Making plasticine people - for stop motion animation

Evidence that Alex and I came up with the plasticine pirates idea before Aardman! After a trip to 4D model shop on the CS3 cycle route we started our plasticine people experiment.

We made armatures out of wire twisted together using a drill.

We used plastic to cover the armature joints and add bulk. The plastic balls were melted in hot water. We added balsa wood feet so they stood up on their own.

Building the figures.

Finished products.

Me and my pirate.

Alex and his old man

Earring holder with a photo frame.

This was a bit of an experiment but it seemed to work quite well. Old frame from the a charity shop, little tacks and wire from Cowling and Wilcox.

Too many odd earrings...

Rag rugs

First attempt at using material to make things was rag rugging.

Rag rug made for mum using blue, green brown rags

Rag rug base ('hessian'), tool and bag of rags

Rag rugging tool and hessian from a  bead shop in Kentish Town and the rags from charity shops, my old clothes and some bits and bobs begged from work colleagues.

Rag rug for Alex, I tried to make it look like a branch, but it doesn't work and looks more like a dinosaurs foot.

Looks a bit better from the back tho.  I just used duct tape to seal this one, if I had more time I would have hemmed it properly.

William Blake mirror

I've always liked the idea of covering furniture in paper, words and pictures, so when I bought a cheap full length mirror with a hot pink frame from Brick Lane, I decided to try and cover it with poems. Blake is buried in Bunhill Fields, just next to where I work and I studied his poems for  A level so I have always had a soft spot for his work. In addition they are a lovely mixture of words and pictures which makes them perfect for this kind of project. I used an illustrated paperback copy of Songs of Innocence and Experience, cut out the poems and pictures and glued them round the frame, before covering them in sticky back plastic. If I did it again, I think I might use varnish instead, as this would act as a better seal. Nevertheless, the mirror had lasted a good while already and adds a literary element to blow drying my hair in the morning!