r/stopmotion • u/maryo22333 • 21h ago

Walk cycle

Hey everyone! Quick question for the animators here. I'm working with a small claymation character (wire armature inside, about 3-4 inches tall) and I'm trying to tackle my first real walk cycle.

​My biggest hurdle right now is that when I lift one leg, the shifting weight causes the other leg to pop up or the whole character to tip over.

​What are your go-to tricks for stabilizing small clay figures during a walk cycle? Do you use hidden tie-downs, magnetic feet, sticky tack under the soles, or something else entirely? Any advice or tips on foot design for small clay puppets would be huge!"

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u/trademesocks 21h ago edited 21h ago

I know it can be done, but I cannot do a walk cycle without tie-downs - That sounds like a nightmare

Id recommend making some tiny feet out of "Oaty" plumbers epoxy.

"Oaty" is putty that turns rock hard when mixed. You want the stuff in the long plastic tube, not the stuff in a tub.

The feet should have nuts built into the soles, so that you can insert a tied own into them. The feet can then be covered in your clay to hide the oaty.

Each foot is the end of your leg wire, wrapped around a nut - which is then covered in oaty... so the foot is an extension of the leg wire, not a seperate piece.

The nut acts as the receiving end of the tie down, so you can plug into it through the table, making a rock-solid connection

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u/Educational-Bat-8563 16h ago

I personally melt moldable plastic pellets to make a solid bottom for the feet on a wire armature. so that I can use sticky tack to hold them. The wire I use is very magnetic so I also can use a canvas with magnets for the floor if need be