Creating a Miniature Stop Motion Set

Recently a client commissioned me to create a miniature cavern set for his stop motion project.

He wanted it to be in two sections. I began by constructing a wood frame over which galvanized wire mesh was stapled.

I use a food processor for mixing my paper mache . It's fast and the mix is free of lumps. 

 

Before applying the mache I clamped down the wood base to prevent warpage. 

Using a brush the mache is applied to the sets framework. 

A plywood strip was cut to mask the lip of the sets base. Chunks of Styrofoam were hot glued on.

Apoxie clay was applied over the Styrofoam.

 

The finished strip clamped down as it is drying.

  Styrofoam chunks were glued onto the framework to create a rocky look.

   Paper mache being applied over the foam.

Here I'm applying a veneer of Apoxie clay to the set floor. The floor was given a rocky volcanic look by texturing the clay with silicone pads I created for this project.

 When the floor of the set had cured I began applying Apoxie clay to the sides.

  Some stalagmite formations for the floor of the set.

  The completed set before priming and painting.

The set painted with the stalagmites added.

In the future I'll be posting about a somewhat larger set piece I created for this film project.

Clay Art Challenge Day 15

For my clay challenge today I went with sculpting a smaller sized snail. In the morning I created the wire armature and after covering it in Ave's Apoxie clay I added the pre-baked polymer clay eyes.

 After the Apoxie clay cured I sculpted the teeth and began adding purple Super Sculpey.

 After painting the eyes and adding some hilites with powered chalk I sprayed the snail with a clear matt finish.

Clay Art Challenge Day 13

On Day 13 of my 30 day art challenge I thought I'd stay in the same vein as yesterday's snail critter.

The eyes have been added and I'm wrapping the armature with green floral wire to help the clay stay in place when I begin sculpting.

 Adding Ave's Apoxie Sculpt clay to give a firm foundation for the polymer clay to follow.

 After the Ave's had cured I began adding pink Super Sculpey clay.

 Forming the armature for the shell.

 Sculpting the shell in polymer clay.

The finished lady snail searching for her beau.

Clay Art Challenge Day 9 & 10

I've been busy the last several days creating some miniature tree set pieces for a stop motion animation project. Because of that I haven't been as diligent photographing the work in progress photos for my 30 Day Art Challenge as I would have liked.

Here is a link to my FB page where I updated Day 9 of the challenge Friday evening :

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.976926912356131.1073741852.126601960721968&type=3


I was able to get an early start this morning roughing out the armature of my new critter. Since this piece will be bigger I'm using self curing Aves Apoxie Sculpt avesstudio.com/apoxie/apoxie-sculpt . 

Adding the interior of the mouth using Super Sculpey.

 The fangs have been added and here I'm detailing the sides of the mouth.

 The aluminum foil armature that will be the basis for the shell.

 The creature and its Super Sculpey shell baked and ready to be glued on.

The worm-like snail creature painted and posed in front of one of the miniature trees.

Clay Art Challenge Day 7

I've been moving along on my goal of sculpting 30 small sculptures in 30 days. I posted my Day 6 piece on my Facebook page but forgot to post it here on my blog : https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.975330419182447.1073741849.126601960721968&type=3

So for this next piece I wanted a fiercer looking shelled creature. I started the armature early in the day.

While the Aves Apoxie Sculpt clay was curing I sculpted the shell out of Super Sculpey firm clay.

 When the Aves clay had cured I sculpted the interior of the mouth in polymer clay and added the pre-baked fangs.

I decided to give this guy a spiked tail club for offense against shelled members of his own kind.

 After the shell was baked I pressed it down onto the soft Aves clay to mark where it would be glued.

                                        The creature at his fangy best!

Clay Art Challenge Day 3

I was up early today and got a good start on my latest snail critter. I got the wire armature started and added Apoxie Sculpt clay to the tops of the attenae then stuck the pre-baked polymer clay eyes on. I created a hollow for the mouth and set the armature aside to cure.

Later in the day I added some pink tinted Super Sculpey into the mouth and gave the snail some pre-baked teeth.

Wrapping green floral wire around the steel wire to help the clay to adhere better.

    The body bulked out in tin foil and covered in masking tape.

     To save on painting time I sculpted the snail in green tinted polymer clay.

 I was pushed for time today so I didn't get a chance to photograph my sculpting the snail's shell. I'm pleased how it turned out. But definitely not a creature I'd want to bump into pushing a lawnmower!

Clay Art Challenge

I thought I'd try my hand at an art challenge. Most of the work I do takes weeks to complete. So my goal was to create a new sculpture each day for 30 days.

My first piece is going to be my take on a hybrid snail creature.

For the armature I used galvanized steel wire. This I bulked out with foil. Over the foil I applied a veneer of Ave's Apoxie Sculpt clay. Here is the body with Super Sculpey being added. While I had my supplies out I prepared a second armature ( seen in the rear of the photo ) for my next creature.

Here is the snail with its teeth and feelers added.

A ball of tightly packed foil formed the armature for the snail's shell which I'm sculpting in polymer clay.

Here is the completed snail slinking around my outdoor steps.