Conosci Paola Testa, un’appassionata insegnante italiana di musica che insegna nell’Istituto Comprensivo Statale Scialoia in Milan (MI) e che sa unire creatività e significato in classe. 

Automazione e Biodiversità in Stop-Motion Presentazione del Progetto Il progetto nasce dalla volontà di sensibilizzare gli alunni della classe prima sui temi della sostenibilità ambientale attraverso il linguaggio dei lego, coding, musica e stop motion. 

Utilizzando i mattoncini Lego, gli studenti hanno ricostruito ecosistemi fragili e simulato processi di riciclo, comprendendo che ogni piccola azione — proprio come un singolo mattoncino — è fondamentale per costruire un futuro sostenibile. Gli obiettivi principali sono: 

• Comprendere il concetto di biodiversità come ricchezza da proteggere.
• Interiorizzare le buone pratiche del riciclo e del recupero dei materiali. 
• Sviluppare competenze digitali, di problem solving, del pensiero critico e di collaborazione attraverso la tecnica dello stop-motion. 

Il cuore del nostro lavoro è la coesistenza tra spazi verdi e tecnologia intelligente. Abbiamo immaginato e costruito un parco in mattoncini Lego, simile a quelli che abbiamo nel nostro quartiere, simbolo di un ecosistema urbano dove la biodiversità deve essere protetta. Il progetto non è solo una narrazione visiva, ma un esperimento di ingegneria sostenibile: attraverso l’uso di Lego Spike, abbiamo progettato e programmato un tritarifiuti automatizzato. 

Nel corto in stop-motion, la protagonista Flora si prende cura del parco, raccogliendo i rifiuti abbandonati e affidandoli alla tecnologia per trasformarli in nuova risorsa. Incontra infatti un’operatrice ecologica la quale le mostra come il riciclo possa far nascere nuovi oggetti. Durante la sua passeggiata, si siede e monitora come la biodiversità cambia di giorno in giorno, osservando la fioritura. Gli studenti hanno discusso su come la gestione corretta delle risorse (tema caro ad A2A) influenzi direttamente la sopravvivenza delle specie viventi. 

Da qui è nata la sceneggiatura del nostro corto.

Fasi Didattiche e Operative 

1. Analisi: Biodiversità e Ciclo dei Materiali

Abbiamo studiato l’importanza di mantenere i parchi puliti per proteggere le specie che li abitano e la nostra salute. I parchi sono di fondamentale importanza per noi che viviamo in una città metropolitana come Milano. La classe ha discusso il concetto di “Economia Circolare”: il rifiuto non è la fine di un processo, ma l’inizio di uno nuovo, proprio come fa vedere il trituratore nel nostro video.\

2. Architettura del Set:

Il Parco LEGO Gli studenti hanno progettato il design del parco, curando i dettagli della flora e della fauna (biodiversità). Sono state inserite giostre, un campo da basket, una fontana e varie aree verdi. In questo scenario “ideale”, è stato inserito l’elemento critico: i rifiuti da recuperare e differenziare. Abbiamo immaginato una giornata ventosa che porta i rifiuti nel parco, e in un angolo è presente il tritarifiuti con una operatrice ecologica che spiega alla nostra protagonista l’importanza del riciclo. Il tritarifiuti trasforma appunto il pattume in una panchina, bicicletta e in un albero dove si vuole sottolineare il concetto che riciclando la carta non saranno abbattuti gli alberi. 

3. Robotica e Coding: I Tritarifiuti SPIKE

Gli alunni hanno: 

• Costruito il set lego e un tritarifiuti utilizzando sensori e motori Lego Spike. 
• Programmato il movimento per simulare il processo di apertura e chiusura del vano tritarifiuti. 
• Testato il funzionamento meccanico per renderlo fluido e realistico durante le riprese. 

4. Produzione: Stop-Motion e Animazione Robotica

La sfida è stata sincronizzare l’animazione tradizionale a “passo uno” (movimento dei personaggi, degli animali, della flora che cambia) con i movimenti meccanizzati dei tritarifiuti Spike. 

5. Creazione sigla e copertina

Per creare la copertina, abbiamo imparato a dare il prompt corretto all’intelligenza artificiale per creare l’immagine così come l’avevamo pensata. Per la sigla invece, abbiamo utilizzato un’app di musica digitale creando una musica originale adatta al contesto dello stop motion. 

6. Sintesi e Messaggio Finale

Attraverso il montaggio video, abbiamo unito l’impegno umano alla precisione tecnologica. Il risultato è un messaggio che vogliamo lanciare: la tutela della biodiversità passa attraverso l’educazione di tutti i cittadini e l’adozione di soluzioni innovative per la gestione dei rifiuti, in piena sintonia con la visione di A2A. “Se puoi sognarlo, puoi costruirlo. Se puoi costruirlo, puoi proteggerlo.” Questo progetto è il nostro modo di dire che la natura è l’incastro perfetto che regge il mondo. 

Eco-Logic: The Park of the Future

Meet Paola Testa, a passionate Italian music teacher who teaches at the Istituto Comprensivo Statale Scialoia in Milan (MI) in Milan and who knows how to combine creativity and meaning in the classroom.

Automation and Biodiversity in Stop-Motion – Project Presentation

The project was created with the aim of raising awareness among first-year students about environmental sustainability through the use of Lego, coding, music, and stop-motion techniques.

Using Lego bricks, students reconstructed fragile ecosystems and simulated recycling processes, understanding that every small action—just like a single brick—is essential for building a sustainable future. The main objectives are:

• To understand the concept of biodiversity as a richness to be protected.
• To internalize good practices of recycling and material recovery.
• To develop digital skills, problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, and collaboration through stop-motion techniques.

At the heart of our work is the coexistence between green spaces and intelligent technology. We imagined and built a park using Lego bricks, similar to those in our neighborhood, symbolizing an urban ecosystem where biodiversity must be protected. The project is not just a visual narrative, but an experiment in sustainable engineering: through the use of Lego Spike, we designed and programmed an automated waste shredder.

In the stop-motion short film, the protagonist Flora takes care of the park, collecting abandoned waste and entrusting it to technology to transform it into new resources. She meets an environmental worker who shows her how recycling can give life to new objects. During her walk, she sits and observes how biodiversity changes day by day, watching plants bloom. The students discussed how proper resource management (a key theme for A2A) directly affects the survival of living species.

From this, the script of our short film was developed.

Educational and Operational Phases

1. Analysis: Biodiversity and the Material Cycle
We studied the importance of keeping parks clean to protect the species that inhabit them and our own health. Parks are essential for those of us living in a metropolitan city like Milan. The class discussed the concept of the “Circular Economy”: waste is not the end of a process, but the beginning of a new one, as shown by the shredder in our video.

2. Set Design: The LEGO Park
Students designed the park layout, paying attention to details of flora and fauna (biodiversity). They included playground rides, a basketball court, a fountain, and various green areas. In this “ideal” scenario, a critical element was added: waste to be collected and sorted. We imagined a windy day that carries waste into the park, and in one corner there is the shredder with an environmental worker explaining to the protagonist the importance of recycling. The shredder transforms waste into a bench, a bicycle, and a tree, emphasizing the idea that by recycling paper, trees do not need to be cut down.

3. Robotics and Coding: The SPIKE Shredder

The students:

• Built the Lego set and a shredder using Lego Spike sensors and motors.
• Programmed the movement to simulate the opening and closing of the shredder compartment.
• Tested the mechanical operation to make it smooth and realistic during filming.

4. Production: Stop-Motion and Robotic Animation
The challenge was synchronizing traditional frame-by-frame animation (movement of characters, animals, and changing flora) with the mechanized movements of the Spike shredder.

5. Title Sequence and Cover Creation
To create the cover, we learned how to give the correct prompts to artificial intelligence to generate the image as we had envisioned it. For the title sequence, we used a digital music app to create an original soundtrack suitable for the stop-motion context.

6. Summary and Final Message
Through video editing, we combined human effort with technological precision. The result is the message we want to share: protecting biodiversity depends on educating all citizens and adopting innovative solutions for waste management, fully aligned with A2A’s vision.

“If you can dream it, you can build it. If you can build it, you can protect it.”

This project is our way of saying that nature is the perfect interlocking system that holds the world together.

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‘Carbon Balanced Print’  is the highest statement of integrity for users and producers of printed products. Alongside the use of Carbon Balanced Paper, it is produced by a Carbon Balanced Printer – a printer that has measured and balanced the annual impacts of its fossil fuel usage, transportation and electricity consumption. These impacts are third-party verified, and then balanced (offset) with international conservation charity World Land Trust (WLT).

WLT offsets these emissions by protecting threatened habitats that would otherwise have been lost, avoiding the release of stored carbon. This also enables the regeneration of degraded habitats, which gradually re-absorb atmospheric CO2.

“The money that is given to the World Land Trust, in my estimation, has more effect on the wild world than almost anything I can think of.” Sir David Attenborough, WLT Patron

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Since co-launching Filmscope CIC and piloting Inanimatorz and Inanimatorz GO! projects for the London Borough of Culture Awards in 2020, it’s been a joy to bring the accessibility and creative power of stop motion animation to children and adults across my local community of Brent, London.

Following my previous HUE blog post back in 2023, Filmscope has continued to bring stop motion animation to schools across Brent, including Chalkhill Primary School, Kingsbury Green Primary School and Preston Manor All-Through School, as well as running holiday and summer sessions at local community centres and venues in the borough. It’s been wonderful for the team to see the kids from all ages experiment, problem-solve, and express themselves through animation whilst utilising the versatile cameras from HUE.

The HUE HD cameras have become our trusted companions in nearly all of these workshops. It’s really allowed participants to animate in a tactile, hands-on way that is intuitive and creative for their own individual animating styles and needs.

Notable Sessions from the Past Few Years

Chalkhill Primary School

One of Filmscope’s earliest funded stop motion projects, STOPMO YO!, took place at Chalkhill Primary School with Spanish teacher, Ms. Irene Mallek. Before the pandemic, Ms. Mallek would take students to Spain each year — but with travel suddenly halted, due to Covid restrictions, she wanted to recreate the experience through animation instead.

Working in small groups, the children designed different scenes from their “virtual Spanish trip”, recording their own voices and bringing the story to life through stop motion. The final film was screened in an assembly to the school and parents — a moment the children, and Filmscope, were incredibly proud of! 

This session was our first real insight into the benefits of stop motion for children with SEN also. For those that were more visual and kinaesthetic learners, the set up really worked well. Teachers and parents told us they noticed improvements in focus, patience, and confidence, and that some children even began experimenting with animation at home, which was a joy! Often we might bump into one of the kids from previous sessions and they would proudly show us their new animation. Exactly the kind of outcomes we were hoping for.

Check out the behind the scenes process of making the stop motion animation with our Spanish language pupils at Chalkhill Primary School!

Kingsbury Green Primary School — d/Deaf Group Sessions

Inspired by the success at Chalkhill, we began working with a group of d/Deaf students at Kingsbury Green Primary School. Our focus here was visual communication, sensory learning, and giving the d/Deaf children ways to express themselves creatively without relying on spoken language. The HUE setup is brilliantly Plug and Play, while the flexible neck allows the children to position the camera anywhere — over paper cut-outs, LEGO builds, clay, drawings, or layered mixed-media scenes.One of the highlights was when the children took photos of themselves and turned them into superheroes. With their printed poses cut out, they designed costumes, added colourful effects and animated their characters together in collaborative scenes. The happiness they felt seeing “mini versions” of themselves animated on screen was priceless!

Framing the Future

The success of these stop motion projects across Brent has inspired Filmscope to expand the inclusive animation sessions to after school clubs and even further — giving more children who are d/Deaf, neurodivergent, SEN, or, as we like to say.. .those that are simply wonderfully curious, the chance to explore storytelling through animation.

Adults also have the opportunity to learn and explore stop motion animation at ANIMATIKZ – 1 to 1 sessions with me at the studio in Wembley Park, once a week! Whether a beginner or with experience, these guided sessions are a great way to get into something new. In a world that’s seemingly moving digital and less tactile, let us bring movement to the imagination!!

More information can be found here: https://classbento.co.uk/stop-motion-animation-course-harrow 

Stop motion continues to show us that storytelling goes far beyond words. With tools like those from HUE, creativity becomes accessible, visual, and joyfully collaborative — exactly as it should be! A special thank you to Ruth at HUE HQ, who has been immensely supportive throughout this stop motion journey. Thanks to her, we’ve received the newly released HUE Clay, and the excitement from the children so far has been…LOUD!!! They love the colours, the feel, and the endless possibilities — and I cannot wait to see the curious characters and worlds that will be created in 2026!

Follow Vee on social media and find out how to book a Classbento workshop via the links below.

Website: www.filmscope.org | www.animatikz.com  

Classbento: classbento.co.uk/stop-motion-animation-course-harrow 

Instagram: 
@filmscopecic instagram.com/filmscopecic
@hello.animatikz | instagram.com/hello.animatikz
@VeeLadwa | https://www.instagram.com/veeladwa 

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Read on for inspiring ideas to shape young minds and make model students of the whole class.

3D shapes

Modelling clay makes it easy to construct 3D geometric forms and introduce students to cubes, cones, pyramids and spheres. Students can roll, press and pinch the clay to gain a tactile understanding of shapes, faces, edges and vertices. Don’t be a square (be a cube!) and try this activity with your students today!   

Pizza fractions 

Mamma Mia! Your students will want a slice of the mathematical action with this delicious idea! Instead of using cardboard or paper models, students can create clay pizzas and divide them to show halves, fourths, fifths and beyond. It’s a dough-lightful way to visualise equivalent fractions and make maths more engaging.

Creating patterns

Students can use clay to make repeating patterns with different colours and shapes to learn about symmetry or sequences. This hands-on activity provides a solid foundation for mathematical thinking without kneading to press the issue too much!

Toothpick structures

Combining clay with toothpicks enables students to build stable structures and explore engineering principles such as balance, support and weight distribution. Why not hold a competition with your students to see who can make the tallest tower or sturdiest structure? 

Clay boat building challenge

See Archimedes’ Principle in action and learn about buoyant force, material density and water displacement with this fun, yet challenging, clay boat building activity. The only downside of this project will be your students’ loud screams of “Eureka!” echoing down the school corridors.   

Volcano experiment

Your students will have a blast while making this lava-ly science experiment. With modelling clay and a few readily-available household items such as dish soap, food colouring and citric acid, your students can make their very own volcanic eruptions! If you’d like to try this experiment in the classroom, the boffins at MEL Science have got you covered (but thankfully not in ash).

Landforms and terrain mapping 

Get ready to rock your geography class! Mould mountains, valleys, rivers and plateaus out of clay to create landforms and bring geography to life through hands-on learning. For some real-world inspiration, check out how teachers at Fontenebro International School in Madrid used modelling clay to create detailed terrain maps of the continents. See their fantastic project here.

Recreate famous sculptures

Challenge the budding Barbara Hepworth’s and mini Michelangelo’s in your class to create museum-worthy masterpieces! The firm consistency of HUE Clay is ideal for creating models with high levels of detail so you can make your own Venus Dough Milo or Doughnátello’s David.  

Print making

Using some clay, ink and a printing roller, students can carve, stamp and press their own unique designs into a slab before transferring them onto paper. This fun activity is suitable for pupils with SEND ​​(Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and it is guaranteed to make a lasting impression. For more information about this activity idea, see how teachers played with plasticine to make prints in the Education Room at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.

Product design

Clay is the perfect hands-on introduction to design thinking, allowing students to prototype inventions and test out ideas before recreating them with fabrics, wood, or other resistant materials. This mouldable medium isn’t just for the classroom, clay modelling plays a key role in real-world industrial design, from concept cars to cutting-edge boat manufacturing.

Want to see how the pros do it? Check out why major car companies still rely on clay models, even in the digital age.

Hold history in your hands

Modelling clay can be used to create historical artefacts from different time periods and cultures. You could uncover the mysteries of ancient Egypt by making clay cartouches, pyramids, sarcophaguses, amulets or even Clayopatra’s Bust! 

Stop motion animation

One of the most exciting applications of clay in the classroom is stop motion animation. Students can create their own claymation characters and bring them to life with an animation kit such as HUE Animation Studio. This activity combines storytelling, art and technology in a fun and educational way. 

Need some inspiration? We love this wonderful claymation movie created by Alberto, Carlos, Juan Manuel, and Francisco, from the second-grade (Year 2) class at Laurel de la Reina High School in La Zubia, for their French class. In it, they explain step-by-step how to make an authentic French crepe.

As you can see, clay isn’t just for the art room; it’s a shape-shifting superstar that can bring learning to life right across the curriculum. From deepening conceptual understanding in maths and science to inspiring creativity in history, geography and design, modelling clay turns abstract ideas into meaningful, hands-on experiences.

Ready to get started? Explore HUE Clay and discover how a simple, reusable resource can spark curiosity, strengthen understanding and boost engagement in every subject. And when creativity strikes, capture and share your students’ work with your trusty HUE HD Pro document camera.

Do you have any clay-tastic classroom ideas? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!

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For advice in other languages (including French and Spanish), please click here.
Notre service client francophone est là pour vous pendant les fêtes.

As many people will be receiving HUE Animation products as gifts over the festive season, we would like you to know that our customer support is here to help throughout the holiday period.

If you need any assistance setting up your HUE product, or simply want to know how to use one of its features, please check the advice below or send us an email.  Our customer support elves will aim to help within 24 hours, and often much more quickly than that. We’ll do our very best to turn ‘Oh no no‘s into ‘Ho ho ho‘s!

We understand that it’s frustrating when you are trying to get something working during the holidays – especially when children are eager to get started – so we have a few tips for ensuring that we can help without any delays when you contact our team.

Please tell us exactly which product you have: HUE Animation Studio,  HUE Animation Studio Pro or HUE Animation Toolbox.

We’ve now added Stop Motion Studio animation software for Windows and macOS as an enhanced software offering for your HUE Animation kits. 

If you need getting started you’ll find all the details you need in this previous blog post.

• Checking our FAQs and Tutorial pages or searching the FAQs is often the fastest way to get help.
• For software problems, try updating to the latest version as a first step.
• If you’re having trouble activating the software, please contact us, choosing Query Type ‘Support’. Please include your activation code and email address so that we can check for any problems. General instructions can be found here. If you don’t remember your activation details please add as much information as you can, such as alternate email addresses you might have used when originally registering your kit.
• If there’s an error message, it’s best to send us a screenshot/photo or copy down the exact wording of the message so we can identify the specific issue. Please include details about your computer’s operating system and a description of the problem so that we can give you the most accurate advice.  
• Every HUE product comes with a 2 year warranty and we can provide individual replacement parts if needed. If there’s a problem with the camera itself and you think a return might be required, please include your original order details (e.g. the Amazon or HUE order number). If you don’t know the order number because it was a gift, please include any of the purchase details you have.
• We’ll never ask you to share your HUE online account password or payment information.

Once you have made a few simple animations, you might be ready to explore the multitude of downloadable resources that are available from your HUE account. Just go to Downloads> Other Downloads and you’ll find everything there. These include sound effects, printable backgrounds and inspirational videos to watch using different animation techniques. 

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If you have purchased HUE Animation Toolbox, HUE Animation Studio or HUE Animation Studio Pro or for a loved one this holiday season, you might be wondering how to set the kit up in anticipation for the big gift-giving event of the year.

When the ripping and rustling of wrapping paper has ceased, and all the new exciting gizmos, gadgets and gifts sit before your kiddos, it’s understandable that they’ll want to dive right in and play with everything immediately. When it comes to tech toys, though, that can be a little bit tricky to navigate. 

Downloading software and setting up equipment might seem like the last thing you’d want to do when the festive cheer is flowing but, thankfully, there are a number of things you can do in advance of the big day such as: 

• Installing the animation software.
• Downloading (and printing out) the free animation resources included with the HUE Animation Studio kit.
• Watching the animation software tutorial videos. 
• Bookmarking the accompanying HUE Book of Animation example videos page in your web browser.
• Reading this blog post

The best thing about preparing everything in advance is that once your kids start making movies, they will likely keep themselves occupied for hours. This will give you the perfect opportunity to pour a refreshing glass of your favorite beverage, kick back and relax with friends and family. 

How to set up your stop motion animation software

Step 1: Find the Activation Code for your animation software

Open your HUE Animation product and locate the HUE Book of Animation inside the box. On the back page of the book you will find the Activation Code for your animation software. 

Keep the book handy for the next step! You will need the Activation Code to verify your purchase of the kit and access the animation software from the HUE website.

Step 2: Activate your software

Visit My Account on the HUE website and create an account, if you do not already have one. Once you have logged into your account, click on Register New Software. Type your Activation Code into the box provided, then click the blue Activate Code button. This will permanently add your software download links and license keys to your online account.

Step 3: Download your software

In order to provide animation software for as many customers as possible, HUE Animation Studio now comes with a choice of two stop motion animation applications. 

Stop Motion Studio is our newest software offering which is compatible with Windows 10 or later, and macOS 11+.

Make sure you download the correct application for your computer operating system! If you’re not sure or have questions, please contact us and our tech support elves will be delighted to assist you. 

HUE Animation is our legacy software application for customers with older computer operating systems, such as Windows 8, 7 or XP and legacy versions of Mac OS X (macOS 10.14 and earlier). It requires graphics drivers with OpenGL 2.0 support.

Step 4: Install your animation software

Once you have downloaded and are installing the appropriate software application, you will be prompted to enter your license key into the application. To do this, head over to the License Keys section of your account. Here you will find the license keys for both software applications so make sure you copy the correct key! The 20-digit product key for new Stop Motion Studio software will be labeled “sms-single”. 

Once you have done this, you will be ready to plug in your HUE camera and start animating. Woohoo!

Extra help, tips, tricks and freebies!

Tutorials and FAQs

Watch the Stop Motion Studio for HUE tutorial playlist on YouTube to find out how to navigate the software. Subtitles are available in multiple languages.

If you need more help getting started with the kit, you can find answers to the most frequently asked questions or contact us by visiting our Support pages. 

Animation freebies

Log into your HUE account and go to Downloads > Other Downloads to access the free resources included with your HUE Animation Studio kit, such as the HUE Animation Activity Pack!

Animation inspiration

Feeling a little stuck for animation ideas or wondering how to build a set for a stop motion animation movie? Chances are we’ve already covered everything you need to know about animating in our helpful blog posts. 

• Stop motion techniques for beginners.
• Stop motion set making for beginners and kids.
• Stop motion animation frame rates explained.
• Digital storytelling and HUE Animation.

Visit the HUE blog to read more informative articles and head over to our YouTube channel to watch inspiring videos created by the HUE Community (and more). Happy animating, y’all! 

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“We use HUE cameras across our dental practice to photograph all incoming laboratory work. The cameras are incredibly easy to use, the image quality is ideal for secure record-keeping, and the compact file size makes storage and sharing straightforward. We currently have five in the practice because they’re such a reliable part of our workflow.
When one of the units recently developed a fault, the support team were fast, efficient and extremely helpful. The replacement was arranged immediately and the whole process was smooth from start to finish. It’s rare to receive such responsive customer service, and it genuinely makes a difference to busy clinical environments like ours.” Zoe Pollard Practice Manager of Black Swan Dental Spa 

With new funding for NHS technology announced by Rachel Reeves, UK Chancellor only last month, and at only £59.95 + VAT, the HUE HD Pro camera could be the quick win UK dental practices have been waiting for.

If you think the HUE HD Pro camera could be useful for your own dental, veterinary or GP practice or for any type of record-keeping, do not hesitate to contact us for more information.

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Claymation is a variation of stop motion that uses clay. Much like other forms of stop motion the animator needs to move the clay character and have it hold its pose as you animate it. This comes with several challenges that may interfere with the animating.

These are:

• Gravity
• Posability
• Maintaining poses over time (the character needs to stay perfectly in place as you take the photo or it will be blurry)
• Attaching the character to the animation table table (tie downs help keep the character stood up and not fall over)
• Rigging (needed if you want your character to jump or fly)

The biggest issue for animators is gravity, which will continuously apply force downwards on your clay character. This can cause them to fall over or have their arms (if stretched out) sag downwards. Having an armature inside your character can help mitigate some of the forces experienced by the clay much like the human skeleton. The armature can have additional built in features that can help, like tie downs or rigging points. Tie downs can secure the feet of the character to the animation table which avoids the character tipping over. Whilst a rigging point allows you to plug a rigged supportive arm directly into your character’s armature, allowing the character to be further supported or lifted in the air, defeating gravity!

There are many materials to choose from for making stop motion armatures. Typically multiple materials would be used, example: wood for the core body parts (head, chest, hips) and wire for the moveable limbs (such as aluminum wire). 

Below are some examples of armatures I’ve made that can be shown here. 

Keeping it simple

Just in case if I’ve scared anyone with the mass amount of options above, just remember to keep it simple. Not all characters need armatures or they can be made with very simple methods. The character shown below is a clay bear that has a simple design. The armature it uses is tinfoil for the main body and the head, a wire spine with a bend at either end that the foil is hot glued onto to build up the shape of the bear.

Just in case if I’ve scared anyone with the mass amount of options above, just remember to keep it simple. Not all characters need armatures or they can be made with very simple methods. The character shown below is a clay bear that has a simple design. The armature it uses is tinfoil for the main body and the head, a wire spine with a bend at either end that the foil is hot glued onto to build up the shape of the bear.

Steve the fish. Tin Foil and Wire Armature.

This was a fun personal project recreating the viral online meme of “Steve the Fish”. This recreation was made using HUE Clay, tin foil, hot glue, sewing thread and aluminum wire. You can see the making of process here:

It’s a rather simple armature but because the character is going to be claymation I added thread onto the wire parts. This is super important because wire is very smooth and doesn’t have enough texture for the clay to hold onto. Gluing thread onto the wire gives the surface plenty of texture to avoid the clay slipping off or ripping off mid animation. This allowed me to animate this character dancing for a social media animation. This worked a lot better than a different character I made where the character broke in half several times due to its lack of an armature inside. 

Claymation Human. 3D Printed Filament and Wire

This character uses wire like the last armature but this time it uses 3D printed core parts, which allows for the huge benefit of using rigging and tie downs in the feet. This makes animating certain actions a lot easier like walking, running and jumping. This is more advanced than just using tin foil but you could get similar results from using drilled balsa wood with K&S tubing for rigging and using hex nuts in the feet for tie downs. Importantly both of these methods need to be wrapped in thread and glue to allow for the clay to better cling onto the wire and core armature parts.

See how it was made here:

Christmas-pudding claymation

Recently I made this claymation character for HUE Animation’s socials. Due to the action of the animation I designed an armature that could split in half, this was created using 3D printing. This was so the character can stand and sit on a dinner plate. Armatures need to be designed to be practical for the animation desired, everything we make must serve the purpose of the final animation. See images of the armature and the finished character below.

I hope this was useful for making your own armatures for claymation. If you want to see more of my work you can find my work in the following links –

Youtube:  youtube.com/@plim_stopmotion

Instagram: www.instagram.com/chris_plim

Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@plim.stopmotion

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Packed full of stop motion animation essentials, HUE Animation Toolbox is a one-of-a-kind kit every primary school classroom needs when starting out with animation. 

Teach PRIMARY (product review)

High quality durable animation resources
Easy to access software
Adaptable devices to support a range of abilities
Practical additional resources
Highly flexible usage

What’s in the box?

This all-in-one kit includes an award-winning camera, software, book, tools and materials so creators can dive in and start animating right away.

Created by professional animators, this unique kit is a celebration of stop motion. “I wish there was something like this when I first started,” says Ruth Barrett, Head of Animation at HUE. “

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“These Awards help recognise some of the best creative play toys, games, books and resources available in the UK, with products assessed by independent testers in homes, schools, early years and childcare settings around the country, emphasising the importance of screen -free learning through creative play for young children” John Hopley, editor of Creative Steps

HUE ANIMATION TOOLBOX

HUE Animation Toolbox is the ultimate movie-making kit for young creators. It’s a one-of-a-kind gift box that folds out into a multi-sided animation stage and includes everything kids need to start animating right away – camera, software, modelling tools, clay, activity sheets, and more.

A selection of testers comments:

“Really enjoyed testing and playing with this animation set.”
“Instructions were clear and I had great fun creating stories.”
“A great product.”
“They particularly liked the supplied backdrops and incorporating their own toys with the models made from the modelling clay.”
“It inspired their creativity and devising scripts.”
“They felt this would be used a lot in the future.”See our competition to win a HUE Animation Toolbox on page 8 of the latest issue of Creative Steps Magazine.

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