Clay Animation Class
Teachers: Alexander Becher and Destiny Simmons (Lessons 1-4)
ASI Spring 2016
During this set of lessons we wish to incorporate a number of different concepts and skills in order to allow each student to find the aspects they most enjoy. As each student discovers what they enjoy and/or are skilled at, they can continue with that aspect as their focus for the duration. There will be a focus on group projects and teamwork to accomplish the end result of an animated clay video. In addition to the core aspects of modeling and shaping clay the lessons are intended to develop concept selection, concept development, and story-telling skills. We will also focus on how to express the intended message in a communicable way. These are 30 minute lessons each and so will be somewhat condensed.
Materials (Consistent throughout):
Clay
Shaping tools
Paper
Pencils
Stop motion capture equipment
Thematic Elements: Social Awareness
Ideas to Incorporate:
Storyboarding
Problem solving
Precipitating abstract ideas
Combination of skills and disciplines toward a single goal
Teamwork for efficient use of time
Lessons:
1. Storyboarding – Learn to sketch out a sequence to be animated afterward
– Anticipate problems and solutions
– Understand the anatomy of a story
– Recognize personal ability to make art
2. Basic Animation – Animate simple shapes
– Learn physical aspects of clay sculpting
– Understand process of stop motion animation
– Create personal animation
3. Personal Message Part 1 – Group project animating a group selected idea
– Concept selection via group discussion
– Developing concept into step by step process
– Teamwork and task separation for overall goal
4. Personal Message Part 2 – Continuation of Lesson #3
– Animation of a scene involving multiple motions
5. Compassion – Discussion of compassion and a story of personal experience;
Animation of story
– Understanding abstract concepts
– Understanding personal relation to, and experience of, abstract concepts
– Relating compassion and artistic expression
6. Education – Discussion of the significance of education globally and personally; Animating a specific aspect of what education can enable the students to accomplish
– Understanding their significance in a broader (global) scale
– Discussing a personal dream as it relates to education
– Visualizing the achievement of the dream
7. Penn Treaty Life – Discussing personal experiences centered around their school
– Artistic representation of real scenes
– Selection of primary aspects needed to convey concept
– Conveying a scene cogently
8. Coming Together – Animation based around abstract concept
– Utilizing simple elements to convey complex ideas
– Developing teamwork with reciprocal parts
– Expressing concepts with colors
9. Recycling – Animation to convey a social message
– Understanding what concepts are important to convey
– Life cycle of objects
– Improvising uses for objects
10. Summary and Surveys – Summarize concepts learned and discuss survey questions
– Importance of debriefing
– Continued development
– Recognizing room for improvement