In the very best examples of claymation, a filmmaker’s ability to focus on subtle movements and details makes their characters look lifelike and fluid. If you’ve done a good job building your clay character, they’ll end up looking less like Frankenstein’s Monster and more like something you might find walking down the street!
One of the ways that professional clay animators do this is by making multiple versions of one feature of a character, rather than trying to move it for each frame. For example, a clay person might have 20 or more mouths, each one with different expressions that the animator can swap out in between shots. If the character is smiling, their smile has to grow. When we smile, the muscles in our face have to move and …show more content…
What other random supplies from around the room could you use in your video?
Clay Heroes (small group)
Let’s make some movies! Help break students into groups, each with its own camera, computer, The HUE Book of Animation, googly eyes, clay bones and a 4 oz block of clay. Like before, groups should diversify their clay colors to prevent an army of red blobs. Groups have p. 26-27 in The HUE Book of Animation for reference as they create new adventures for Blob Man.
Again, encourage students to take on a new role. Each film crew needs clay sculptors, software animators, camera operators and creative directors. What unique interactions can each team invent for Blob Man?
Clean Up and Wrap Up (whole group discussion)
Save the Clay Hero movies in Animation Studio, close out of computers and deconstruct the Blob Men, collecting the wiggly eyes and clay to use again next lesson. Then, gather together to debrief the day.
Possible discussion questions:
What different ideas did groups come up with?
What great examples of realistic movement did you see? How did they do it?
What other props would be fun to experiment with in future movies?
Check for Understanding
Why do some clay characters need
One of the ways that professional clay animators do this is by making multiple versions of one feature of a character, rather than trying to move it for each frame. For example, a clay person might have 20 or more mouths, each one with different expressions that the animator can swap out in between shots. If the character is smiling, their smile has to grow. When we smile, the muscles in our face have to move and …show more content…
What other random supplies from around the room could you use in your video?
Clay Heroes (small group)
Let’s make some movies! Help break students into groups, each with its own camera, computer, The HUE Book of Animation, googly eyes, clay bones and a 4 oz block of clay. Like before, groups should diversify their clay colors to prevent an army of red blobs. Groups have p. 26-27 in The HUE Book of Animation for reference as they create new adventures for Blob Man.
Again, encourage students to take on a new role. Each film crew needs clay sculptors, software animators, camera operators and creative directors. What unique interactions can each team invent for Blob Man?
Clean Up and Wrap Up (whole group discussion)
Save the Clay Hero movies in Animation Studio, close out of computers and deconstruct the Blob Men, collecting the wiggly eyes and clay to use again next lesson. Then, gather together to debrief the day.
Possible discussion questions:
What different ideas did groups come up with?
What great examples of realistic movement did you see? How did they do it?
What other props would be fun to experiment with in future movies?
Check for Understanding
Why do some clay characters need