How to make a Claymation: Heads (Part One)

[teacupkid123]

For the neck...if you want support like a wood stick, but you also want to be able to move it...use a vendor straw!

[sgtjlopez]

@teacupkid123 Yeah, I don't use wood anymore. Typically use a bendable metal wire.

[Xxcertaindeath23xX]

how much is the modeling clay??

[sgtjlopez]

@Xxcertaindeath23xX Van Aken plasticine is typically 3.69 a pound.

[TheEternalDammed]

I don't think you can get Van Aken clay in the UK, I've had a look on amazon and found some stuff called newplast it's got good reviews, similar price, except white which is cheap.

[sgtjlopez]

@TheEternalDammed Try both, choose which one you like the best. I love the fact that I can melt down my clay to mix colors and 'clean' the clay. Newplast is harder, meaning you can move the character without damaging it so much. YOU need to be the one choosing what is the best. Some even use polymer clay -- which seems a bit ridiculous to me.

[clayzach3]

Great vid, everyone come check out my claymations

[ulujm]

color on the face doesn't matter to me it make more interesting the character

[KaliLove041]

cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­ooooooooooooooooooooooooool.

[sgtjlopez]

@KaliLove041 thanks :)

[ibedraw]

you could also make a skull to work off of

[sgtjlopez]

@ibedraw Wouldn't recommend it. Never works right in my opinion. If you want to do an armature to work off of, you just make a wire with a loop on the end of the neck for the head to stick on :)

[TheYovilleTv]

i love your forrest gump cup XD!

If you have a bunch of colours in there it looks like crap" -Love dat! haha

[sgtjlopez]

@TheYovilleTv haha, I'm very blunt.

[TheHenderson4]

I don't mean to be rude saying that I don't live in America and I'm finding it impossible to find some Van aken clay. Ps cool video *****

[sgtjlopez]

@TheHenderson4 Look for Newplast?

[1claymation]

@TheHenderson4 Van aken is only sold in America and some parts of UK..... You could order it

[GameOn202]

Where did you get the tools

[sgtjlopez]

@GameOn202 Michael's Arts and Crafts. You can find them anywhere that sells clay pretty much.

[DKC1011]

lol. "Put this in a paper bag so it doesn't get dust on it" and you just toss it to the side XD. Love the tut man, big fan, keep up the good work.

[sgtjlopez]

@DKC1011 LOL, I don't remember saying that :)

[Miggy965]

Hey John, i accidentaly came across this tutorial whilst bored a week ago. since then both my girlfriend and myself have made claymation shorts (very short!) thanks to you and with the guidence of your "how to's" they have come out really well. ive just built my first armature, made a head and clothed "him". i'll send you a message when its finished and uploaded. thanks so much for taking the time to do these vids :) claymation is also a really good anti-stress therapy :) keep up the good work!

[sgtjlopez]

@Miggy965 Great! :) Yeah, send them to me in a message or on Facebook. Whatever works for you.

[tommosso10110]

what site do u get ur clay from? what colour is it, exact description?

thanks

[sgtjlopez]

@tommosso10110 I get it in person at Michael's Arts and Crafts.

It's Van Aken Plasticine, FLESH color.

[waffleking99fanclub]

@sgtjlopez lol u get your clay from micheals? so do i!

[sgtjlopez]

@madv14 Hahaha, well, put to some use. Just don't let it get in the heat or it will melt.

[perrito6129]

oooooooooooooo thanks 4 answering me!!!!!!!!!!!

[perrito6129]

HEY MAN YOU ARE GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE UR WORK,,,CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHERE TO BUY MY CLAY AT???? I WILL REALLY LIKE TO LEARN FROM YOU...BUT I NEED TO BUY MY MATERIAL FIRST. THANKS, AND I WILL BE WAITING FOR YOUR ANSWER,,OR CAN YOU SEND IT TO ME TO THIS EMAIL??dome777@live.com.mx THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sgtjlopez]

@perrito6129 Micheals and Hobby lobby should have it

[lieasonday]

FOREST GUMP

[sgtjlopez]

@lieasonday Wat?

[lieasonday]

@sgtjlopez your cup said forest gump

[sgtjlopez]

@lieasonday hahaha

[CharlieBruise]

I cant make the head! Some reason, my head looks weird!

[sgtjlopez]

@CharlieBruise Who's head are you modeling? Cause if it's a funny looking dude, it's going to look weird! ;D

[CharlieBruise]

@sgtjlopez lol I'm tryin to make the head in the video. I can't form it into that head shape!

[sgtjlopez]

@CharlieBruise Yeah, I hear ya. Do you have one of those modeling mannequins that I have? It helps having something else to look at. If I was rich, I would totally send you out a head made out of hard clay so that you could check it out.

[CharlieBruise]

@sgtjlopez Thats another thing. Where did ya get it?

[sgtjlopez]

@CharlieBruise Micheal's Arts and Crafts store.

I've seen them in every arts and crafts store.

[CharlieBruise]

@sgtjlopez Well thank you for answering all my questions! I really appreciated them! =)

[CharlieBruise]

@sgtjlopez BTW Real good video!!!!

[Enotemusic]

thanks for these videos. they're very informative. Now if you could just make a video for me on how to not be a procrastinator, it would be greatly appreciated.

[sgtjlopez]

@Enotemusic HAHAHA, I totally want to do one about that now.

[gerardfan2007]

AMAZING this really helped me

one thing though, im not so good with animation so i have a few questions (sorry!) loll

1. do you suggest using like a skeleton (i dunno what its called), to make the character more flexible?

2. what kind of clay are you using? when i try to manipulate my clay it cracks D:

[sgtjlopez]

@gerardfan2007

1. Armatures don't make the clay character more flexible, although it does make it easier to make more intricate characters. I absolutely hate armatures made from wire, I just slit my hand the other day on one. I do want to get some professional metal jointed armatures though.

2. I use Van Aken Plastiline. No clay is perfect, and they all crack as you move them. Basically, you have to smooth out the characters as you move them.

[sugarbabes202]

were r u from??????

[sgtjlopez]

@sugarbabes202 Grand Rapids, Michigan. In DA' GHETTO. lol

[blackfeatherduelist]

i have a question that whenever i try to make a clay guy or something when i work with the van aken clay it gets in my hands like when i got red van aken clay it got on my hand

[PerfectParasite]

Why not instead of using a dowel for a possible neck maybe use a thicker gauge wire.

[sgtjlopez]

@PerfectParasite it would tear through the clay before it would allow it to bend. In solution, I just make a joint with two dowels and a wire in the neck these days.

[jediman2112]

totaly frickin awsome. you gave me just the tips that i need to do something with clay and use my imagination instead of makeing predefined origami! YOUR THE BEST!!!!!XD

[sgtjlopez]

@jediman2112 AWESOME! :D

[kateroonistudios]

me and my sister are planning on making our own short claymation,, what clay would you reccomend using? how long would it take to make a film of about 5 mins, and how much would you expect a short claymation to cost? Thankyou so much for making these videos ! youve inspired us !

[andrew110946]

Your very talented!

[sgtjlopez]

@andrew110946 Thanks!

[nobovideoz]

wow, i love all these tutorials.

I think i might make a tutorial on how i make my claymen.

It's nice to see how everyone does things differently ^^

[TiniNormi]

Woah, I have a friend named John Lopez. Thanks for the tutorials!

[sgtjlopez]

@TiniNormi lol, common name.

[mikeyconlon]

im new to claymation and tgings can u give me tips on what paint and clay i need to make sculptures

[sgtjlopez]

@mikeyconlon The only paint you need is some acrylic paint for the color of the eye pupils. You might need like one small block of Sculpey III clay for making the eyes.

Use Van Aken plastiline since it's affordable.

[shortymscookie15]

hey its me again. Uhmm do you ever bake your clay people?

[sgtjlopez]

@shortymscookie15 I never do, I tried it out, I posted a short video about doing that, but I like the flexibility in having full plastiline figures.

By all means, do it if it is you style! Try it out! It's just not my taste right now.

[shortymscookie15]

oh okay thanks. DO you recommend the Super Sculpey Clay? Im a beginner doing an art project, so yeah. What are your opinions about it. COns and pros?

[sgtjlopez]

@shortymscookie15 What are you doing with the clay?

Super sculpey comes in two variants that I know of: soft and hard. I've only tried the soft and it was a bit too soft for me.

I used Original Sculpey for my old school claymations. I really liked how much I could smooth it out. The Super Sculpey was nearly impossible to smooth out. The firm would probably be better for that.

[shortymscookie15]

Im also making a person, a king. Now are they sticky?

[sgtjlopez]

@shortymscookie15 ALL the clay I've used are sticky enough to pick up your fingerprints when handling them. You can smooth them out though.

[shortymscookie15]

What kind of clay are you using? And i wanted to ask if the clay is sticky and leaves handprints. Because with sculpey, its sticky and leaves handprints. What are some of your suggestions as to what clay should i use, because im sculpting a King.

[sgtjlopez]

@shortymscookie15 This is just Van Aken Plastiline. It has some sticky nature to it--like sculpey. It's the oil in it. Make sure your hands aren't dry, use some lotion before sculpting and the oil will keep the clay off your hands some, it'll leave marks though.

Prammaven and I were talking about that, he said to get some small spoons and put some fine sand paper on the spoon, then smooth it out with that. That in itself is another tutorial! Thanks for the feedback

[bobio192837465]

what is your favorate Clay for sculpting claymation characters?

nice tuturials i love them!

can Van Aken clay be cooked to harden ( for the eyeball tuturial)

[sgtjlopez]

@bobio192837465 Definitely Van Aken right now. I hear Newplast is so much better, but the availability is just not in Michigan...

You need Sculpey or Fimo to do the eyeballs

[supershadowgamer25]

can you do a tutorial liek this but the body or legs because i have trouble with it oh and yesterday i went to michaels they did have van aken clay but not this color so i got red and when could you think you could do a tutorial?

[supershadowgamer25]

typo at like lol

[supershadowgamer25]

sorry i meant to say good i forgot the o lol typo again like i always do

[supershadowgamer25]

will a knife work not art knife like a plain eating knife

[sgtjlopez]

Maybe a special cutting knife in your silverware drawer. Give it a shot. I only used my knife for taking it off the original block.

Try tweezers and toothpics too. Those work

[supershadowgamer25]

thanks and it's a god thing i know where there are tooth picks in my house.

[sgtjlopez]

A god thing? or a God thing? lol

[CarloMrSS]

Hi, i also use Newplast and its weird because some packets are ok but most are hard. Any tips and the best non air drying clay to buy in London?? What is the best to use?

great tutorial by the way!

[sgtjlopez]

I've heard about people having trouble getting clay other than Newplast in the UK... funny thing is that I CAN'T get it here in Michigan. I'd prefer the hard clay probably since I don't use armatures.

What is the problem with your hard clay? Is it cracking when you animate it?

[LighterMan98]

@CarloMrSS I dont Live there but I do know that Either Newplast or Sculpey III I sthe best hope this helps!

[CameronL23]

@legobatman Or you could put it in the microwave for 1 or 2 mins.

[sgtjlopez]

never tried that. I would be worried about possibly losing moisture in the clay.

If leaving it under the lights doesn't work, then I don't think that would work...

I still have to say that just physically working with the clay is the best.

[legobatman1]

i have newplast plastercine. the problem i have is that its really hard, what should i do. i been rying to make it softer by puting it near the light. witch suskcs if its not been on or a wile

[sgtjlopez]

My Van Aken is fairly hard at first, but you just have to work with it. Just kneed the clay and work with it.