Do you love the idea of creating your own stop motion? Are you playing with ideas for stop motion animations? Could you use some stop motion ideas for beginners to get you started? Then be sure to read on, as we are about to disclose some amazing stop motion ideas beginners can take advantage of.
Stop motion tips for beginners
Find Characters Everywhere
Some beginners do not even attempt making their own stop motion animation, mainly because they mistakenly believe they have to make their own characters!
While characters resembling Wallace and Gromit’s originality is great, you do not necessarily need to make your own characters for your own stop motion animation.
There are countless objects inside your home that could become characters in your stop motion animation. While we do not suggest using perishables, as this would force you to shoot the stop motion animation very quickly, there are non-perishable objects that could become the stars of your video.
From a selection of storage boxes to shoes and different types of brushes, all objects can become a character in a stop motion animation. So, you do not have to come up with your own characters, simply have a look around your house for some simple stop motion ideas.
Use Your Drawing Skills
While stop motion animation made with clay characters is considered as some of the most popular and best-known type of stop motion animation, this does not mean it is your only option.
In fact, animation ideas reach far beyond that, which includes the world of drawing and painting!
Depending on how advanced an artist you are, you could try some animation ideas on different drawing mediums. You could start with something as simple as a whiteboard and some washable pens.
If you are an accomplished artist, you could use paper or even canvas to bring life to your creations.
One of the additional advantages of drawn stop motion animation is that it is accessible to everyone. The method is affordable and pretty straightforward to execute.
On top of that, this is one of the animation ideas children can get involved in as well. So, if you want to include the entire family, drawing could very well be your chosen stop motion animation.
The Paper And Scissors Method
Anyone thinking of making stop motion animation is usually quite creative from the get-go, and this offers a world of additional possibilities.
Another classic method for stop motion animation is the paper and scissors method, where you cut out shapes and put them on a single color background to create something unique.
There are plenty of examples of stop motion animation made from simple paper shapes and cutouts. We also need to mention that this method is great as a school activity too.
If you are a teacher, you could let children create their own characters from paper and add them to the background for a class-made motion stop.
When you use this particular method, be careful with shadows. Shadows can cause a problem for this type of stop motion, so make sure there is adequate lighting and that the camera stands far enough from the background to avoid these shadows.
Get Into Clay
As we briefly mentioned already, clay is one of the recommended methods for stop motion. In fact, it is one of our favorite animation ideas, as there are countless things you can do with it.
When you need some inspiration where clay stop motion is concerned, we can recommend checking out the animation films made by Aardman. There are plenty to choose from, including Wallace and Gromit.
Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to make clay characters that are extremely complicated. After all, this would be too complicated for a beginner and might cause you to give up on your stop motion animation ideas.
Instead, we suggest starting with a simple character or two to bring your ideas to life.
If you need an example of simple clay characters, we suggest looking at Purple and Brown from Aardman. These characters are clearly very simple, but they still make an amazing animation.
Plan Ahead
One of the most important things to create a successful stop motion projects is to plan ahead. While you may create the best characters and have the best camera to shoot video or photographs, your stop motion will not amount to much if you do not plan ahead.
Planning the photographs ahead of shooting your animation or video can be extremely useful. You will need to plan at least ten photographs for each second of your stop motion.
Evidently, this means you will need to take an astronomical of photographs, but also that you will need a detailed plan for an outstanding stop motion video.
Use The Right Camera Techniques
Stop motion is also about using the right camera techniques. Obviously, you want to obtain a fluid motion from beginning to end, so camera techniques is something you should pay extra attention too. Fortunately, camera techniques are pretty straightforward for stop motion.
One of the first things to do is to use the remote for your camera. Hitting the button yourself can cause the camera to move, so using a remote for stop motion can prevent this tricky issue.
Secondly, make sure your lighting is consistent while you take stop motion video or photographs. Doing so ensures your results are consistent, and create a fluid stop motion going forward.
Before you start shooting your stop motion, make sure your camera settings are set and do not have to be changed while you are shooting. Remember, you will be taking hundreds of photos, so the last thing you need is a problem because of these settings somewhere in the middle.
It can also be useful to shoot some test photographs or video for your stop motion. Once you start shooting, you cannot change any settings, lighting, or other variables. So, you must ensure that your stop motion photographs or video are perfect from the start.
And finally. we also recommend taking more photographs than you actually need for your stop motion. You never know if there is a small error in one of your photographs, and the last thing you want is starting your stop motion all over again. So, just start taking extra photographs for great results and to avoid problems.
Summary
Stop motion photography and video is straightforward once you have done it for a while, but it can feel quite daunting for beginners.
Nevertheless, if you follow the tips provided in this overview, you will find that stop motion video and photographs are a lot easier than you thought.
Remember, creating good stop motion is all about creating a unique world and matching characters, but also dedication when it comes to your initial setup and shooting photographs and video.
While it will take a little extra time to make everything perfect, it does save you lots of time later during the editing stage of your video animation.
In conclusion, stop motion video requires a bit of dedication and creativity, but it is certainly something everyone can get involved in.
From kids at school to adults who want to create their own animations, everyone can get involved in this fun and unique hobby. Of course, it could even become a money maker if you find the right combination!
