Stop-Motion Armature Machining Book by Tom Brierton

234 photos, references, glossary, index

111pp. softcover (8.5 x 11) 2002

Stop-motion puppet animation is one of the most unusual and demanding art forms in the world. It uses a variety of skills, including design, sculpting, metal work, mold making and casting, taxidermy, filmmaking, storytelling and acting, and can be seen in the simplest commercial spots on television to more complex animated shorts and science fiction and fantasy feature films.

This work, with over 200 photographs and illustrations, demonstrates the construction of armatures for film industry stop-motion puppets and the technical aspects of how to machine metal into the desired shape. It describes in detail the milling machine and the metal lathe, the two main tools used in constructing the armature, other cutting tools, and how the anatomical makeup of the puppet determines the armature design.

The book then examines the six main types of joints used in armature construction: the sandwich plate ball-and-socket joint, the ball-and-socket collet joint, the step-block ball-and-socket joint, the swivel joint, the hinge joint, and the universal joint. Also described are the different types of metals used in armature construction.

About the Author
Tom Brierton is an independent filmmaker/educator. He is also the author of Stop-Motion Filming and Performance: A Guide to Cameras, Lighting and Dramatic Techniques (2005) and Stop-Motion Puppet Sculpting: A Manual of Foam Injection, Build-Up, and Finishing Techniques (2004). He lives in LaGrange, Illinois.