Stop Motion Fun Stuff: Star Wars EP3 Trailer, Lego Version

Jedichris8 took Star Wars Episode III : Rise of the Empire, a Star Wars brick film made by Jay Silver, and mixed it with one of the Star Wars EP3 trailers. He did a great job piecing it together. The animation in it is quite good, and the special affects are superb! (Check it out below.)

Stop Motion News: Aardman's New TV Show Timmy Time

Those of you who have been watching the Shaun the Sheep TV show are probably familiar with the youngest sheep in the flock, Timmy. Timmy is now staring in his very own TV show Timmy Time. Currently in production, Timmy Time will be released sometime in 2009. It has already been purchased by Disney channels worldwide, including the U.S. The episodes will run for 10-minutes (twice the length of the Shaun the Sheep episodes). Although Timmy Time is labeled for a younger audience I'm sure it (like most of Aardman's productions)will be entertaining to both adults and kids.


For those if you who unfamiliar with Timmy, here are a few clips from the Shaun the Sheep.

Stop Motion How-To: Eyes and Eyebrows

The most expressive part of the body are the eyes and eyebrows. Gromit from the Wallace and Gromit series is arguably the most expressive and emotional character in the whole series, but because he can't talk, his emotions are communicated in his facial expressions, particularly his eyes and eyebrows. The eyes show where your model is focusing his attention, and the eyebrows indicate the type and intensity of emotion in the reaction. You must try to mesh the eyes and the brow movements so they work as one. If you can accomplish this, you will be able to create realistic facial expression for your model.


Eyes




There are quite a a few ways to create an eye. I would recommend the plastic Derlin eyeball (check them out here at Amazon). In order to animate it, you will need to melt a small hole in the ball. To do so you'll need the following supplies, in addition to the eyeball: 1. An old needle. 2. A hand-held propane torch. 3. A pair of pliers.

Start up the torch flame and turn the knob until you can see a little blue in the flame (be sure not to turn it up to high). Next grab the non-pointy end of the needle with the pliers and hold the needle's pointy end in the flame until the end of the needle is red. Then prick the needle into the eyeball, in approximately the location of the pupil, until it begins to melt a small hole in the plastic. Do this several times until you've melted a hole about halfway through the plastic eyeball. Afterwards, paint the pupil area, around the hole, (see pic above) with a non-chip paint.







Eyebrows




Eyebrows are actually very easy. Basically, all you need to do is carve a hair pattern in a small strip of clay and stick it on your models forehead.

Stop-Motion Fun Stuff: NoRabbits' Minutes

NoRabbits' Minutes is a quirky short stop motion series made by I.Toon Studios in Japan for their 110th anniversary. Unfortunately, because it was made in and for Japan, that's about all I can find out about it. As far as I know, the dvd of the full short series is available only in Japan,
but I.Toon Studios has made the first episode available on YouTube (see below).




NoRabbits' Minutes Episode 1:

Stop Motion News: Wallace and Gromit New Short "A Matter of Loaf and Death"

In just two months Aardman is about the bring the famous duo of Wallace and Gromit back in a all new short feature A Matter of Loaf and Death (previously titled Trouble at the Mill)

In A Matter of Loaf and Death Wallace and Gromit have taken up the cooking profession and started a bakery. But danger lurks around every corner when someone begins exterminating the bakers, and Wallace is next on the list! If you want to learn more about A Matter of Loaf and Death check out The Wallace and Gromit site here.

Also check out the vid at the bottom of the post showing Nick Park giving the first official announcement of A Matter of Loaf and Death.