Claymation Tips and Instructions

Adapted by Sandra Hines and Mary Tune from PPT created byStephanie Foster Little Elm ISD

Lunch Options

1. 1 ½ hour lunch as planned

2. Shorter lunch 30 min… 45 min…

3. Come and go lunch (Instructors stay and work with anyone here)

Enduring Understanding

Technology, when used as a natural part of an integrated lesson in the content areas, increases student motivation and allows for creative outlets.

Essential Questions

Is the frustration of using technology worth the effort?

How can technology be used to effectively assess student knowledge of a concept?

What is Claymation?

Claymation, or Clay Animation, uses clay figures to illustrate a story or concept and computer software to animate the still photographs of the clay figures.

Examples

Tech4Learning

Wichita State University

Materials Needed

Your imaginationStoryboard Digital CamerasMaterials for a backgroundMaterials for charactersComputerPhotoStory3, PowerPoint or Animation

and Movie Software

Steps to Creating an Animation

Step One – Come up with a Story Concept Step Two – Create a Storyboard Step Three - Design and create the

background Step Four - Design and create the characters Step Five – Take the pictures Step Six – Create the Animation Step Seven - Share

Step One

Come up with a story or concept.Use your imagination! Examples: the water cycle, long division,

fractions, a scene from a play or story you are studying

Solution to a problemThe story is the most important part of the

claymation project!Project Planner Sheet

Step Two

Create a storyboard.Storyboards don’t have to be detailed.

They just need to show the overall concept of the animation.

Storyboards can be simple pictures or words, or a combination of both.

The more you include in your storyboard, the easier it will be to create your characters.

Storyboard Software

Kidspiration or Inspiration Storyboard Pro (free software download)

with tutorials

Storyboard Example for older students:

PT3 Example and explanation

Storyboards for younger students:

A simple piece of construction paper folded into 6 squares works perfect as a storyboard .

Create a concept map or flow chart showing the sequence of the story.

Storyboard Example

Example taken from http://library.thinkquest.org/22316/start.html

Step Three

Design and create your backgroundMaterials needed:

Construction PaperMarkers or CrayonsGlueCardboard BoxesCotton balls

You want your characters and their actions to be the focus of your

animation, not what is behind them.

Background Tip

Make sure your background is not so large that it makes your characters seem too small.

A large size piece of construction paper is plenty big.

A box that reams of paper comes in is perfect.

Background Tip

3-D additions to your background make your animation more appealing.

A box and a downward camera angle are great ways to add depth to your animation.

Pop ups on your background are also

great ways to add depth.

Background Tip

EXAMPLES of GREAT

BACKGROUNDS!

Step Four

Design and create charactersCreate a lightweight armature out of

pipe cleaners or wire, styrofoam, and aluminum foil (PT3 example)

Cover the armature with a thin “skin” of clay

TIP… put magnets in their feet and use a cookie sheet for a floor

Materials you will definitely need!

ClayPipe Cleaners: they allow your body to

bend.Foil: wrap your character in foil to add

thickness, strength, and to help the clay stick.

Styrofoam Balls: great for head or feet.

Extra MaterialsPopsicle sticksPompomsErasersYarn or stringToothpicksStick on EyesScissorsPlastic Spoons or Knives

Make sure that your characters are 1 and a half to three inches tall.

Characters that are too tall will not stand up.

Character Tip

Good Characters

•These characters are not too tall and they are very detailed.

•Built and designed by a third grader and a fifth grader.

Good Characters

•These characters are perfect size and very detailed.

•Designed and created by a 5th grade resource student with the help of a first grader.

Good Characters

•Spongebob is a great character.

•The materials that he was made of caused him to be top heavy.

• The creator compensated by placing something behind him to support the weight.

Good characters

Not So Good Character

•This character is not very detailed, as you can see it has no mouth.

•It is also a little bit too tall.

Not So Good Character

•This character is too small.

• It is also not covered with clay.

• It is unappealing to the eye.

Not So Good Character

•This character is not very well put together.

• It is not completely covered in clay

•It appears very sloppy.

Step Five

Take the picturesSet up your cameraUse good lightingPracticeShoot

Make sure your camera is on the correct setting.

Setting mega-pixels too low will make the pictures appear blurry or distorted.

Setting mega-pixels too high will cause your animation to be too large unless you edit the picture files.

Today we will be using 2 mega-pixels.

Camera Tips

Make sure you have a stable surface for the camera to sit on, such as a tripod.

It is important that your camera does not move at all during the making of your animation.

Find a well lighted place in the room or mount a lamp directed toward the set.

Make markings where the camera goes.

Camera Tips

If your camera only has digital zoom, do not zoom, simply place camera for best angle and picture.

If you are using a camera with floppy disk, you might need multiple disks.

Number the floppy disk to keep your pictures in order.

Camera Tips

Set up the background and characters and do a practice run before you begin taking pictures.

Move the characters about a half an inch at a time.

30 to 70 pictures make a great animation. Use your run through to test this.

Camera Tips

Elevate the camera to get the best shots of your animation.

One person should be in charge of holding the camera still and taking the pictures.

Another person should be in charge of moving the characters.

Camera Tips

Camera Placement

Good example

Not so good example

Camera Placement

Ms. Bilbrey saves the day!!

She is my HERO (and

favorite principal!!)

Retake the picture. When you start to insert pictures in

PhotoStory 3 or PowerPoint, simply skip the picture you don’t want to use.

Insert the good picture.

What if I take a bad picture?

Some cameras require you to finalize the disk you are using. (Sony Mavica w/ CD)

Use the Setup function of the camera to finalize the disk.

Research your camera’s functions to find out the requirements needed to retrieve pictures.

Camera Tips

Some cameras require you to finalize the disk you are using. (Sony Mavica w/ CD)

Use the Setup function of the camera to finalize the disk.

Research your camera’s functions to find out the requirements needed to retrieve pictures.

Step Six

Import your pictures into PhotoStory 3 or PowerPoint

Add voice, word bubbles or different accents

Set up the timing for each pictureAdd music if desiredSit back and watch your creation

Transferring Images –Camera To Computer

Create a folder on your desktop.

Right Click on the desktop, choose NEW and select FOLDER . Name the folder ANIMATION PICS.

Remove your floppy disk/ CDRW from the camera Place it in the drive on your computer. Double click on the My Computer Icon on the Desktop of

your computer. Find the removable device that you are using A: drive

for a floppy and D: drive for a CDRW.

Double-click on the disk or drive icon to open it. Then, navigate to the folder containing your images and open it.

From this folder click on the Edit menu and choose Select All.

•Click Edit on the menu again and choose Copy.

•Close this window down

•Open the Animation Pics folder on your desktop.

•Click Edit on the menu and select Paste

•This will copy your pictures from your disk to your folder.

Examples of Animations!

LightsCameraAction

NOW, LETS GET STARTED!!

Step One

Come up with a story or concept you would like to animate.

Some examples are: the water cycle, long division, fractions, a scene from a play or story you are studying

Use your imagination, there are no limits to what you can come up with.

Step Two

Create a storyboard.Storyboards don’t have to be

detailed. They just need to show the overall concept of the animation. Storyboards can be simple pictures or words, or a combination of both.

Step Three

Design and create your background.

Step Four

Build your characters.

Step Five

Set up your camera (remember lighting)

PracticeShoot

Step Six

Import your pictures into PhotoStory 3Add voice or different accentsSet up the timing of the animationSit back and watch your creation

TIME TO SHARE

Tell us what the idea of your animation was.

Show your animationTell us your likes and dislikes about

your final project.

Tips and Tricks

The first time you do an animation with your students, let them have fun with it. Don’t set to many expectations. Just let them use their imaginations.

Time Required

Depends on how prepared you and your students are.

First timers: 1 to 2 days (weeks?)Experienced animators who know

exactly what they want to achieve: no longer than a day.

Contact Information

How To Create Clay Animation in 5 Easy Steps

Clay Animation Made EasyThe Clay Animation StationClay GIF AnimationTech4Learning Clay Animation

Web Resources