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So what exactly is stop-motion?
Although animation has always been present in our lives, stop motion is one of its most underrepresented groups and its ancient technique still remains a mystery to most of us.
In a nutshell and as opposed to other animation techniques:
Stop motion consists in creating an illusion of movement by animating an object, puppet, or image in a physical setting.
But, of course, there is much more to add to that.
Want to know the details? Here’s what you will learn in this article:
What stop motion is and what it stands for
How it differs from other forms of animation
Types and Techniques
How to create a stop motion animation- A preview
Are you ready to get to know all the secrets behind this amazing art form? Then, let’s dive in.
What is stop motion?
Before delving into the different stop-motion types and techniques out there, we first need to understand how animation works.
An animation is nothing more than a wonderful visual illusion. One that it’s created in a very simple yet magical way and that is ruled by a principle called “the persistence of vision”.
In other words, when you put together a sequence of still images and play them in fast succession you create the element of motion.
There is no literal movement, as all we are really watching is just a series of still images.
However, if played quickly enough, our brains will link these images together and create the impression of movement.
Are you still struggling to picture this? Have a look at the example below.
Normally you will need at least 12 and up to 24 frames (or pictures) per second for this illusion to take place. Otherwise, the movement won’t be as smooth and your animation will be a bit wonky.
Unlike 2D or 3D animation, stop motion uses objects or puppets instead of drawings in order to create movement.
A camera is needed in order to capture these sequences. This is how stop motion works:
Pause your puppet +Take a frame +Repeat up to 24 times per second and Voila! There’s motion
What makes stop motion special?
Even though stop motion is not the smoothest of animation, its flaws and inconsistencies give it a unique quality unable to be expressed in any other art form.
There’s something extremely appealing to it.
And it is mainly the fact that through your hands, you give life to something that otherwise would not have a soul of its own.
This trick makes stop motion a unique tool to convey stories.
I also love the fact that you can use recycled materials to create its characters. It can literally be anything you could ever imagine: from a bunch of branches and leaves to some white foam, wire, and some miscellaneous objects found in a flea market.
But puppets are not the only option to materialize a stop motion protagonist. And the same goes for the set design.
In the next heading, you will learn about the different types of stop motion animation and understand why this filmmaking technique is so accessible for anyone.
But before that, I have gathered a simple list of pros and cons that could be helpful if you are planning to start exploring this cool technique:
PROS
Anyone can do it!
Your characters exist. You can feel them and manipulate them.
It is relatively cheap
You can resource free recycled materials to start.
The result is extremely satisfactory
CONS
It is a slow process.
You’ll need to be patient or have the willingness to master this skill.
You’ll have to be open to learning from your own failures.
Even though image/lighting quality is not a must, a small investment in equipment could be beneficial to give your animation a certain spark.
Stop motion types
Object animation
As its name suggests, object animation consists in animating physical objects and creating stories using the elements surrounding you!
It pretty much involves placing the object in a scene and moving it one frame at a time.
Here’s an old yet fun example of how you can play around with this technique.
In “The electric hotel” (1908) directed by Segundo de Chomón, a control board allows inanimate objects to come to life and help its guest settle down.
On the other hand, “Western Spaguetti” (2008) animated by Pes, it’s a witty and excellent example of how we can use our day to day objects creatively and transform them into a story.
Look at how by animating a bunch of googly eyes, Rubik cubes and plastic rubbers he replicates a spaghetti recipe from scratch!
Clay animation
Clay animation uses plasticine or non-drying clay to create its characters. It is a great technique for those who want to get started with stop motion, since this versatile material will make it very easy for you to control your character’s movement.
In order to create your animation, all you need to do is alter the clay from frame to frame.
You can either use a mix of wire armature and cover it with clay or you can have the clay just by itself. I tend to pick the latter as the clay is sturdy enough to keep its shape without an armature.
However, that still doesn’t mean a character will be able to stand or walk on its own.
Your character will need a support system known as “rigging” in order to stand still.
This will be explained in a detailed guide in the following article: “Stop motion puppetry-How to make a stop motion puppet”.
Aardman Animations, located in the United Kingdom, is one of the most widely known stop motion studios which exclusively work with clay animation. They have mastered this skill throughout the years producing films like the memorable “Chicken Run”(2000) and Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005).
Here’s a short clip from “Pingu” (1986), which also uses clay animation and it was one of my favorite animated series when I was a kid.
Puppet animation
Experienced stop motion animators will often be the only few people able to work with this technique and this is not coincidental.
Although a puppet can be made with something as simple as aluminum wire, a foam head, and cheap coating, stop motion studios making high grossing features like Laika work with puppets like these ones:
And they do it for one reason: the characters are more durable and stable and they last longer than clay characters.
Non-dry clay can be great but it also changes every time you touch it (or gets smashed when it falls to the ground).
The puppet heads used by professional stop motion animators are often made in air-dry clay or wood and have several replacements that can even be 3D printed!
These puppets are also based on ball and socket joints, with adjustable pressure, so it enables smooth and accurate movements. This ball and rode armature provides durability and rigidity during the shoot and it can be rigged to the set to avoid any unwanted accidents.
Here’s a short video that explains how these types of puppets are made:
Pixilation
Don’t let its name daunt you. This is one of the funniest ways of trying out stop motion for the first time since it uses people rather than objects!
You might want to convince your best friend to play a part in your short at first. It would take a lot of time and patience to get it done so I recommend you cast someone that is willing to share this passion with you and give it a try.
If you already have some experience with this technique you can always get a professional actor to play the part in your story, although this would come at a cost and again patience will be a must.
The actor will need to hold its position until the next picture gets taken and repeat the process until the shoot is done.
Concentration is essential. Think of it as if your actor was posing to get his portrait done- in this case a digital one.
Pixilation is mostly exploited in TV commercials as it works really well along with other techniques such as time lapse, object animation and live action.
Sourced from Lifewire Westend61/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
Another way to experiment with Pixilation is to have actors laying down on the floor, this helps them to hold positions and it will make things easier when trying to be in charge of your films raccord.
It also offers a new bunch of creative options since your character can jump, fly or even spin around without needing to spend a penny in VFX or rigging mechanisms.
Check out the outstanding music video “Her Morning Elegance” (2010) by Oren Lavie, to understand the possibilities of this technique.
Silhouette animation
This is one of the oldest stop motion techniques out there and it mainly consists of animating cut-out paper or cards in a horizontal layout.
You will need a luminous background that makes your characters stand out from their setting. Most people go for a white background and black mid-foreground, but there are many possibilities out there.
You can also have different levels of depth on a glass surface or background which will then be complemented by your silhouettes which will be placed in different layers on top.
The main secret of this technique is to use a backlight in order to illuminate your shadows or characters and sets. This can be simply done without the need to spend a big budget on your project.
Depending on the actions undertaken by your characters you will also need replacements for each of your frames, showing a transition in movement. This is how your silhouette animation will ultimately be created.
You can also make your characters by giving them joints made by pins so that only head replacements are required.
Lotte Reiniger was one of the pioneers exploring this unique technique. Have a look at how she does it in this video:
Cut out animation
Very similar to silhouette animation, cut-out animation is a stop motion form that uses photographs, fabric, paper, or card in order to create flat characters and backgrounds.
The difference? Illuminated backgrounds are not part of the equation, which allows you to use color and experiment with different materials.
As mentioned before if you make your characters by giving them joints made by pins you won’t have to create different puppets for each frame. See below:
Do you notice the difference in color and the materials used?
Sand animation
This is another beautiful stop motion form that tells stories by using sand as a medium to create its characters and locations.
It works the same way as a silhouette animation would and for that reason you will need a lightbox or a luminous background that allows the sand to stand out from its background.
Once the sand is placed in the lightbox you can either use your hands or thin tools to move it around and create shapes.
Place your camera on top of it by using a tripod and follow the 12-24 frame rule in order to create your stop motion animation.
Here’s a guide offering advice on how to make sand animation:
Preview How to make a stop motion video- Beginner’s Tips
This is the first tip I would have liked to be given before I started making stop motion shorts: Keep it Simple.
Even though this is a wonderful and inspiring art form it can give you some headaches, especially if you have a tight budget and little experience.
I think it’s extremely worth it to focus on learning how to animate first. Grab a simple idea and explore the art form. Even though you won’t be able to master it in a day it will give you the confidence to get involved in deeper narrative stories in the future.
Once you get to know how you control your stop motion puppets, your mind will start buzzing with stories and new ideas that you will then be able to make true.
So let’s have a look at the basics on how to make stop motion:
(Remember this is just a rough guide, you will find a link to my full article at the bottom of this page)
Write down a simple concept
You will need an idea in order to start your stop motion animation. Make it simple and clear, you can use the template below to guide yourself.
“A xxxx tries to xxxx by xxxxx”
Example:
“ A grumpy man tries to isolate himself by building a fence in his garden”
You’ll also need to pick up your stop motion technique at this point.
2.Sketch a rough storyboard
This is very necessary and will help you not to lose track of the actions taking place in your animation.
Grab a pen and make a note of your storyline, you can then translate that into drawings in order to have a visual guide of the actions you’ll need to animate.
Keep in mind you’ll need at least 12 frames per second to make a smooth sequence of movements happen.
3.Get your puppets and materials ready
As we have already seen, there are several options available and it all depends on the type of stop motion form you have selected.
Budget also plays a big part in this so head over to “Stop motion puppetry-How to make a stop motion puppet”, if you need to gather more ideas.
4. Sort out your stop motion kit.
This involves getting a camera (you can use your phone or a proper DSLR camera for this), some lights (the more stable and flexible the better) and some rigging mechanisms.
You’ll need to secure your camera so it doesn’t move.
Same goes for your lights and windows (these have to be completely covered so that you only use artificial lighting)
The reason for this is that every single element around your set will affect or have an influence in the things changing in each frame, including yourself.
This means everything needs to be steady and you need to try to avoid getting in the way of your puppets and set.
Just remember this: You are only allowed to touch your puppets, nothing else is supposed to move.
It will be a bit tricky at the beginning and you’ll have to learn from your mistakes in order to master this process.
Just to make your life a bit easier I have compiled a series of Beginners mistakes that you might want to take into account before starting.
Click on “7 stop motion beginners mistakes and how to avoid them”, to learn more
5.Check your process using a stop motion software.
There’s several out there. Monkey Jam is a very good option for beginners as well as FilmoraPro and Stop Motion Studio.
I have also written a full guide for you to pick your favorite.
6.Edit
Once you have finalized your stop motion animation take it to an editing software and add your sound, music, and further transitions.
After this, you will have created your first stop motion film!
I hope this article has helped you understand stop motion a bit better.
As I mentioned earlier this is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of how to make a stop motion video. There are so many more tricks and things that you need to take into account if you do not want to waste your time and energy away.
Want to know all the details? Good, I promise you won’t regret it. I so much wish that I had done more research before I started this adventure. It is totally worth it!
Check out my next article “How to make a stop motion animation step by step- 7 tips for beginners”
Thank you for your time, if you have any further questions please contact me!
Have a good day,
-Ana.
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