Animation Techniques Introduction Part 2 - Stop Motion

Another way to make an image seem like it's moving, is by Stop Animation. This is a technique made by taking photo's, then using movement of the object in each photo, to make it seem like it's moving. A long process but very effective.

Puppet Stop Motion

Includes using puppets in a constructed enviroment, they have obvious atchements to their joins to contrain movement. The is the method Tim Burton used for films such as The Nightmere Before Christmas and Coroline. Tv series Robot Chicken also use this method.

Clay Animation
Or Claymation (which is a trademarked name) also known as Plastacine Animation, Wallace and Gromit, the creators of Morph and Chicken Run are the most well known names using this technique. This technique creates a real child friendly effect, and opens up wide moevements within the models used. I love the opening to this and the song really takes me back.



Cut Out Animation
Made by moving two pieces of material that are two dimensional made by Terry Gillian in Monty Python. There have been many different ways this technique has been used, but I'ts Jerry Time has to be one of my favorites, the wiredness in the cut out is amazing, not only is it well written and easy to realte to but the quirky cut out technique is really honest. Watch the first episiode here:



Silhoutte animation

Not very mainstream technique of animtion but still quite widley used. The use of Silhouttes really plays with the different between an image and a shadow and explores depth between darkness. A darker way to animate I believe, but if done well is extrondonarily effective, and I love dark and creepy animation. Lets take a look at The Moon Bird Trailer for a fifteen minute film about an Orphan who discovers magic. Using the perfect technique of animation for the story.





Model Animation
Models that are captured in Stop motion in a real life environment. Bill and Ben were a good example of this and many more. David Allen a model animator used it in Honey I Shrunk The Kids, heres a clip of it:



Object Animation
Using easily idedified objects such as lego, playmobile. Robot Chicken is a good example for this as is this elabrote lego animation. Brilliant timing with the music and nice 80s feel.



Graphic Animation

The simplest way is just by panning the camera around an image. Graphic Animation is non drawn flat visual graphic material. This is an Oscar award winning film by Frank Mouris 1973.