Pups Log

 You got balls?  My friend asked me when we went to Caribou hunting, there were dangerous snow trails by the beach, and somebody needed to pass through there. I said  “Yeah, I got but small…” Anyway, I got small balls from China.  Will use 6mm balls for joints for the regular armature and 8mm balls for the bigger armature.  But they only sell joint plates for 6mm balls, that is why will make a joint plate for 8mm balls somehow. I cut a 2mm thick brass plate and drilled halls without jig. Every plate needs holes same place, but I can't make holes same place. Can't fit balls, joint not working.  Then I plan a design jig for the joint.  I draw on paper, it looks easy to make, but it is small and hard to make with metals.  Drilling holes, cutting, and filing brass plates all evening. A few evenings later, finally, I finished a jig. Jig for ball joint I can make 6mm and 8mm, one ball two ball joints.  6mm, 8mm ball joint, and jig. 

  Hi there, I am still working on the scale model Qajaq. Even though it is a scale model, the process is nearly identical to the full-scale Qajaq. Ribs and cockpit hoops are also formed by bending the materials. I boiled the rib material and bent it using a jig to scale. Of course, I made this jig as well. The fact that we have to make the props for the props ourselves is perhaps a big difference from CG animation. Yes, this is truly one of the best parts of making a Stop-motion animation for us. It's not hard to bend these thin pieces of wood, but the problem is that once bent it's difficult to install them onto the gunwales. My fingers seem too thick to move freely between the gunwales. Oh, just to be safe, it is better to chamfer the rib material. The cockpit hoop material is first boiled lightly, then wrapped around the "form". It is fixed with a stapler. Then boiled again and is drying now.  You may be thinking, "This cockpit hoop is too big, isn't it?...

  顔の原型を作っています。 これがなかなか難しいんですの。 何度も失敗を重ねて、漸く少しだけわいは君のキャラを掴めてきたような気がします。

  I plan to create the character's facial expressions using a "replacement" system. I'm in the process of having Sayaka create the default expression that will be the basis for it. The images and video show the layering of clay against the core material. The part shown in green is the polystyrene foam core material. From this basic model, we create female molds and mass produce the default facial expressions. Before baking it in the oven, we modify them to give them the desired facial expressions. Originally, it would be more efficient to perform this process with a 3D printer. However, we want to stick to "handmade" products. Oops, I used CG. 😱 However, I do not intend to use digital technology to create the actual puppets or backgrounds. 

  Do you know Seal could move their neck as a human? Almost Human's necks are narrower than the body and head (some bodybuilders look no necks). When the seal moves their neck and looks around, the neck part keeps changing. Sometimes narrower, sometimes smoother to the head.  I need to think about how to move the neck part joint, easily and follow the outer skin naturally.  By the way, over 20 years ago, I wanted a drill press for metal work. But too big to put my small room. Then I bought a drill stand for a regular electric drill. It was working well those days.  Now I need to make small holes for small metal parts.  When I checked the auction site, there were lots of cheap drill presses. Big ones, small ones. I was thinking of trying to bid but checked the other stores, and they selling new ones at almost the same price. That's why I got a new small drill press.  Oh my goodness, it works great!!

  The bodies of puppets used in animation have bones called "Armatures." For example, for human characters, the joints used are almost identical to those of the human skeleton. The Armature in the image was customized by Shingo . Since he knows a lot about mechanics, I asked him to help me with this project. By the way, the support behind the Armature in the image, called the tank, was also designed by him.  The structure of the armature is very logical and beautiful, but like the kayak frame, it will be hidden when some puppets are completed. 😭 Still, if the character's movement becomes attractive, Armature's presence will be rewarded even though it is invisible. That may be equivalent to the value of animators' existence.

Hi there, As previously mentioned, the main characters of this animation are child kayaker, so of course, kayak appear in the play. He carries it, paddles it, and rolls it too. I am building this scale model of a kayak as close to the actual process as possible. The parts are so small that it's quite difficult to work with. However, I believe that the challenges faced in "craftsmanship" are part of the joy, so I welcome these kinds of challenges. I might make scale models in several scales depending on each scene. Yes, it's relatively easy to arrange the materials and tools required. If you have a short holiday, give it a try. By the way, the tools I prepared are a model saw, a pin vise, wood glue, a needle and thread. I will eventually wrap this frame in fabric. I'm still thinking about the fabric. Usually, when Greenland Kayaks are wrapped in fabric or leather, the beauty of the frame is hidden, but in this animation I want to show the beauty of the frame, so I ...