character design – syb & me

Pippi’s Horse

“She had always longed for a horse of her own and now she had one, and he lived on the veranda.” That’s the second prompt for an Instagram challenge based on the Pippi Longstocking character which I used to make a short stopmotion animation.

Music: La Pompe Du Trompe by Shane Ivers – https://www.silvermansound.com

I use Dragonframe software to make the animation, Audacity to record, modify or shorten the soundtrack and in the final edit I am using VSDC Free Video Editor. I also use Handbrake for any file conversion needed to upload … just so you know.

Animation Ideas

Pippi and Mr Nilsson

I still have work to do on Pippi. Her lovely shoes didn’t work with magnets. Here she is in her bare “feet”.

Animation Ideas

Pippi and the Monkey

Pippi’s armature and head: aluminium wire, polymorph and polymer clay (hands and head).

Armature for Mr Nilsson the Monkey. Without a head.

Animation Ideas

Finding a challenge

I work best with some kind of challenge. (I have been drifting – perhaps stuck!) There are lots of challenges on Instagram and I felt the pull of a Pippi Longstocking theme for the first week of August. I will try to animate one of the daily prompts but for now I will just see how I get along.

So here’s my idea for Pippi. And there has to be a monkey, Mr Nilsson, and a horse. Oh dear ……

Animation Ideas, puppets

Moving On

I have an image in mind and am starting to make some new wire puppets. I am not good at doing things the “right” way – which is to draw the character design first. This process sometimes stunts my exploration and I seem to do better by playing with stuff, instead of Pencil & Paper. But at some point – I do have to draw something out so that I can measure the wire, plan construction, etc. *PS. for those who don’t know me, I am – strictly an amateur. Do not follow my process as “The Proper Way” or you’ll end up in trouble 🙂