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The Animator's
Toolkit
Compiled
by Anthony Scott
Every
Animator uses various tools while animating their puppet. These can
consist of sculpting tools, adhesives and paints, hardware, and now,
software. Here is a list of some of the basic tools used in Stop-Motion
Animation.
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Surface
Gage
Starrett makes great Surface
Gages for keeping track of your puppet. Cole
Fox Hardware in San Francisco can order the gage of your choice
from Starrett and have it shipped to your address. Phone 415.777.4400
Less
expensive Surface Gages are available - Search the Internet!
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Drill
For drilling tie-down holes for anchoring your puppet to the set.
Cordless is best. A small vacuum or DustBuster comes in handy for
removing any debris. A Dremel Tool is helpful for drilling tiny holes.
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Fun
Tak
DAP Products makes a blue sticky substance that you will use
constantly. It'll keep props in place, plastic eyelids attached
to your puppet's face, and will even keep your notes stuck up
on the wall. There are other similar product out there as well,
usually white in color. |
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Stikki
Wax/ Pyrawax
You don't want anything moving on your set that isn't supposed to.
This is another great product that keeps things in place.
It is a harder substance than Fun-Tak and works great to keep props
in place. Just pinch off a piece, roll it in your hands to warm
it up and stick it to something. When it cools down it hardens.
You can mix it with clay to make a sticky wax/ clay compound.
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Tweezers
Important tool for placing small parts. Tweezerman makes
some good ones, especially my favortite, the Splintertweeze
(pictured) |
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Hot
Glue Gun
If you're working on a cement floor and you don't care what happens
to it, glue everything down. This means your tripod, set, lights
etc. You can scrape it off when you're done. CAUTION!
Don't ever touch the glue when its hot. I've seen many badly
burned fingers and arms from accidents with hot glue. Be warned!
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Clay
Bits of different colored clay come in handy for filling up
tie-down holes on your set and for making eyelids. See the chapter
on The Properties of Different Clay
for more information.
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Climpex
or Berkey System
Modular system useful for building rigs for puppet
support. See LINKS /Animation Resources
Also, see Strider's
Tabletop Minirigging Tutorial
Thin
Fishing Line/ Transparent Thread
Used for flying your puppet or object
Allen
Wrenches/ Screwdrivers
Handy for tightening your Machined Armature
Bug
Pins (Ento Pins)
These are made to mount insects but they are useful to the animator
during gaging and for flying lightweight objects.
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T-Pins
Use these for making small gages. Pinning clay puppets to
pinnable set floors.
Many other uses. |
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Stopwatch
Helpful when you are working out your timings for your shot
Mirror
Use your own face to get facial expression and lip sync reference
Dental
Tools/ Sculpture Tools
These come in handy all the time for sculpting and moving small parts.
Go to Sculpture House
and check out their modeling tools.
Assorted
Tools
Measuring tape, needle nose pliers, X-Acto knives
Thin
Dry Erase Markers/ China Markers/ Grease Pencils
These are good for gaging on your monitor (see illustration at right)
Foam
Core Board
Use this to make flying rigs with an X-Acto and hot glue.
Many other uses.
Tools and Supplies
Harbor
Freight
America's
Favorite Tool Store
McMaster/Carr
Over 410,000 items to choose from. Many
useful items for stop-motion from tools to rig-building
materials.
Small
Parts, Inc
In 1963 SMALL PARTS INC was formed to meet the needs
of organizations that required small quantities of special parts to
produce sample items or prototypes. Unwilling to purchase large lots
directly from manufacturers, our customers were delighted to find
a firm willing to ship small quantities of different sizes and materials.
Today we have grown to a full service distribution business that companies
have come to rely on for their R&D and production needs.
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