Stop Motion Puppet Making Video 4: Wire Armature for Foam Latex Puppet Making

[PixterPro]

how flexible is the puppet when it's complete? Like do you think the 1/8th wire would be fine or would you need to build like a "robot" amature to really get more depth in moving it?

[stopmotionmagazine]

@PixterPro There are lots of ways to build armatures. The method described in the tutorial is the standard method. There are also ball in socket armatures which hold up better over time but are less flexible in a cartoony since. But they can give you some amazing amount of realistic movement and range.

[haddeox2347]

Hey there great tutorial! but i doubt i could get this done well at least the foam latex casting part. By any chance do you know if there are persons out there willing to do the casting for me if i sent then the clay figures second armatures molds and ingredients for the foam latex?(along with the right price of course) Really hope so i really want to start doing stopmotions with elaborate characters.

[stopmotionmagazine]

@haddeox2347 Sure, I'm willing to help out a little. Have you sculpted the puppet out yet. Send me an email at the magazines email under editor at stopmotionmagazine . com. I might be able to help you out if the design is done right.

[haddeox2347]

@stopmotionmagazine yes it's 5 figures 4 of them are quite basic each are a about "6" or "7" inches tall human-ish figures varying size but all pretty much the same hieght. on the other hand the other figure is about "8" or "9" inches tall it's a dragon really already detailed. the tail is a bit long would i have to take the tail off for it to be casted properly?

[kforcool]

where can you get this arco 1/8th inch aluminum wire? i havent had much sucess with armature wire when im making a scupt of puppet im using this chavant clay to make it and when it hardens the legs on puppet im scuplting crack and it hardens like candle wax are there any other types of plasticine that i can use for scupting puppet for a mould that is more forgiving for foam latex puppet or maybe they wire im using is not strong enough. where u get yours from and do they deliver to australia?

[stopmotionmagazine]

@kforcool You can get the Arco wire from art stores like Pearl Paint, or you might try Dick Blicks Art Supplies. You can also order it online through Pearl. The Cracking may be due to the sculpts weight. In those cases you need to make a support out of threaded plumbing pipe and integrate your wire at the chest area with the pipe. I'll see if I can put a tutorial together in a few months for this issue.

[kforcool]

@stopmotionmagazine cheers that would be great

[kforcool]

Thanks once again seing if I can get it delivered from them directly from smooth on it cheaper than here in Australia. Trying to master stop motion puppet making so I can make some stopmotion shorts for film compitions to get noticed. So your answers are greatly thankfull.

Regards

Keth Marshall

[kforcool]

Hey mate I am trying to find out what this paticuller matirial is called i've seen it on a few behind the scenes videos more recently Caroline but also on the miracle make. It's a skin for puppets that is rather pliable but holds it original shape but you can manipulate the skin say if you wonted the mussels to shake or cheecks to woble. Do you know what I am talking about? Basically it it a very pliable puppet skin like matirial.

[stopmotionmagazine]

@kforcool I believe what you're reffering to is called Dragon Skin which is made by Smooth-On here in the U.S. Do a search for Smooth-on and then look for Dragon Skin. I believe this was the skinning Silicone used on Coraline and have been told by some friends that worked on the movie that it's what they used.

[wilsonrussell44]

@stopmotionmagazine does the mold suffer from mold shock before or after you bake it ?

[stopmotionmagazine]

@wilsonrussell44

Mold Shock happens when you mold has been removed from the oven and not given enough time to cool down slowly. Basically, if you take it out of the oven with the foam in it you'll need to remove the foamed puppet and then place the mold back in the oven while the oven cools down. Or you could wrap it in a towl but this doesn't always work.

[wilsonrussell44]

@stopmotionmagazine Could you use any toaster oven or any custom oven because im getting one that is for baking clay .

[stopmotionmagazine]

@wilsonrussell44 You can!!! Infact I know some pro studios that use Toaster Ovens. Only problem is the size of the puppets has to be small so the mold can fit into the oven.

[TiniNormi]

These tutorials are awesome, thanks for sharing.