I hate Windows Vista

Today, I tried to buy a table top for the set. I need to start building the set. Rocks, clock, tree, birds,.. There is a lot to do. Could not find a proper wood for the table top. It will be on another day… Good news!!! I am going to have Windows XP on my laptop finally. Vista with all those fancy looking menus, interfaces, animations… there is nothing than makeup. If you are trying to really do something with your computer rather than chatting and visiting facebook; Vista is not for you. Install back XP. After I have XP, I will be able to try stopmo software with my cameras. So, thats it for now..

puppet making – the head

I am not going to be animating the head; just simple movement, turning. So, I made the head with super sculpy. I think making head is the hardest part of the puppet. You need to make it have a character. I tried 5 different heads with different size, expression, age,… Here is how final one came out. It is not finished yet.  I might make hair and painting at the end.

head made out of super sculpy
head made out of super sculpy
head
head
head
head
head
head
head
head
head
head
head
head
head
head

head
head
.

puppet making – hey this guy needs some clothes

How hard can be making a little shirt and pants for a stopmo puppet? It seems pretty easy right?.. I tried couple different pants and shirts… One thing I have learnt; try to make the shirts and pants fit well and tight. When you animate you would not want the different parts of the fabric move unnaturally. I thought about making a shirt similar to one on Jack Sparrow on Pirates of the Caribbean. I actually did. There is no way to control the fabric from one shot to the other when it is not tight. Anyways, check below:

making the little shirt
making the little shirt

When I was working on the outfit, I had already tried couple different heads. You see one of the heads behind in this picture. This is not the one I decided to use but you need to have a head to try the outfit.

shirt
shirt
shoes??
shoes??
shoes
shoes
shirt & shoes
shirt & shoes
shirt & shoes
shirt & shoes
making pants
making pants
here he goes
here he goes

Ok, where is my head ????.

puppet making – hands without latex

I could not find liquid latex here and did not know how to make the hands. I posted on stopmotionanimation.com asked pros about the latex substitudes. I was suggested to wrap the hands with yarn(as it was shown on my previous post) and cover with silicone sealant. I am not totally happy with the result but at least I have hands that can be animated. isomer at stopmotionanimation.com also suggested me to paint with permanent marker but I was not successful doing that.

silicone sealant for the hands
silicone sealant for the hands
.

puppet making – covering armature with foam

cover wire armature with foam using spray glue
cover wire armature with foam using spray glue
cover wire armature with foam using spray glue
cover wire armature with foam using spray glue
trim with a small scissor and add some more pieces to shape the body
trim with a small scissor and add some more pieces to shape the body
try shaping body bu adding some more thin foam layer
try shaping body by adding some more thin foam layer

try here how he looks when it is done
here how he looks when it is done
.

puppet making – wire armature 2

added yarn over the hands because later I covered hands with silicone
added yarn over the hands because later I covered hands with silicone
hand covered with yarn
hand covered with yarn
adding yarn to joints before covering with foam
adding yarn to joints before covering with foam

adding yarn to joints before covering with foam
adding yarn to joints before covering with foam
.

Puppet Making – Wire armature 1

I used 2,5 mm copper wire for the base. I used copper beacuse I could not find this thick aluminum wire here. If you find aluminum it should be better.
I used 2,5 mm copper wire for the base. I used copper beacuse I could not find this thick aluminum wire here. If you find aluminum it should be better.
0,9 mm aluminum wire for the arms and hands over copper wire.
0,9 mm aluminum wire for the arms and hands over copper wire.
Covering wire with epoxy putty for the bones. I did not use 5 min. epoxy. I made couple different armatures and tested. I even tried using super sculpy for the bones. I ended up using Pattex 15min epoxy which seems stronger.
Covering wire with epoxy putty for the bones. I did not use 5 min. epoxy. I made couple different armatures and tested. I even tried using super sculpy for the bones. I ended up using Pattex 15min epoxy which seems stronger.
notice the nuts inside epoxy feet for tie downs
notice the nuts inside epoxy feet for tie downs

hands
hands
.

my first stopmo film: “chronos”

Did I ever tell you about the project I have been working on? Yes, it is a stopmotion film but let me tell you little bit about the first movie I will be shooting: It is going to be couple minutes long with one puppet, a big clock, big big tree and some birds. It is going to be dark, alone,… It is about time; chronos….

I am here again…

Ok, I am here again. Vaowww my last post was on sept 20th. Long time, no post… Started again couple weeks ago by working on the puppet. What I have done so far? Tried couple of different options for clothes and the head. Clothes are done. He now has a nice outfit; pants and the shirt. Made couple of different heads with supersculpy. I realized how I like to sculpt. Super sculpy is something very very easy to work with. I even tried some little sculptures anf neclacess.. Ok, this was out of the scope. Anyways.. just doing what I like to do. It is always great to experiment different things. I dont know what else I would fall in love as I proceed making this movie. Back to the point… today I have organized folders on my laptop for stop-motion works. Pictures of making of puppets everywhere. It is now almost organized so I can update my blog with some pictures. I have also been trying to find a good cheap stopmo software which works fine with my equipment; a Canon EOS 350D camera, Sony Hi8 Handycam. Stop Motion Maker looks like a good choice. Will see.. I am having problems with this Windows Vista thing.. So, I will install Windows XP on my laptop and hopefully eveything will be fine. Today I also think about buying a table top for the set. So, I can finally start building up the set..