See the animation model I made way back in the 80s!

This is Harvey. I wanted to animate him when I was at art college back in the 80s.

He is made from old floorboards and any other bits of scrap I found lying around and the head is paper maché.

I made him during Easter holidays/spring break of my first year at college and learned that I needed some way of keeping the joints tight and fluid at the same time.

Harvey’s joints are so loose, he can’t stand up on his own.

My late mum has looked after him for all these years! I think I need to do a little bit of gentle restoration to this (now) venerable old gent!

Rotring Tikky Graphic Pen

The Pentel Aquash Brush

Huion A4 Tracing Light Pad

The Seawhite of Brighton a5 travel journal

Seawhite 350gsm Watercolour paper

Seawhite layout Pad
(Try Strathmnore Layout Bond in the US

The Cotman sketching watercolour set

Neutral Tint Half Pan Watercolour Paint

Naples Yellow Half Pan Watercolour Paint

Sharpie White China Marker

Faber Castell Polychromos Pencils

Shoo Rayner is an award-winning illustrator and author of over 200 books for children.

The Shoo Rayner Drawing Channel won the 2011 YouTube NextUp award.

[clayratliff]

He may not havae been a great model for animation but he looks like he'd make a fantastic puppet!

[thebigshedart]

I've never hit Like! within the first 5 seconds before but one look at Harvey and I was smitten. 😊

[dinkydog]

I think you did a great job. Your Mum was probably pretty proud of it.❤️

[gstar]

that looks so creative! very impressive

[sinus]

Amazing! Maybe you can make a series of videos showing us how to make a simple version of Harvey from styrofoam or something! It would be a great pose reference for drawing :)

[g.allencook]

Nick Park? Spitting Image? Shoo Rayner? That was SOME art college! My friends and I are planning a YouTube channel that is sketch comedy based on some of the dross one finds online. Besides playing a part, I want to do stop motion animation...maybe a silly monster attacking a city, or something. I've found that using thick gauge wire wrapped in yarn and/or cotton as an armature works wonders. To make him stand, washers are superglued beneath the feet and holes are drilled in the set so the washers can be tightened down from underneath to make the character stand. You destroy the set that way, but that's how I'm told it is done. I'm also going to put my special makeup effects knowledge to use and sculpt the head/body out of clay, mold it in Ultracal 30, and pull a latex positive of the sculpt to glue onto the armature. I've been slaving away over how to do this for over a year...and then you show that you were doing much the same thing years ago! I love your figure's head/expression. It's actually given me an idea about how to fix the head so it can move up and down--not just side to side. As always, thanks for sharing! This was very illuminating. Is there anything you CAN'T do??

[millyturtle]

That's an amazing piece! You must have spent ages to make the small joints, not to mention sew the clothes! Did you intend to put any strings on it like a puppet?