An Introduction to Sculpture for Stop Motion

What you will learn?

A hands-on, practical, intensive day and learn the basics of sculpture and anatomical construction as it applies to stop-motion figures and creature design.

Learn historical model-making and sculpture used in classic stop motion and creature films. Find out what accurate anatomy is and why it is so important to the creation of realistic special effect. Accurate anatomy is essential, even for fantasy and science fiction characters.

How we teach:

This is it! Your chance to get your hands dirty!

Get hands-on instruction in sculpting and modelling techniques. You don’t need to have an artistic background. Learn how to block out basic form, and learn how to construct realistic muscle structure, and skin textures.

Conclude the day with demonstrations of the tools and techniques used in professional situations. Discover how simple processes, homemade tools, and materials are employed to create professional results for the camera.

Who should attend?

This is a course for both new students, who wish to learn the basics of sculpture for stop motion, and more experienced artists interested in the traditions of sculpture in special effects, who wish to advance their skill set.

Advanced methods and techniques for sculpture and design are taught in supplementary advanced courses..

About the course tutor

Alan Friswell is a special effects artist and sculptor, specialising in stop motion and drawn animation. He has created animation and art for Steven Spielberg, and produced visual effects and stop motion for TV commercials and special effects companies.

Alan has constructed models and exhibit material for the Barbican, Tate Britain, the Greenwich Maritime Museum, and dinosaur exhibits for the Valence House Museum.

He has produced stop-motion characters for computer games, film props and creatures for taxidermy companies and animation and graphics for TV shows.

Alan is currently the official restorer for the Ray Harryhausen Foundation. He personally worked with Ray, and has conserved and repaired many of Ray’s most iconic creations from films such as Jason and the Argonauts, Valley of Gwangi, One Million Years B.C., Clash of the Titans and the Sinbad films.