StopMotion101 (Lesson One the Basics)

[fjonatan2]

this tutorial is awsome thank u so much

[henryadrain14]

Should we used "Apple laptop"?

[stopmotionmagazine]

@henryadrain14 Sure!!! You can use an Apple Computer. Just make sure you get a software that is compatible.

[henryadrain14]

Which camera does it has:

1920x1080 P or I

High Defintion (HD)

Film: 24fps

Animation: 24fps.

[stopmotionmagazine]

@henryadrain14 The Camera's frame rate won't matter since you are shooting still images. Your frame rate is determined by you and what you want to animate at or the film to look like.

[JennVISUALdesigner]

Thanks,so much!!!

I wanted to learn stop motion,and I'm glad I came across your tutorial!!!!!

Very easy steps to follow. :) jenn

[HDFEST]

Nice! Really helpful!

[NobleDesignMedia]

Nice job! Really clear and helpful. Thanks for making these.

[ClayDemond2300]

Stop motion animator is free and is what i used for i while. I think you might want to add that as an anotation.

[chugvideo1]

Gumby!!!,

[Plastianimation]

great resume for beginners! here we have all we need for starting.

[EpicAnimations]

Nice work man, Digging the song too, Great tutorial!

[Vortex42]

Very well explained!

[Saione]

Please more advance tutorials!! :)

[FandSproduction]

Nice tutorial! I'm sure the newbies and less experienced will love to use this as a guide.

[secretsaucetv]

dude i love the song - did you make it??

[stopmotionmagazine]

@secretsaucetv Yeah! I make a bunch of these tracks when I'm bored. I got a ton of them.

[wilsonrussell44]

@stopmotionmagazine do you need both usb video input and firewire video input?

[stopmotionmagazine]

@wilsonrussell44 You only need either is a USB or a Firewire Input. Some DSLRs like Canon and Nikon have a live out so you would just need the camera in those cases. Check with the software companies if your thinking of using a Canon or Nikon to see if it's compatible.

[wilsonrussell44]

@stopmotionmagazine could you use plastic toys for a foam latex sculpture?

[stopmotionmagazine]

@wilsonrussell44 Plastic will melt at even semi-Low Heat. Foam has to be cooked so I wouldn't advise that at all. But there are alternatives to Foam Latex. There's the Latex Build up method. I'll have a video up at some point about this. But you can look at StopMoNicks YouTube Channel. he's got some great tutorials.

[wilsonrussell44]

@stopmotionmagazine i dont mean put them in the oven i meant to use them as an alternative instead of sculpting because im not a good sculpter

[stopmotionmagazine]

@wilsonrussell44 Oh! Sorry about that. Sure, but it's better to do a silicone mold with toys. This way you wont destroy the toy or the mold when trying to remove it. Check out the Plastic Heads tutorial. We use silicone in that tutorial.

[wilsonrussell44]

@stopmotionmagazine Can you use foam latex in the silicone mold?

[stopmotionmagazine]

@wilsonrussell44 Sure!!! You would need to bake the latex as a lower temperature. Like 140F to 160F and cook it for longer period. If your doing mold bigger then your hang you'll need to make whats called a "matrix mold". This is a silicone mold core with a hard outer shell. You should look up John Brown Sculpting tutorials from Gnomon. He has a great Matrix Mold Tutorial. Make sure you use GI-1000 though for the mold. It can take the high temp.

[wilsonrussell44]

@stopmotionmagazine one last thing, if i were making a trex mold how would i make it so i could get the legs and arms out?

[stopmotionmagazine]

@wilsonrussell44 It depends on what you're molding. If its an action figure you would mold it in two halfs. If it's something with a lot of overhang or undercuts you would need to make it in multiple pieces (Which is a little harder to do). Silicone however is very forgiving and should allow for some undercuts.

[wilsonrussell44]

@stopmotionmagazine can i use a toaster oven and can i make a 2 part mold for a trex action figure and how long should i cook the silicone mold?

[stopmotionmagazine]

@wilsonrussell44 You can use a toaster oven. Just don't ever cook food in it afterwards. Latex has chemicals in it that can be toxic in large amounts. Manufacturers keep the ingredients secret due to the special nature of the business. Cook your mold around 130F to 160F and make sure you have 1 hole at the top of the mold for steam to escape. Trex should be a three part mold (2sides/1bottom).

[wilsonrussell44]

@stopmotionmagazine is that between the legs or just all around the legs and how long should i cook the mold ,7hrs or more?

[stopmotionmagazine]

@wilsonrussell44 Thats between the legs. This way you can seperate the mold pieces. You probably want to cook the latex for 6 hours. Sometimes it takes up to 8 hours for a thick latex pour. Try the 6 hour test first and then if it's not completely done stick it back into the oven for an hour or two.

[wilsonrussell44]

@stopmotionmagazine if it doesnt bother , could you make a video or picture eather on youtube or your website on how to make a monster or dinosaur mold?

[stopmotionmagazine]

@wilsonrussell44 Not a problem at all!!!. Only it will take a few months. I planned on making a Trex this Spring. I do have a mold making tutorial in the new Issue of the magazine coming out soon. Are you subscribed to get notices of Magazine releases?

[wilsonrussell44]

@stopmotionmagazine no but can you make a video on it or is it the thing that'l take some months?

[stopmotionmagazine]

@wilsonrussell44 It will take while to sculpt a trex. Then to mold it and make a video of this will take awhile.

[wilsonrussell44]

@stopmotionmagazine thanks and do you put the foam latex in the hole for the steam and does the silicone mold requier seaming?

[huttwigley]

Great tutorial. I still don't use a dedicated "frame preview software" though.

[Darius12235]

I want MOAR!