BBC Three's channel identity features the 'blob' designed by Aardman Animations
Aardman Animations is best known as the creator of Wallace and Gromit, everyone’s favourite plasticine partnership. The company’s credits also include the hilarious Creature Comforts, Chicken Run, Rex the Runt, Angry Kid and the identity ‘blobs’ used on BBC Three. The variety of clay creations has won them a myriad of awards. And the appeal of the models is wide spread – kids and adults alike seem to love the comedy capers of a cheese-loving inventor and a talking dog!
Have you ever wondered how animators do what they do?
You might like to …
• research the history of animation; find out about the numerous different forms of animation
• create your own animation (perhaps make a kinetocope, or make and film plasticine models with a digital camera)
• investigate the effects of changing frame speed
• investigate how to ‘lip sync’ so your animations look like they’re speaking
• design a computer programme that allows you to control a “sprite” on screen, in order to make an animation
• compare the properties of various modelling materials, such as plasticine and clay.