How to Make a Head for Clay Animation

Gumby is an example of a classic clay animation figure.

Creating model heads for your figurines are the essential components for your clay animation movies. The trick to making a successful clay animation head is to attach each feature of the face as separate pieces. Placing the eyes and mouth onto the face with different pieces of clay, for example, allows you the opportunity to pull off each piece and manipulate it as necessary. Manipulating the clay results in changing the expression of your model.

Things You'll Need

• 4-inch balls of oil-based clay (4)
• 12-by-12-inch wax paper
• 5-mm-by-4-inch wire
• Wire cutters
• 2-mm-by-4-inch wire (multiple)
• Video camera

Instructions

1. Place four 4-inch balls of oil-based clay onto a 12-by-12-inch sheet of wax paper. Use four different, contrasting colors of clay to make the facial features stand out.

2. Mold a circular or oval head with 2 to 3 inches of clay. Place the head atop the body of your figure. Insert a 5-millimeter-by-4-inch wire down through the center of the head and into the body. The wire holds the head in place atop the body.

3. Shape one eyeball out of a second contrasting color. Cut one or two 2-mm-by-4-inch wires with a pair of wire cutters. Position one eyeball onto place on the face. Press the wire through the eye ball and head until the front edge is flush with the surface of the eyeball. The opposite end of the wire is now sticking out behind the head -- where the camera cannot see it -- for effortless removal. Use a second wire, if necessary, to hold the eyeball in place.

4. Press eyeball clay over the flush end of the wire to hide it from the lens of the camera. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to create the second eyeball.

5. Shape two eyeball pupils with a third contrasting color. Bond the pupils to the eyes in the same fashion as steps 3 and 4. Repeat with a fourth contrasting color to shape and attach the mouth. Use as many pieces of 2-millimeter wire as necessary to hold the facial features in place.

6. Record the head of the clay animation figure on one second of film. Remove all necessary facial features. Remold the removed pieces and re-attach them in identical fashion before recording. Continue until your animation sequence is complete.

Tips & Warnings

• Clay animation movie making is an arduous process and requires a lot of patience.

References

• Incredible @rt Department: Clay Animation, Grade 7; Ken Rohrer; 2011
• Angel Fire: Claymation; Marc Spess

Resources

• Internet Movie Database: The Gumby Show