In the short project of stop motion we decide to create a bird puppet as in our team we thought of making a bird puppet as it would have more interesting movements and we could have different textures on it.
By using cardboard it allowed use to create a basic shape of the bird and we could play around with its texture. With sticks, bolts, metal wire and string we were able to attach the body parts together as well as giving the puppet more realistic movements. We added papers as the feather which allowed us to hide some of the imperfections the bird had for example where we connected the body parts.
For the wings on the bird we used cardboard, sticks and bolts to create joints on the wings which would be the elbow and shoulder joints. By having these joints we were able to extend and contract the wings just as a bird would. We also attached the cardboard feathers with string so they would all move along at the same time.
When making the stop motion we had some issues with the legs as they where made of wire as we wanted them to have free movement but it was too loose meaning it wouldn’t stand on its legs. Also we had issues with the body as I was attached to the head and sometimes the body would move the side and not be straight. From these issues I could understand better how I can attach body parts better to a puppet for example for the legs I could use a different material for example some sticks and wire I can still have the free movement on the knees and at the same time they will stay consistent on the way they look.
We made 2 stop motion tests where we were able to work together to make one where the puppet is walking in waving to the camera and then walk out and another one where the bird is stretching his wing. By making these tests we were able to locate our strengths and weaknesses, we realised that we needed to ease in and out in some movements meaning we needed more in betweens and we also learnt that we could hold into some frames in order to slow down some movements. By easing in and out we can have smoother transitions between a fast movement and a slow one. By having made these tests videos we knew we worked nice and what didn’t so for our main video we knew we wanted to have a short walk cycle and another scene where the bird stretches out.