Intro to Stop Motion
Reading the Animated Storytelling chapters on Color Sense and Weird Science shifted how I think about both control and experimentation in motion design. Color isn’t just about making something look good, rather, it’s a storytelling tool that guides emotion, focus, and meaning as elements move on screen. Being intentional with palettes and visual consistency helps motion feel clearer and more purposeful, especially when things are changing quickly.
At the same time, the Weird Science chapter was a reminder that not everything needs to be polished right away. Experimenting at the edge of your skill set, even when results feel messy or unfinished, is often where the most interesting ideas come from. Together, these chapters reinforced that strong motion design lives in the balance between structure and play: knowing when to follow the rules, and when to break them.
Research & Inspiration
Research & Stop Motion Inspo:
After exploring different stop motion animations, I kept coming back to pieces that were linear but visually playful, especially the work by PES and a few similar animations I discovered. Even though each piece followed a clear beginning, middle, and end, the stories never felt boring or predictable. Instead, the fun came from how the story was told, through clever object transformations, unexpected substitutions, and satisfying visual timing.
What stood out most to me was how unrealistic the scenarios were, yet how easy they were to follow. Everyday objects became food, characters, or entire worlds, which made watching feel lighthearted and engaging rather than confusing. I also couldn’t help but think about the amount of planning behind each animation. Every movement, swap, and transition had to be intentional, which made me appreciate the patience and precision required to bring something so short to life. Overall, these animations felt like a perfect balance of storytelling and visual experimentation, and they were genuinely fun to watch from start to finish.
Stop Motion Concepts & Pre-Production Planning
I developed two stop motion concepts, one linear and one non-linear, and completed the full pre-production planning for both. You can view the completed planning document, including storyboard sketches below.
Linear Concept: Smiski: After Hours
I chose this concept because it allowed me to explore linear storytelling in a playful, character-driven way using physical objects I already own. Even though the Smiski figures are not flexible or pose-able, that limitation pushed me to think more intentionally about replacement animation, framing, and timing rather than relying on traditional character movement. The idea of objects coming to life when no one is watching felt simple, relatable, and well suited for stop motion.
One challenge I anticipate is maintaining lighting consistency, especially since the Smiskis glow and any small change in lighting will be noticeable. Breaking the story into clear storyboard beats helped make the process feel more manageable. At this stage, I’m especially drawn to this concept because it balances structure and creativity while still leaving room for playful experimentation.
Non-Linear Concept: What’s in My Bag
For my non-linear concept, I wanted to explore a more object-focused, promotional style of stop motion driven by visual rhythm rather than a traditional story arc. I chose the Beaded Necklace format because it allows each object to have its own moment of movement while still feeling connected as part of a cohesive sequence. This structure felt especially appropriate for everyday items, where meaning comes from accumulation and repetition rather than cause and effect.
A potential challenge with this concept is making sure the sequence feels intentional rather than random, especially since the camera will remain locked for the entire animation. Careful planning, consistent framing, and controlled movement will be key. While both concepts are strong, I’m currently leaning slightly toward the Smiski idea because of its character-driven narrative, though the bag animation offers a great opportunity to experiment with pacing and visual storytelling.
Stop Motion Test Animation – Deck of Cards
As a technical test, I created a short stop motion animation using a deck of playing cards, focusing only on movement, pacing, and the stop motion process rather than storytelling. I used the Stop Motion iOS app, which made capturing frames accessible but still required a lot of patience and precision. Even though the final animation is only a few seconds long, it took time to adjust to thinking frame by frame and making very small, intentional changes between shots.
One surprising takeaway was how noticeable small inconsistencies became when the frames were played back. Slight changes in spacing, hand placement, or lighting stood out immediately. I also noticed that the overall image quality dropped after editing and exporting, which highlighted the importance of camera and resolution settings. Moving forward, I plan to increase the camera quality on my iphone to ensure a cleaner final result.
This test animation made the stop motion process feel much more approachable and reinforced how important planning and technical setup are, even for very short animations. The experience will directly inform how I approach my full stop motion project, especially in terms of pacing, lighting, and image quality.
Looking forward to creating this next week!
Hey, I’m Ashley!
I am a graphic & interactive designer passionate about creating purposeful, fun, and engaging design. Whether it’s a brand identity, a responsive website, or a social media campaign, I love connecting ideas with strategy to make work that’s not only beautiful, but effective.
