Basics of Animation for Youth: Stop Motion on Your Smartphone or Tablet

TOTAL COST: $45
Course Fee: $45
Materials: Student provided (see Supply Information below)

DATES: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2024
TIME: 2:00PM - 4:00PM PDT
LEVEL: Beginner to Intermediate
AGE GROUP: Youth (ages 8-17)
LOCATION: Building 324C, Fort Worden, Port Townsend. 

DESCRIPTION
Stop motion is probably the most simple way of creating animation — you just move something a little bit in front of your camera, then shoot one frame to record it, then repeat until you have captured the movement that you want.

With just a few simple rules and tips that Jim will demonstrate, you can be making your own stop-motion animations in a matter of minutes!

Also called table-top animation, stop motion can be done with a minimum of equipment. All you need is a smartphone or tablet, a tripod or other way to keep your camera steady, and a free downloadable app called Stop Motion Studio. Smartphone users will also need an adapter with a universal camera mount (for details, see Supply Information below).

What will you photograph in your animation? The answer is almost anything! Toy cars and other vehicles are a popular choice. Dolls that can stand alone can be made to slide along as if skating. You can make two things go around each other, or you can make them collide and fall over. You can have ten or more things moving at once. Modeling clay can be slowly changed so that it goes from one shape into another. The possibilities are endless!

So bring your old toys or other small objects, and Jim will show you how to make your own animated movies, beginning with the whole group working together. You’ll be animators in no time!

SUPPLY INFORMATION
Students will need:

• A smartphone or tablet.
• An app on your smartphone or tablet called Stop Motion Studio. It is free to download. Please have it downloaded prior to coming to class!
  Download Stop Motion Studio in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store
  
• A stabilizer for your smartphone or tablet. Tablets can be stabilized by their own weight (if you are careful!) but a smartphone camera requires something more: a device such as a tabletop tripod with a universal camera mount and clamp for the phone. You can find a tabletop tripod for a smartphone online for as little as $15, many with a remote control so you can make an exposure without touching the camera. 

COURSE DETAILS
After registration, course details are available via the Northwind Art School learning portal, including course syllabus and supply information. Learn more

ABOUT JIM
Over a long career, Jim Bradrick has had broad experience in 2D animation, illustration, comic books, advertising art, and video games. In addition to a great variety of freelance commissions, he has worked for Dark Horse Comics, Humongous Entertainment, Microsoft Research, Hidden City Games, Starwave Corporation, and Iwin Studios Division 90. With a particular passion for hand-drawn animation, he maintained an animation blog called Acme Punched!, creating nearly 200 instructional and informational posts over seven years. The blog was listed among the Top 100 Animation Blogs.

Artist website: @anjimator

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DISCOUNTS
This course is eligible for a 10% member discount at the Supporter level and beyond. Get a membership today!

Don's Pharmacy and Art Toolkit in Port Townsend offer Northwind Art School students a 10% discount on art supplies.

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CANCELLATION POLICY

If Northwind Art has to cancel a course for any reason, all enrolled students will receive a 100% refund (including any materials fee).

Students who withdraw from a course at least seven days prior to its first meeting will receive a 90% refund (less any materials fee). 

Students withdrawing fewer than seven days from the first day of class are not eligible for a refund except in the case of illness or injury, in which case they are eligible to receive a 40% refund (less any materials fee).

Please note that 10% of every course’s registration fee is considered to be a non-refundable deposit in cases of withdrawal to cover administrative overhead. All refunds will be applied to the same credit card that was used for enrollment. No credits or transfers will be granted. 

Please email registrar@northwindart.org if you wish to withdraw or for more information.