Things You'll Need:
- Clay
- Wire
- Wire cutters
- Digital camera
- Tripod
- Computer
- Photo editing software
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Step 1
Buy good quality clay such as polymer or plasticene and some wire to make the skeleton of your clay figure. Some online stores sell preassembled clay animation sets that include all of the supplies that you will need, but they can get pricey since you have to pay for shipping.
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Step 2
Create the armature (skeleton) of the figure you would like to animate. Start by taking four feet of wire and folding it in half then twisting it so your wire is twice as strong. Shape your wire until it fits the general outline of the figure you desire, it doesn't need any detail such as fingers or toes.
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Step 3
Spread your clay over the armature. Start with a neutral grey color to act as a base. Using colored clay, design the figure you want to animate.
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Step 4
Set up a digital camera on a tripod. Move your clay figure a little bit at a time and take pictures. Only move him a small amount out a time so the movement looks smooth when you turn it into a video.
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Step 5
Load the pictures onto your computer. Use a photo editing program to turn the pictures into a movie.
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Step 6
Make more clay figures to create a longer movie. Once you get the hang of it, you can animate multiple figures at once.
