Another Stop Motion Puppet

I made another figure, on two legs instead of four this time. It was constructed mostly for practice. I found this one harder to move as it was more unstable and had limited neck movement, which doesnt allow for head tilts, which are key in body language. It was a good exercise to learn from.

Test Animations

I attempted a stop motion test sequence using a digital camera and editing in Photoshop. This was my first attempt at any kind of animation and I was suprised at how simple it was to put together. I found stop motion quite challenging to do, and doing a test shoot has shown me what parts i need to iron out and how effectively I am moving the character. The tests showed that i need to make sure the camera and model are secured to the surface, and to keep hands and shadows out of the shot!

Dragon Stop Motion Puppet

After watching a few youtube videos and reading some books on stop motion animation, i decided to practice making a stop motion character.
I made a wire armature in order for the character to be fully articulate and hold the pose. I then bulked out the skeleton with tin foil and used a glue gun be make it robust. I drew upon my previous experience in model-making and sculpture to make informed decision on the best way to make a structurally sound model.

I was inspired by stop motion childrens shows such as "The Clangers" and "Bagpuss" and the beauty of the models used. They appeal to a young audience due to the models resembling normal toys, and to adults alike as the animation techniques are so timeless. I see stop motion as quite a handmade style of animation, as it has a degree of familiarity, timelessness and uniqueness that digital versions of animation do not. Stop motion animation doesn't tend to date, (old stop motion cartoons are still being aired to this date) however, CGI in films is always changing and improving, so CGI in films just a few years old appears dated quickly as it it overtaken by better software.

Stop motion puppet creation

Intentions for this project

My intentions for this project is to explore the concept of language convergence and body language through the medium of a stop motion animation. I was inspired by communication with the use of words, and how much of our day to day interaction relies on what is actually said, as opposed to how we say it, and how we say it with our bodies.
I have been reading "manwatching" by Desmond Morris, which has been a good catalyst for my thought processes on human body language, as it mark up a lot of interesting points, such as inborn gestures, and universal ones, which different races share, despite having never seen each other before. This is all supported by Prof. Mehrabian's research into human dialect, and the correlation between facial liking, verbal liking and vocal liking. This formula has raised several strands of questioning for me. The main strand I am keen to explore is how much of an understanding do two people who do not understand each other vocally have, if body language speaks louder than spoken word?

Prof. Albert Mehrabian's research http://www.businessballs.com/mehrabiancommunications.htm