Claymation vs. plastimation

[He put me back together]

Hey folks...I'm just wondering if there are any animators out there that can help me out with some of their experience. I'm into stop-motion animation, but I don't have a large number of projects under my belt. This is how I've BEEN building puppets, few as they are: I've constructed an endoskeleton with steel wire, then all the limbs of the body can be stiffened with an application of hardened skulpey, leaving elbows, knees hips etc. free to move (I think some guys solder metal bars to the wire to construct joints, but hey). I then apply non-hardening clay on top of this for the flesh of the puppet. The problem is, this non-hardening clay makes for a pretty heavy puppet, and in order to get them to stand upright on their own I have to extend the steel wire of the legs downward so I can push it down like a tack into the set. This, of course, isn't very good for a guy's setup, and it requires more forethought when the endoskeleton is being built. I'm thinking a plastic, hollow puppet, much like an action figure or something, with more sophisticated joints would work like a charm. A lightweight puppet could hold itself up easily with just an application of poster putty on the feet. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuutttttttttttt I'm not an experienced sculptor, so I'm a little squeamish about building casts. Are there any experienced scultpors or animators out there with some pointers?

 

[Ants]

Hey do you have any work that you could show? I'd love to see some of your work! However I cannot help you in what you are asking, I've got seriously no idea...

 

[gvsuman]

Have you ever tried using paper mache'? I once had to make a fabrece? egg in high school out of paper mache' and it was really like and hard. Worth a shot and definately lighter than any clay would be

 

[He put me back together]

Hey do you have any work that you could show? I'd love to see some of your work! However I cannot help you in what you are asking, I've got seriously no idea...

Well, I don't have any big files anymore, but I have some little rinky-dink things I did with an artist's manequin when I first started out in this stuff lol...I can post my email on here because I'm about to change ISPs anyway: Dementor443@aol.com Send me an email, and maybe I can build a few puppets and whip something up. When I change ISPs I'll follow up with another address if I don't see ya. But please type CLAYMATION in the title, so I know you're not spam

--Update-- ALUMINUM FOIL~! GAHHHHH!!!!!! Why didn't I think of this sooner? It's cheap...it's light, and strong. In addition, it doesn't burn in the oven. (well, at least not at 250 degrees) The perfect filler. 50 cents a roll, American made, at the local dollar tree.

 

[He put me back together]

Have you ever tried using paper mache'? I once had to make a fabrece? egg in high school out of paper mache' and it was really like and hard. Worth a shot and definately lighter than any clay would be

Yes! Paper Mache rocks (except for the smell), but unfortunately it hardens by air. It makes a great medium for set design (although I haven't done enough of this to tell you a great deal about sets--I just know model rail roaders love it), but I'm wondering about the puppets. It might be a nice, light way to make joints, but it's possible that its flexibility would allow the wire to wiggle a bit inside it. On the other hand, the moisture could make for greater adherance to the steel, as my prior attempts with sculpey have broken away from the wire at times. If not for joints, it might make sense as a filler. As you said, it's worth a shot!
In any event, I think a *sophistocated* claymator, which doesn't describe me of course , should soon graduate to swivel joints, rather than merely bending wire and making a mess with eventual metal fatigue. In addition he'd probably cast several parts with resin, along with hundreds of separate faces for each character (YETCH!) For the home hobbyist, paper mache might prove easier for the latter, since paper is flexible and might fit snugly to the character's "subface" (or whatever you call it) Thanks for the input guys...I wish there was a club for this kind of stuff.