How to Make a Claymation of Yourself

Toothpicks can be used to create texture in the clay.

Claymation, a term made from the combination of "clay" and "animation," is the process of creating a movie featuring clay characters. It is done by making small movements in the scenes and figures, taking a picture of each change and putting the shots all together in a movie-making program. This artistic project looks amazing when completed, but requires a lot of work. Make a clay figure of yourself so you can star in your own claymation movie.

Things You'll Need

• Clay
• Wire or pipe cleaners
• Box
• Miniatures
• Glue
• Scissors
• Tape

Instructions

Make a Clay Figure of Yourself

1. Gather two photographs of yourself: a full body pose and a head shot. Look closely at the pictures and choose the features that you wish to play up most, such as glasses, a large nose or big feet. It is easier to make a more cartoon-like image of yourself when first starting to mold with clay.

2. Twist wire or pipe cleaners into a basic stick person shape. There should be one piece for the neck and torso, two shorter lines for arms and two longer lines for legs. This is the basic frame of your clay figure. You will attach or wrap clay around this form so your completed character will be easier to manipulate.

3. Roll a ball of clay for the head. Squeeze in or pull out the sides so the shape best resembles your head. Use other pieces of clay to add hair, facial features -- such as eyes, a nose and a mouth -- and a neck to further personalize the head. Push it onto the wire frame.

4. Wrap or mold clay around the wire frame to make the torso and then the arms and legs. Add ovals for hands at the end of the arm pieces and for feet at the end of the legs. The feet must be flat on the bottom and substantial enough to balance the body in a standing position.

5. Smudge the top layer of clay with your thumb to blend the seams together, and then paint the figure or cover it with other colors of clay to give the appearance of clothing. If you have a signature piece that you wear often, such as a hat, colorful scarf of combat boots, include that on your clay character. Toothpicks, or even your fingernail, can be used to create texture.

Make a Claymation Movie

1. Develop your storyline. Just like a book, movie or television show, a claymation should have a plot. Perhaps you wish to show your recent trip to the zoo or a summer picnic.

2. Make a diorama for background scenery to match the storyline. Focus on your clay figure in the scene without being distracted by the things sitting around the room in which you are working. Enclosing your movie scenery with walls makes the filming process easier.

3. Set up the first scene using doll furniture and other miniatures, or make the props with other materials, such as sticks, rocks and cardboard. If you are going to have the character in a car or at home, make the props and backgrounds just like yours in real life, to help portray the idea that this character is you. Glue or tape anything in place that will not be moving throughout the movie.

4. Take a picture of the beginning scene using a camera or the snapshot option of a digital camcorder. Make the slightest of movements, such as an arm beginning to lift up or a foot stepping out, and then take the next picture. Continue making these changes in the position of your clay character or the background and props until you have completed your storyline. Expect to take upwards of 450 shots to create a 30-second movie.

5. Import the photos into a movie-making program and scan them for quality, removing any images with distorted lighting or someone's hands in the frame. Set the timing for each slide. You will need eight to 15 pictures per second, depending on how smooth you want transitions to be in the final video. Also add text of things you often say, or record your voice, to make the movie even more personal and life-like.

Tips & Warnings

• Rather than basing your figure off of photographs, make a clay avatar online, using a program like Clay Yourself, and create that image with real clay. When you are just beginning, it may be easier to recreate than to imagine and make it yourself.

• If you do not plan on changing the pose of your clay figure during the claymation, you do not need to use a wire frame. Just make sure the figure is stuck together well.

References

• Know It All.org; A Natural State; Making a Diorama
• Sarajane's Polyclay Gallery; Make and Mold; Here's How to Model an Original Face Using Polymer Clay
• University of California, Berkley; EECS Instructional and Electronics Support; What is Claymation?
• Wichita State University; Clay Animation Made Easy; How to Get Started