Interview with an Animator
What does an Animators job entail? Click on
the picture to read about this job.
4
Getting Started

• Develop a plan/story
• Establish a setting
• Begin with a storyboard
• Assemble materials
• Design character
• Construct character
• Construct setting
• Have camera ready for project

5
Example of a Storyboard Idea
6
Suggested Materials

• String-clear
• Pipe Cleaners
• Clay
• Marbles
• Wire
• Toilet Paper Roll-body
• Background props
• Lighting

• Camera
• Tri-pod
• Computer
• Magnets
• Cookie Sheet
• Shoe Box
• Water-colors
• Paintbrush

7
Lighting

• Lighting, one of the most important things to
  address when creating a CLAYMATION project.
• The lighting can sometimes make or break your
  scene.
• The basic goal of lighting is to get rid of those
  unwanted shadows and to get your background
  screen clear of darkness. Lighting also adds to
  the mood of the scene and directs shadows to the
  wanted position.
• Add extra lighting to add shadows or brighten
  certain parts of a scene. If you have lighting
  all around the scene remember to add a backlight
  too.
• Without the backlight, objects in the scene get a
  ghostly type glow which make them appear
  unnatural.
• For example 3 lights(above, left, and right)
  light the background, 1 light acts as a sun, and
  1 backlight.
•     

8
Lighting Example
9
Character

• Develop the character with the clay by forming
  the clay into shapes.
• Begin with basic shapes and eventually add to
  more difficult details, such as eye color, teeth
  and mouth shapes, hair shape, and finger and toe
  shapes.
• Soon your character will start to form and become
  more life-like.

10
Character Requirements

• Character fits a particular theme
• Character is 3-4 inches tall or long
• Expressive facial features
• Easily moveable
• Colors are pleasing

11
Characters Speaking
To make your character more realistic, click on
the pictures below to get an idea of how to shape
the face so it appears as if the character is
speaking.
12
Set Production

• Design the set with a shoebox or cut a display
  board into halves
• If using magnets, remember to have a cookie
  sheet and magnets available.
• Use continuous, direct lighting. 
• Color or paint the background or use a printed
  picture
• Create accessories or use small toys for the set

13
The Process

• When the plan has been developed and the project
  pieces have been assembled. You will be ready to
  shoot your movie.
• Make sure your props, your background, and your
  character (s) are all in their proper position.
• Use a digital camera for this steps that follow.
  
• A digital camera is probably best, because it
  takes individual shots and is less expensive than
  the other cameras.
• You will manipulate your single frame pictures,
  picture by picture.
• Remember it is important to change your
  character ever so slightly to represent movement.
  It is also important to take pictures from the
  proper angle.

14
Props and Background

• The background should be colorful and detailed.
• What is the setting? This should be clear.
• How you want your character to appear depends
  completely on its surroundings.
• If you want your character to stand out, dont
  make the background full of bright colors as it
  is distracting.

15
Sounds

• Sound is an important piece in clay animation.
• If you do choose to use sound then it should
  have something to do with the mood of the movie.

Click on the picture for awesome FREE sounds to
integrate into your project.