Lesson 3: Storyboarding and Creating Key Frames in Clay
In this lesson students will create storyboards of what they will animate. They will learn about key frames and tween frames. They will begin to create clay parts 1. Students will watch a short animation on transformation (morphing) using clay. Sony Bravia Bunnies below and the making of video). Students will discuss what makes this a successful video. 2. Students will sketch out three key frames for their own animation sequence reflecting on the Chinatown artifacts. 3. Students will write rough one to two sentence scripts on back of storyboard sheets. 4. Students will create the three key frames they drew in clay. (frames 1, 5 and 7) Students will get four small cubes of clay per key frame to start with. 5 Students will sketch in the tween frames and get clay to create those frames. They will keep each clay part in the appropriate spot in their egg carton. They will work with the clay on the aluminum foil.
MATERIALS: clay (I recommend Van Achen Claytoon clay and I recommend pre-cutting up the clay into small cubes and placing in ziplock bags according to color), clay tools, hand wipes, storyboard hand out, aluminum foil, egg cartoons, pencils.
TIP 1: Have students work with light colors first. Have a hand wipe for each students to clean hands with before they switch clay colors. Student do all clay work on foil. They can use same hand wipe to wipe down table at end of session.
TIP2 : Demonstrate a storyboard you created. Place key frame clay parts onto their key frames spots to highlight how the key frame sketches translate into clay creations.
TIP3 : Have the students review each others' storyboards and scripts.
Below: Inspirational claymation video and the making of video:
Below: Storyboard template
Below: simple transformation animation. Instead of transforming a box, the students are asked to focus on a dig artifact they dug up. They are to re create that artifact in clay. How can it transform to tell a story about Heinlenville? Think of conveying information that is interesting, surprising, sad, familiar. They are to keep in mind that they are relating a fact that they found important. What will their audience find interesting?
Storyboarding of a cherry flower turning to a cherry
key frames being made in clay and placed into correct spots in carton.