Date: 26th September – 1st October 2025
 

The Department of Animation and Visual Effects at KRNNIVSA organized a six-day Stop-Motion Master Class (Claymation Workshop) led by Shri. Mukund Vithal Bhaleghare, an experienced stop-motion animator and founder of Skilltool Studio. The workshop was conducted for the second-semester Animation students (2024 Batch) as part of their practical foundation training in claymation and puppet-based animation production.

The master class aimed to familiarize students with the entire workflow of professional stop-motion filmmaking—from concept to final performance animation—through a series of guided, hands-on sessions.

Workshop Highlights – Day by Day

Day 1: Introduction, Screening & Character Design Assignment
Students were introduced to the principles of stop-motion animation and claymation techniques through screenings of selected professional works. They began developing their own character design assignments, focusing on expressive shapes and forms suitable for clay animation.

Day 2: Armature Making
Students translated their 2D character designs into 3D wire and thermocol armatures. The session emphasized proportional building, stability, and balance—core aspects of puppet animation.

Day 3: Clay Modeling and Detailing
Participants sculpted facial features, hair, and costume details over their armatures, refining their designs with attention to texture and expressiveness. Guidance was provided on material selection, blending, and consistency.

Day 4: Demonstrations and Light Animation Session
Students explored lighting setups and color tone variations. The day included a frog claymation demo and a light animation session conducted on the Acting Floor, where participants experimented with moving light sources to create motion and mood through illumination.

Day 5: Character Animation Demo and Assignments
Shri. Mukund introduced key animation techniques—anticipation, squash and stretch, and frame-by-frame movement. Students animated short sequences using their clay puppets, learning timing, spacing, and expressive posing.

Day 6: Review and Final Claymation Demo
The final session was dedicated to reviewing student work and conducting a final claymation demonstration, highlighting workflow integration, camera setup, and post-production methods. The day concluded with a discussion on career opportunities in stop-motion animation.

Learning Outcomes

1. Gained hands-on experience in creating clay puppets and armatures.
2. Understood the relationship between character design and movement.
3. Learned lighting and camera techniques for stop-motion animation.
4. Experienced teamwork and studio-based collaboration.
5. Developed patience, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills.

This workshop provided students with a comprehensive understanding of the art and discipline of stop-motion animation. Under the expert mentorship of Shri. Mukund Vithal Bhaleghare and students demonstrated creativity and enthusiasm, strengthening both their artistic sensibility and technical proficiency in the field of claymation.