This is a character I created in 1992. It's an over-done hotdog in a hawaiian shirt and sunglasses. The design is not final, and the bun (the yellow parts on the sides of his head) will be bigger. Since class has been over I've been drigging out old ideas and revisiting them with the same childlike wonder and curiosity as I had when I was 22 years younger. It's a part of my memory I forgot I even had, and a bit of a challenge to access in a pure, unfiltered-by-wisdom-and-age kind of way. The characters are the same as they were back then, but they're being made with completely different (and more effective, I think) techniques. I might have to stop making clay for a bit, because I'm heavily distracted by just sculpting with it...

I have found that with certain sculpting tools, you can get away with the softest and stickiest clay ever! In cases like those, it's the tool that makes the difference. Some of them really give you this architectural, faceted, and flawless look. Once a sculpt is done, you can mold it and make a master copy. I'm not sure how to go about doing that with five colors, But at some point I want to try making a molded puppet in ivory-colored clay and then paint it enkaustically with the appropriate colors of melted clay. That would make it easier to make several copies of one character without doing a lot of resculpting. You just mold the pale figure and then "paint it" after popping it out. The "paint" then cools, becoming the same hardness of the rest of the clay in the puppet. It can flex, too.

The clay I used in this puppet is the same stuff I'll teach you how to make in the upcoming book. It is cheap and wonderful to work with. the only problem I've found is that it does not melt very well. That actually might be an advantage, though... Maybe that means it will hold up better under hot lights. At least it doesn't stain your fingers.

Hi folks, Facial Expression for Clay Animation class is done, it was awesome (just finished up yesterday). In case you missed it, this course is taught by Barry Bruce, the Emmy-Award-winning Director of Meet The Raisins. The things we covered in this class were the perfect companion piece to Will Vinton's class last Fall and completely hands-on, which is really the best way I learn. Sunday I learned a new technique which I'm covering in the book I'm writing with Marc Spess. It entails making ordinary sculpting tools not stick to the stickier clays (and waxes). This was an important innovation, as up until now I was limited in my clay formulation by what the clay could do. If it stuck to the tools, it was back to the drawing board. Now, since stickiness is not a factor with the tools, I can focus on other things, like hardness, flexibility, color-fastness, glossiness, and stretchiness. Really exciting, fun times.

A long time ago when I first wanted to be a clay animator (it's been 22 years), one animator said "keep the faith", and another said "go to college". Well, I kept the faith and went to college, and ended up not only meeting and learning under the people who created Claymation, but also added some updates and improvements to the original process (which both instructors liked). I look at each year with a single goal in mind, and last year was learning to make clay and writing a book. This year, it was learning to sculpt with the clay I've been making. The year is still young, but next year I plan to bring back American clay animation. I've got the tools, I've got the knowledge, and I've got the experience. In only a few hours I made the puppet head in the post below. In just 4 hours, I animated it going through several expression changes with full-clay mouths (not stick-ons). I figure, if I shoot on two's, I will be able to put away a good 10 seconds a day.

Not even sure what to make at this point, it all just seems so accessible now. All the secrets have been handed down to me and my fellow classmates, and Barry dubbed me "the clay master" for my complete control over the consistency and working properties of modeling clay. For a long time, I have wanted to work for a studio that does clay animation, but at this point, it doesn't look like there are any. Someone I admire and respect told me "if you build it, they will come". Well, I'm building it...And if I can't find anyone else to follow, I will lead the clay revolution.

 Clay all the way, baby!

Facial Expression in Clay Animation - Final Project

Sculpting class: Week 2

Class was awesome. This weel we learned to sculpt a face in the 70's Claymation style.

Here's what mine looks like before he got ears put on him.

Definitely a style I want to explore more. It's what I think of when I see the word "Claymation". The art form definitely lost something when it became commercialized in the 80's (not to say that stuff isn't great too). This is what I used to call the "marbled look". Our instructor calls it "faceted". Whatever you want to call it, I love it. You don't get fingerprints in the clay using this technique. It's very sculptural and lights well. Probably the best-known example of this classic style of puppet sculpting is The Great Cognito. The Adevntures of Mark Twain continued the style and was ultimately the last film to really employ it in the animation. A number of us are hoping it will come back, and when it does, we'll be ready!

New! Improved! Now with more Wax

Learned about a bacterium that binds ingredients today. The chemistry of food is surprisingly similar to the chemistry of modeling clay. I think it would be fun to take a chemistry class, but so far I've learned about bases, binders, thickeners, and emulsifiers. At some point, I imagine I'll be getting into preservatives, but so far nothing I use will go bad and I haven't had any insects attack it. I bought a flour sifter, hoping that it can be used to strain the melted clay (to keep out small chunks of powder, dirt, and unmelted wax). The idea is that it is cleanable by heating it up and pouring mineral oil on it to unclog the mesh. I also looked at cheesecloth, but it's a one-time use kind of thing. I'm really not into that.

Last night I made the best mix of modeling wax ever, and managed to do it with only two ingredients. This wax is resistant to oil saturation, so adding it to clay will make it possible to smooth it without it getting mushy.I'm having a lot of fun and learning more every day about how things work together. I want to try applying the science of cookie-making to create thick, strong, or spongy clay. Another thing I'd like to explore is a fluffy, lightweight never-drying paper clay. Not sure if that is even possible, but it's worth a shot...

It would be nice to do a video on this clay-wax hybrid at some point, but right now I can tell you that it's off-white, and slightly translucent. It's like no wax you have ever seen, and it's very animate-able and perfect for soft-sculpting.

A cursory search on Youtube makes it apparent that I'm not the only animator using specially-modified wax. My buddy Sander who I worked on The Leano's "Smile" music video with recently posted a video he did of some wax animation. Pretty amazing stuff!

Better clay, back in skool

Hey guys, remember the beeswax clay I made last year? Well, I figured out how to do it with a petroleum wax. It's even smoother than the beeswax. I really have to make a video of this...The clay has no oil in it, and no petroleum jelly. It weighs about half as much as Van Aken, and doesn't stick to tools too badly (I like a slightly-sticky clay). It is the same color as Ivory.

Still don't know if people prefer a hand-mixed version or one that requires a double boiler, but just letting you know that both options are available. The clay is awesome, the recipe is simple, and there are only two variables in it. Not too shabby!

In other news, I'm back in college, studying facial expressions for clay animation under master sculptor and animator, Barry Bruce! Will Vinton's class was so awesome last year that I decided to come back for another course. Just in time for pre-production on a series of childrens' health awareness ads, which is being produced by a friend and which I'm directing. Awesome! I love animation.

Comedy site Zug shuts down

Zug.com is no more. I was a member of that messageboard for 7 years and I"ll miss it.

I hope everyone finds a suitable... Hmmm. I hesitate to say "replacement" where they can gather and be themselves. Zug was one of a kind. I'll never forget the time I spent there..

Never before have I found a humor site that claimed to be funny all the time- and actually delivered on it every.single.day.

In case they didn't realize, my entire presence there was a calculated gag. I figured it was a prank site, so why not...Fond memories abound.

When I was new I had them believing that I was a veteran member, then they thought I was a stupid newbie, then progressively ridiculous other things (ha, kind of reminds me of a certain other site).

As a final gesture of fun, I gave Zug a tour of my studio and then to their abject horror, pretended to drink rubbing alcohol, smash all my puppets, slit my own throat, and finally melt the webcam with a heat gun. That is the most fun I've ever had being kicked out of a chatroom.

I'll miss you guys and kind of wish that I had gotten to know you better outside of a site where I wasn't playing a crazy character for shock value.

Ah well...

We'll always have HOB. ;)