Making a monster: Part 1 Making the monster

This is an instructional video on making a foam latex stop motion monster.

Ok here are some instructions to create a foam latex stop motion puppet. First of all you need to know this is the build up method, which is the cheaper and easier method. Second you need to know that there are 2 types of latex. Carpet/model making/liquid latex and foam latex. I use the liquid latex (you can get it cheap at carpet glue shops; normally it is used for that type of stuff). Now this process is slower then clay, as it can take any where from 2 days to 2 weeks to complete (but it gives better results ).

Now all you need is some:
-liquid latex (found at carpet and train shops)
-aluminum wire
-hot glue gun and glue (found at hardwares)
-mattress or ordinary foam (found at places like bedding supplies or rubber shops)
-epoxy putty/plumbers putty (found at hardwares)
-nuts and same size bolts
-air drying clay

Now here is a step by step guild:

1) Build up a wire skeleton of your puppet. In this wire skeleton you will need a nut on the foot of your puppet. This is called a tie down and it stops your puppet falling over

2) Now we need to make some muscle on the puppet. Using reference material (muscle sketches and alike of similar things) you can start to build up the muscles out of pieces of ordinary foam (like mattress foam) and glue it on to the armature with either spray glue or a hot glue gun.

3) Now the muscles are on, we need skin. This is where the latex comes in. Make sure your latex is liquid latex, NOT foam latex. Foam latex requires a different process which is harder and normally requires your own pizza oven! First you need to decide on the skin texture of your puppet. Using references again, you make a negative mold (inverted of what you want) out of air drying clay of the skin you want. After the mold is dry you brush in a thin layer of latex (I normally also add support to the latex with a thing like a tissue). Then wait for it to dry in the mold (takes about 2 or 3 hours).

4) Now attach the latex to the foam using more liquid latex simply dripped on the back of the latex.

5) Now you can add finishing touches (unlike the ones in my tests) such as paint, teeth, claws and horns. Now there you have it a built up foam latex puppet!

Now dont expect this to work first time, it took me about 3 failed attempt at first to get it right so keep trying is my advise.

Some better examples can be seen here on:

- www.loneanimator.com
- www.stopmotionanimation.com
- http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=rAbmp7qmsYQ (not mine but another animators)
- http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/60051 (part 1 of 2)
- http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/60051 (part 2 of 2)

These are the best place Ive found so far for this kind of stuff.

Thanks to everyone how has helped me including Bluworm, Dragonlordmike and Blaisingm

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• stop motion
• animation
• making of
• dinosaur
• monster
• animated
• puppet
• how to
• foam latex
• stop motion animation
• self help
• claymation
• real dinosaur

[supernalyd3]

Thanks man, really helpful. I am a filmmaker, and I want to get into more sophisticated effects but have too little budget and knowledge for CGI. Thanks for posting! :D

[TheCyberController]

@supernalyd3 That's alright :) Thank you for the praise.

[GreenCheeze96]

WOW. This explained a lot! Thanks 4 posting this!

[Gragorathegiantsnowb]

nice tutorial ! this is exactly the dinosaurs of the movie king kong were made, really help to all those getting into stop motion, about a year ago i used the same process the make a cyclops except he wa s extremely heavy(cause of his size) anyways awesome vid.

[sgtbaxter05]

but how do you make the teeth?please respond

[azureflame2411]

So that's how they made the stop motion monster movies

[coolpinatas21]

where can i buy liquid latex?

[bluebowmn]

were do you get the epoxy putty

[supernalyd3]

@TheCyberController :D

[TheCyberController]

@laydon14 , I made it from latex, foam and friendly plastic. If you want to see how, look at the other video on my channel about making ball jointed puppets and useing friendly plastic. Although if you want more detail just ask and I'd be happy to outline how I made it.

[laydon14]

@TheCyberController where did you get the dinosaur head from.

[laydon14]

@TheCyberController Where did you get the dinosaur head for your puppet from.