How to do your own Stop Motion Animations - The Tutorial

The things you need:

• A digital camera (And the cable to hook it to your computer) the camera should have come with everything to connect it to your computer. If you already use it to look at pictures on your computer then you are all set. This is the same process will use for making your stop motion animations.
• A computer with Windows XP - The software that comes with XP is called Windows Movie Maker. You can find it under the Programs listing. Press the start button and then press All Programs.
• Something that you will animate. This could be anything from a toy to a pile of sand.

Step 1 - Think up your idea! What do you want to animate? Make it something easy for this first lesson in animation. It could just be a think that you move around on a table. And this is the example I will use for this first lesson. I am going to move a chess piece around on a chess board.

 

 

If you want to do something more sophisticated you can. For example if you want to make a toy, a model, or a figure move that would be great but there is something to think about. It has to be able to move! It needs to be either pliable or have joints that can move. The model I used in my soldier animation has lots of joints. The black arrows show some of them. The joints mimic the human body so the model will move in realistic ways. And when it is moved the joints stay where I moved them which is very important. You don't want it snapping back to it's original form. You have to move it. Take a picture, then move it some more.

 

 

Okay, you have your idea and you have the materials. Now set up your workspace to do your animation. I have the chessboard laid on a table and I have my tripod next to it. The lamp is to give additional lighting for the pictures.

Lighting is a big concern when it comes to animation. It is always good to take a sample picture or two and look at them to see if it looks right and if the lighting is good.

About the Tripod: You don't have to use a tripod, but you have to do something to keep the camera steady! It has to remain in the same spot for all the pictures or else the animation won't come out right! So, tape it down or tape it to a board or secure it down in one spot with rubber bands! Do anything you have to do to make sure the camera never moves, especially when you press the button to take a picture.

A Note about Digital Cameras

Many digital movie cameras have the ability to do single frame pictures. You might have one of these cameras and you can use that. It's the same exact thing. Also, set the resolution to the lowest setting on whatever camera you use. No need to take high resolution pictures. It just takes up memory. Low resolution pictures will work and look great and be easier to use.

Set up your camera and your animation and take your first picture. Make sure you take a look at it to see that everything looks right and the lighting is good.

 

 

 

Now move the model to the next location. In this animation I am moving it one full square for every picture. This is going to make it a tiny bit choppy as an animation but that's ok. If I wanted to make it smoother I would move it less for each picture - maybe a half a square.

 

 

Continue moving the model in small increments. Take a picture after each move. Do this until you are satisfied and done with the whole motion you had planned. I moved the chess piece to the end of the board, brought it back then had it tumble right off the board. You will see my animation soon.

 

 

Let's Continue and get these pictures into the computer

 

RESOURCES TO MAKING STOP MOTION ANIMATION

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