my larger models have a wire armature and then just covered in plastercine, my problem is they are too heavy to animate

morph is ok as hes alot smaller, but i would really like to animate something larger, do any of you use foam or tin foil to your armature before you add the plastercine to make it lighter?

please can someone give me some tips or ideas on this

for my models i do use foum for the head and the cheast it makes it WAY!!! lighter. also for the legs twist 4 strands of whire together and for the middle part use 3 strands and 2 strands for the head and the arms!! here a pic of my armature for my cat model... the mixed clay coulers on it were clay that i but over a candle to get it to sick on the foum and then add your good clay on top of the melted clay.

Hi conty I know that feeling well!!
when I made my 10" Wallace I used 2 x 2mm aluminium wire twisted together although the puppet could stand quite well, I could feel from the weight it would be difficult to animate I usally coat my puppets with light materials like foam but didn't allow for the weight of the plasticene, I would use 4 x 2mm twisted together with lighter strands woven in for the hands
this should give you the strengh you need to hold a pose.

Its not easy always problems,problems,problems!!

Good luck

Hi i am not as good as you lot with the amatures i just make basic ones. I use floral wire for my amatures it is really light and it is relly cheap

thanks guys for your help, ive also noticed that alot of the aardman models have material clothes and not plastercine, i was also thinking about that too, but im not great at sewing, but maybe that might be another idea, what do you think?

that is indeed a great idea!

One suggetion is actually using fimo, pro poxy or light palstic around the armature and then building the plastercine up around it.
it save plastercine and makes it lighter.

the picture is off of www.evl.uic.edu/aej/527/lecture02.html

thanks guys for your help

Sorry, I have no idea.

Maybe use weld electrodes and froth construction worker, it shoud be hard and light

Aardman now use foam, and fimo would work well too. Something like that just to be lighter and yet pad it out would work wonders I should think.

well wallace and gromit and creature comforts are made with plastercine because nick park likes his models simple

hey cool avatar mark!!!!!!! hehehe what a complement, thanks mate!!!

thanks seb ive got a few ideas from all of you, i think im going to have a go with some foam, is there anything special i need to get the plastercine to stick to the foam?

You're very welcome Conty. I love yer stuff. And Seb, it's great to see you back! Where've you been?

i use k&s tubing for bone and wire for movement

Cool!

you could use snipping foam to realy bendy

ive never heard of it, do you get it in craft shops?

Hello Conty!

i don't know i read about it in a book you should google it but i think you should check out the tubing because it acts as bones it's really cool

have you got a link that i could have a look please

nope

where do you get yours from?

Hello there everyone. Sorry for my absance. I was drawing the Simpsons and Cars from Cars the Movie (pixar). But I'm back!!!...Where is everyone?

my animation theacher gave me some

You have an animation teacher?

yeah one of the class in my school is animation its an extra class we have tons like graphic arts, a 2d animation, etc.

Do you go to a special art school or you in like high school or something?

just high school.

Cool! I need to request that when I got to high school in August!

i don't think that its in every high school because it was an extra class

Riiight. well, i still need to have a look at that.

i hate useing tie downs they can get in the way some time and wires rigs can tear your model apart and regular rigs take for ever to photoshop out.

hey. try not to twist your wire, when you bend ur armature it can stretch and move out of shape. always use something light for the head eg a ping pong ball. A good material to use is balsa wood, but be carefull when you model with it, it can break easily, but its nice and light. and if its also helpful to stick your model down so it doesnt move, you can screw it down or use magnets, but u can just as easily use blue tack. hope this helps

mine are heavy but, thats a good things as they cant accidently move between shots.

thanks guys for all your tips im going to have a go at one or two of your ideas

looking forward to it conty!

Hello everyone!!!