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Creative Responses to Artworks, Writing Haiku and Curating Exhibitions

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Creative Responses to Artworks, Writing Haiku and Curating Exhibitions

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Click on the Image above to access images from this section of the workshop!

We browsed the artworks around the room together. What did we think we were looking at? Did they evoke an emotional response?

We came up with 1 word in response to 1 piece of art and brought it back to our group.

We laid out the words on a table so everyone could see and were set a challenge to write a Haiku using the word responses. A Haiku is 3 lines long with a 5, 7, 5 syllable format. Each of the 3 groups was responsible for writing 1 line of the Haiku using any words from the selection plus joining words such as and, the or a etc.

We then explored the artworks again together and were set a challenge to match the Haiku to a curated 'mini exhibition' of 3 or 4 artworks which might work well in an art display that features our collective haiku.

Each group took a turn reading the Haiku and introducing their exhibition.

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Click on the image above to access images from this section of the workshop.

We explored the Lost Property Box Objects and each chose 1 object of interest to us.

We worked in pairs to discuss and investigate our objects, noting down common ground between them and our responses.

We responded to our objects using the 5 senses- smell, sight, taste, touch, sound - and chose 5 words to represent each sense. Using these words, we wrote a Haiku in our pairs.

We chose an artwork that resonated with us, our objects and our Haiku.

We shared our Haiku's common ground responses, and our artwork with each other.

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Click on the image above to access photos from this section of the workshop.

After our drawing warm-up, we explored the functionality of the printer, the materials available and basic printing techniques with Chelsea.

Then we were free to explore the print making process for ourselves and, linking with the themes, objects and artworks from the morning session if we liked, we set about making a series of prints.

We made our own plates and built multi-layered prints, often borrowing other people's plates to add new layers! We experimented with different inks, textures, plates and materials.

We displayed our prints, discussed and celebrated them!

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Resources Used & Spoken about in our Training!

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Resources Used & Spoken about in our Training!

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Resources used and talked about in the printmaking:

The Pooki Press A4

https://www.pookipresses.co.uk/presses-1/pastel-green-lever-relief-lino-wood-cut-print-press

https://www.instagram.com/pookipresses/

Open Press Project

https://openpressproject.com/

Using lego bricks to print

https://openpressproject.com/blogs/news/using-lego-bricks-as-printing-plates

Open source FabLab Press Plans: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2841592

Clegg Lino Ink

https://store.evansartsupplies.ie/Printing-%26-Etching-Lino-Inks-907/

Ink Rollers

https://store.evansartsupplies.ie/product/15237/EVANS-LINO-ROLLER-4%22/

Cardboard

EVA Foam

Textured papers and surfaces

Glue Sticks

Scissors

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Access incredible art collections owned by all of us at the National Cultural Institutions. They also often have informal learning programmes.

National Gallery of Ireland

https://www.nationalgallery.ie/what-we-do/our-organisation/collections-research/education-department

Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA)

https://imma.ie/collection/

Chester Beatty Library

https://chesterbeattyeducation.wordpress.com/resources/

The Crawford Art Gallery

https://crawfordartgallery.ie

Hunt Museum

https://www.huntmuseum.com

Hugh Lane Gallery

https://www.hughlane.ie

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Learn more about the value of looking...

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Learn more about the value of looking...

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Visual Thinking Strategies

https://vtshome.org

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Brilliant comic / graphic novel artist, Lynda Barry, in particular:

https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/making-comics/

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The bestselling, idiosyncratic curriculum from a 2019 MacArthur Fellow will teach you how to draw and write your story

"The self-help book of the year."-The New York Times

Hello students, meet Professor Skeletor. Be on time, don't miss class, and turn off your phones. No time for introductions, we start drawing right away. The goal is more rock, less talk, and we communicate only through images.

For more than five years the cartoonist Lynda Barry has been an associate professor in the University of Wisconsin-Madison art department and at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, teaching students from all majors, both graduate and undergraduate, how to make comics, how to be creative, how to not think. There is no academic lecture in this classroom. Doodling is enthusiastically encouraged.

Making Comics is the follow-up to Barry's bestselling Syllabus, and this time she shares all her comics-making exercises. In a new hand-drawn syllabus detailing her creative curriculum, Barry has students drawing themselves as monsters and superheroes, convincing students who think they can't draw that they can, and, most important, encouraging them to understand that a daily journal can be anything so long as it is hand drawn.

Barry teaches all students and believes everyone and anyone can be creative. At the core of Making Comics is her certainty that creativity is vital to processing the world around us.

Awarded a 2019 MacArthur Genius Grant

"Eternally wise and strange."- NPR

"Barry is pushing the envelope on understanding how the brain creates and responds to words and pictures - a scholarly envelope that, in her mind, should be positively covered with illuminating doodles."- The Washington Post

" Making Comics is stuffed to the gills with Barry's friendly wisdom, characteristic doodles, and mind-expanding exercises."- Paris Review

"Barry pairs a spirit of wise and open encouragement with a demand for rigor... The underlying thesis of Making Comics is that anyone can discover their own cartooning genius, if they are willing to put in the work."- Salon

"What's most delightful about Making Comics is its emphasis on action, on exercise, on practice-on actual making."- New Republic

"Part motivational lecture, part creative writing exercise, part group therapy session, and part trippy meditation on memory and play... Barry is not only a genius herself but an encourager of genius in others."- The Nation

"[ Making Comics] will help anyone, adult or child, to regain the spirit of freedom, improvisation and joy."- KCRW Bookworm's Best Books of 2019

"One of the best books on unlocking creativity I've ever read: humane, interdisciplinary, fun, and in touch with something deep and mysterious."- Boing Boing Best Books of 2019

"An instructional book that doubles as a work of art... These lessons from Barry, like her art, capture her own brand of magic: a synthesis of theory, practice, memory, imagination, and "a certain sort of unlearning."- Publishers Weekly starred review

"The activities, drawn from Barry's own magical classroom, are fun, flexible, and easy to follow [while] the reality that art drives and sustains us, if we let it, is present on every page... An engaging combination of how-to and why-you-must, perfect for anyone with a story itching to be told."- Library Journal, Starred Review

"[ Making Comics] feels like taking a class from Marlys while stuck in the living room at your cousin's house, and it's a delightful, shed-your-inhibitions-about-your-talent kind of instruction."- Chicago Reader

"[ Making Comics is] full of drawing exercises that help you access your creativity and silence your inner critic."- CBC Q

" Making Comics is both a tool kit of her comics-making exercises and a tender manifesto about how anyone can create."- Lit Hub

"There's a serious theoretical underpinning here, and Barry's lighthearted and genuinely fun approach is directly in service of it: banishing your inner critic, developing a disciplined (but playful) practice, and dismantling beliefs about what constitutes a "good" comic is key to finding something organic, original, and true."- Booklist, starred review

"A sequential art legend known for her imaginative and deeply personal work... shares her comics-making exercises that detail her creative curriculum."- My Modern Met

"A lesson in rekindling our inner spark...part philosophical discussion, part memoir, and part straight-into-the-vein fun."- Black Girl Nerds

"I've read a lot of writing and drawing textbooks, and Barry's is the only one that has made me choke up with emotion."- Pop Matters

"Delightful... [ Making Comics] offers a thoughtful, clear, step-by-step approach to generating creative work in words and pictures, which is daunting when a person is staring at a blank page and wondering how they could possibly begin."- New City Lit

Making Comics is stuffed to the gills with Barry's friendly wisdom, characteristic doodles, and mind-expanding exercises.
Paris Review

eBook ISBN : 9781770464209

Color : Illustrations throughout

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The bestselling, idiosyncratic curriculum from a 2019 MacArthur Fellow will teach you how to draw and write your story "The self-help book of the year."-The New York Times Hello students, meet Professor Skeletor. Be on time, don't miss class, and turn off your phones. No time for introductions, we start drawing right away.

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Introduce yourself to the artists who are making waves in the “contemporary art scene”.

Talk Art - Robert Diamant and Russel Tovey - they have a book, podcast and social media:

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/56222574-talk-art

https://www.instagram.com/talkart/

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Talk Art Podcast (@talkart) * Instagram photos and videos

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76K Followers, 4,161 Following, 3,888 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Talk Art Podcast (@talkart)

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Cloughjordan Circus Club - Online Classes, Book a Class, Wires Crossed

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These are my notes of what we did together during our session with the amazing Joanna and Sarah from Cloughjordan Circus Club. These notes are a memory aid to remind ourselves of those moments of activity and conversation that we really enjoyed, or meant to pursue further or think about more (rather than a workshop plan!). I Hope you find it useful!
Rhona Dunnett, National Youth Arts Programme Manager, NYCI

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Key Principles: Roles of Youth Workers & Artists

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Key Principles: Roles of Youth Workers & Artists

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Click on the image to see your responses to the group discussions that took place

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Working Together: Artist and Youth Workers

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Working Together: Artist and Youth Workers

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Click on the image to download

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WORKING TOGETHER - Artists and Youth Workers

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Resource: Benefit of the Arts to People and Communities

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Resource: Benefit of the Arts to People and Communities

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Click on image to download

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Benefit of the Arts to People and Communities

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Resource: Social Impacts of Participation in the Arts

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Resource: Social Impacts of Participation in the Arts

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Click on the image to download

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Social Impacts of Participation in the Arts

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Click on the image to download

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Here's a great list of online resources and reading from Sarah Thornton. Thanks Sarah!

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Webliography Circus and Youth Work session

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This training event introduced fresh approaches to building basic drama skills with young people and delivering engaging group sessions that developed confidence and group work skills. We'll took a learn-by-doing approach that allowed us to explore the creative drama process from a participant's point of view and then we took time to un-pack each session together, reflecting on your experiences and facilitation approaches. The event was also a great chance to hear about local youth theatres, drama facilitators and the resources available at Youth Theatre Ireland.

We worked with Dave Kelly, the National Training Co-ordinator with Youth Theatre Ireland. As part of his work at Youth Theatre Ireland, Dave develops, coordinates, and facilitates the national training programme. He is a Co-ordinator and Tutor on Youth Theatre Ireland’s part-time QQI-accredited Level 6 programme in Drama Facilitation

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A list of activities we took part in to jog your memories!

Checking our Energy! (mental and physical, thumbs up/down with sounds)

Jump Ha (following the facilitator, group adding ideas, tapping on shoulder to find new leader etc.)

Good Morning (walking the space & saying good morning, taking on different characters, hold someone's hand until you start saying good morning to next person)

Human Knots (stop previous game, connect everyone and ask group to unravel slowly)

Warm-ups (stretches, rib movements, O Yes that's Good!)

Elvis! (Uh-Huh! Lets see your Elvis!)

Walk the Space (responding to facilitator's calls/claps, starting/stopping as a group

Hug Tag (saving each other with hugs/fist bumps, joining hands to form a chain when caught)

Our Circle (making a circle in order of first names and find our space)

Introductions (This is... This is... I am...)

Elephant's Ears (Lots of variations here! Pointing across circle sequence, placing hands on shoulders of person being pointed at, tugging your ear to pass it to your left/right)

Carousel (inner and outer circles - secret handshake, twirl, shopping at the greengrocers, babysitting etc)

Zoom (swinging left and right with claps, we practiced passing a sequence of claps around the circle)

Bounces (bounces of 8 on the spot, add facilitator's movements and then in groups we did a 'make your won sequence. We played with these sequences (direction we were looking, where we were in the room) to create scenes and said 'Let's watch!'.

Give and Take (with 2 chairs, only 1 person could sit at a time - we played with the rhythm and movements. We watched each other to see if there was a Who? Where? What? We moved around to join other pairs!)

Give and Take - Make Your Own (we came up with our own 'give and take' actions, called 'Let's watch!' and played to see if we could imagine a 'Who? Where? What?

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Youth Theatre Ireland is the national development organisation for youth theatre in Ireland. They have loads of resources and information about youth theatre and drama facilitation on thetr website www.youththeatre.ie

You might be interested in:

Playshare: A collection of plays suitable for youth theatres & young people Playshare | Resources | Youth Theatre Ireland

Young Critics Resource Suite: A guide to developing a theatre criticism programme with young people Young Critics Resource Suite | Youth Theatre Ireland

A Handbook for Youth Theatre Facilitators; Supporting Young People on the Autism Spectrum: Supporting Young People on the Autism Spectrum | Resources | Youth Theatre Ireland

Drama Facilitation Training: Accredited Training | Youth Theatre Ireland

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Dave spoke to us about his resource, Laying the Foundations - a guide for anyone looking to develop their drama facilitation skills! It contains plans for ten drama workshops; guidance notes for each workshop; advice on good drama facilitation practice.

You can find out more and buy it here: Laying the Foundations: A Guide to Youth Drama Facilitation | Resources | Youth Theatre Ireland

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Everyone at the training got a free copy of Drama Spaces - a manual for working with young people through drama by Sarah FitzGibbon (published by NYCI).

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Fracture Youth Theatre takes place from September to April each year. If you're between 13 and 17 years old and looking for something fun and exciting to be part of, Fracture Youth Theatre is it!

No experience necessary. We meet every Saturday, 3pm-5pm, in the Source Arts Centre, Thurles. Experienced theatre practitioners Emily Matthews, Jennifer Ryan Kelly and Danielle Martin lead and direct the youth theatre.

Fracture YT is an excellent programme for young people to make new friends, develop communication skills and build confidence through theatre games and improvisation. Presenting one play each year, participants work hard together to accomplish their goals in a supportive and rewarding environment.

For more information, contact

The Source Arts Centre, Thurles, at 0504-90204.

Emily Mathews, facilitator at tipperaryyt@gmail.com

facebook.com/Fracture-Youth-Theatre-473230533173315

Fracture Youth Theatre is a partnership project between The Source and Tipperary Arts Office with funding support from The Arts Council.

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Young Writers Hothouse 2020-

The Young Writers Hothouse is a series of workshop programme to support teenage writers.

The Hothouse looks to bring together those who are actively writing whether that is in private, a blog, school magazine or other format  - those who may be interested in having a career in writing in the future - to meet, write and share experiences with their peers.

5-10 writers aged between 15-18 years are offered places on the session which are be held at The Source Arts Centre. The workshops look at innovative and experimental ways of developing skills, that could be used and adapted by the writers when they leave the session. Writers are given writing tasks or challenges to take home and complete.

If you wish to be involved, please contact the Artistic Director, Brendan Maher via email:  director@sourcearts.ie

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Projects for Young People at The Source Arts Centre.

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Nenagh Youth Theatre has been Nenagh Arts Centre's resident youth theatre since 2009 and every year they are here, they bring something new, vibrant and exciting to our space. Hundreds of local people have either participated or attended youth theatre workshops or shows throughout the years. They have shot short films in our auditorium, used our outdoor area for site specific shows and performed several lives plays and pantomimes on our stage.

Nenagh Youth Theatre runs weekly workshops in our theatre every Saturday morning, 10:00am – 12:00pm (group I), 12:00pm – 14:00pm (group II). Workshops include acting, writing, comedy improv, physical theatre and lots more to accommodate the many talents and interests of the young people of Nenagh. Drama workshops are a great way for young people to feel a part of a team, its great for their self expression and confidence. This group is suitable for 13 – 17yr olds who ​are looking for a creative outlet to express themselves, gain an understanding of theatre as an art form while making memories and having lots of fun, then Nenagh Youth Theatre is the place for you!

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch at ​artsadmin@nenagharts.com or message on Facebook @Nenagharts facebook.com/NenaghYT

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Stagecraft Youth Theatre in Clonmel are one of Ireland's oldest youth theatres. For twenty-five years Stagecraft have aimed to bring the highest level of theatre training, arts participation and drama workshops to the south east. Stagecraft maintains a core belief in generationally authentic work. We try to keep our member's needs, dreams and ambitions at the forefront of our work, responding with specialized workshops, bespoke productions and engaging work. We offer classes for young people aged 5 - 25. We currently operate four groups which are divided by age and they each take place on Saturday mornings in the Sisters of Charity School Hall in Clonmel.

Stagecraft facilitate drama workshops from September to Christmas and then produces four plays between January and May. Each group performs their production in a theatre. Our summer months are typically filled with special projects such as musicals, devised work and short films.

To sign up or for more information you can head to our website www.stagecraftyt.com or to our Instagram www.instagram.com/stagecraft_yt

Jack Reardon is the artistic director of Stagecraft and he can be contacted on +353872805375 or at jackreardon1@hotmail.com

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Find out more about our wonderful facilitator, Nathalie El Baba by clicking on the image to visit her website.

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Visual artist and experienced community arts facilitator.

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This training event was designed to bring together the magic of story sharing and the joy of art making as a way to cultivate empathy and establish genuine connections. Through story exchange, participants had the chance to share their experiences and hear others' stories. This workshop was designed to provide youth workers and artists with practical tools and techniques they can readily apply in their work with young people, with a particular focus on empathy and relationship building.

We did some activities to get to know each other better and swap interesting things about ourselves!

Keeping our story in mind, we were invited to make an artwork using a canvas board and a range of materials

Nathalie & Rhona modelled the story share process

Working in pairs, you shared a story with your partner and listened to your partner's story

In a group circle, we took part in the story share process

We reflected on what we had learned from the experience - from speaking out partner's story and listening to our partner sharing our story

We gave our partner a gift in response to our experience with them

We reflected on how we could use this work in our youth work and youth arts settings

We had a lovely lunch (thanks Lorraine!)

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Building Connections Story Exchange Prompts

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Building Connections Story Exchange Prompts

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Preparing

The facilitator guides participants through activities that focus on listening skills, empathy and storytelling.

Sharing

Participants share their stories with a partner and actively listen while their partner shares their story

Retelling

The group gathers together and each participant retells their partner’s story in the first person.

Reflecting

Participants discuss how they feel and what they learned from the Story Exchange.

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Share stories, build bridges, create connections

What we do

Help students and teachers build authentic connections

Where we work

Classrooms, youth and community centres, and more

How we help

Professional development, learning resources, and more

CPD for Youth Workers provided by Narrative 4 in Ireland:

Youth Work - Narrative 4

You can also check-out the international Narrative 4 website here:

Narrative 4

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Stories break down barriers and shatter stereotypes. They foster empathy, kindness, compassion and curiosity. Stories are a powerful tool to teach SEL skills.

Join a community of educators across Ireland who believe in the transformative power of instilling SEL skills in youth.

"Stories can shape our future with research showing that telling stories of struggles that turn out well can give people the hope they need to live productive lives in the aftermath of major life challenges".1

Supporting the Wellbeing of the School Community: Returning to School after Covid-19 School Closurechool Closure - National Educational Psychological Service. Dublin. August 2020

We create connections through the power of storytelling

What we do
Help students and teachers build authentic connections

Where we work
Classrooms, youth and community centres, and more

How we help
Professional development, learning resources, and more

I learned that everyone is vulnerable at times and everyone is going through something similar. After going through the N4 Programme, I am definitely more open to telling people how I feel. I realised that people are there to get you through hard times and are here to listen to you.
Alex, Student from Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh

I saw a transformation of attitudes amongst the teenagers. They demonstrated a greater awareness of their own feelings. The Story Exchange opened up an undetected skillset.

Donncha Ó Treasaigh, Director of Schools LCETB
Former Principal of Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh

The story exchanges have been lovely experiences and a way of increasing the awareness and importance of empathy and listening - we have done them with 1st years to help them bond and as a way of getting to know their new classmates. Our TY buddies have helped to facilitate.
Aoife Ryan, Teacher, Mungret Community College

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Narrative 4 (N4) equips educators and artists to help young people learn and lead with curiosity, deep listening, and imagination. We envision a world where community and civic engagement replace loneliness and isolation. We are creating this world student by student, school by school, story by story.

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Our street art workshop was designed to support youth workers and artists to gain practical and creative skills in street arts techniques when working with young people. It was a practical, hands-on training that aimed to equip youth workers and artists with new skills and facilitation methods that support young people to use visual art for self-expression and advocacy.

We focused on building your creative toolkit in digital and socially engaged street arts, exploring techniques such as stencilling, spray painting, paste-ups and online tools.

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Street art is an engaging way for young people to gain confidence and self-determination. Through creating effective visual pieces, they become more connected to themselves and issues that affect them and are supported to develop their own individual voice. The artwork itself then goes on to inspire the audience young and old to take action and see the artists in a positive light.

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Helen & Claire - Creativity and Change & Splattervan

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Helen & Claire - Creativity and Change & Splattervan

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Claire & Helen spoke about the course they run called Creativity and Change at MTU. Click on the image above for more info.

They also talked about their Splattervan projects: Splattervan | Facebook

See the Miro board for more images and info on Helen and Claire's work!

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Certificate in Creativity and Change | Munster Technological University - MTU

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Click on the image to open the Miro Board and zoom in to read!

We're just unlocking access - so bear with me for a day or two on this!

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Sign up | Miro | The Visual Workspace for Innovation

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Miro is a visual workspace for innovation where teams manage projects, design products, and build the future together. Join 60M+ users from around the world.

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We did post-it portraits of ourselves

Claire & Helen introduced themselves

We looked at Creativity & Change & Splattervan on the Miro board - check it out!

We talked about how/why Claire & Helen use street art with young people

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We explored global citizenship!

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We created a poem about Global Citizenship where everyone used a word or phrase to complete the sentence 'I am a Global Citizen who...' And we made a poem!

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We did a temperature check (arms up or down) to see how confident people were with art & drawing /with computers and technology /with global citizenship education /street art / SDGs

Helen introduced the SDGs

We grabbed more post-its and, inspired by the SDGs, we wrote down issues that we cared about and popped them on the SDG board.

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Claire outlined a boat on the floor with masking tape. Water levels were rising. We had to get on the boat but there was space for only 5 causes/SDGs on that boat to keep it afloat! We debated which causes/SDGs were most important and most deserving of a place on the boat!

We divided ourselves into 5 groups based on our interests in the final 5 causes / SDGs

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Each group created a freeze frame image to visually communicate their cause/SDG.

We took a photo of each freeze frame against a plain, blank wall and with even light sources.

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Helen introduced useful digital tools!

www.pixlr.com for editing images

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Rastorbator - a wall art generator useful for making paste-ups

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Wall art generator. Enlarges images to multiple pages, which you can then print and combine into huge posters.

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www.dafont.com For downloading useful fonts

Has a stencil section that you can use for street art- the stencil fonts have bridges, for making sure parts of the letters connect when making stencils

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We worked on laptops in groups to edit our image on www.pixlr.com

We removed the background (background remover)

We went to adjustment, then pressed threshold. we adjusted it until we were happy with the black / white balance (Pixlr Editor - remember there's a limit to the number of saves you can do on the free version)

We added a coloured background to a second layer - to make the black/white clearer when we projected the image

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We taped large white cardboard sheets together to make 2 large sheets and stuck them up on the wall on top of each other with masking tape. We cut a triangle into the 2 sheets so that we could match them up perfectly again later on.

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We projected our edited image onto the cardboard using a projector.

On the first layer, we traced the outline of the image on the cardboard.

On the second layer of cardboard, we traced the outline of the image again but this time also traced the black from the threshold adjustment (the sections that get cut-out on the stencil). You can use different colours for black and white lines if it helps! Remember that the white parts within the image will need to remain linked together in the stencil so you might need to adjust and create bridges that don't get cut out!

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We took the cardboard down, got blades and cutting boards and then:

Cut out the first stencil of the overall image

Cut out the second stencil with the threshold shading by cutting out everything that had been black on the image. Make sure that white pieces are still connected to white pieces (you may have to leave a bridge)

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We went outside and got tips from Helen about spray-painting! Attaching our nozzles, using gloves and masks, covering the ground / table.

We sprayed the base coat using the lightest colour and most of us used net curtains to help achieve fab effects!

Once that was dry, we sprayed the first stencil (the silhouette of the whole image) in our middle shade

Once that was dry, we sprayed the final stencil (our shading) using the darkest shade.

And let it all dry!

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The triangle! To help match the stencils up!

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Some people had time to add a phrase to complement image/ communicate their cause / SDG

Using www.dafont.com, they chose a font, typed in their phrase.

They projected the font onto the wall and a piece of cardboard as before and drew around it.

They cut out the font stencil.

They spraypainted this final stencil to add the phrase to the final piece!

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To reflect, Helen & Claire spread Dixit cards on the ground and we were invited to choose a card that showed what we had taken away from the street art experience.

There were lots of gorgeous and interesting points made!

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We were using MTN spray paints!

You can buy them from Art - Spray Paint - MTN - Vibes & Scribes (vibesandscribes.ie)

You can also get water-based spray paints from MTN: MTN Water Based Spray Paint (300ml) - Vibes & Scribes (vibesandscribes.ie)

You can also get a wide range of spray paints in Dublin from Montana 94 – All City Graffiti

I bought the card from the Donegal Box Company: Single Wall Cardboard Sheets, Packing accessories from Donegal Box Company, Ireland

There are lots of suppliers of different types of cardboard, or you might have access to old campaign posters after the election, or a wall!

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The Let's Animate workshop was designed to be a fun, hands-on introduction to the techniques involved in creating stop-motion animated films. Working with artist Mike Byrne, we:

explored the basics of stop-motion animation using plasticine, wires, paper, Lego and other materials

worked together in groups to a develop a story/concept and make our own short animations

tried our hands at using stop-motion apps, editing and adding sound to enhance our animation

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Mike is a self-motivated practitioner with a passion for the more traditional forms of animation, particularly stop frame animation. Since studying Animation & Motion Design at university, he's been developing skills as a stop motion animator and model maker and works regularly schools, youth centres and other organisations.

Email: Mike Byrne michaelbyrne.stopmotion@gmail.com

Find out more about Mike's work!

Let’s Animate with Mike YouTube channel to see children’s final animations,

Stop Motion Tutorials on YouTube with Mike Byrne

Mike's Artist Portfolio.

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Mike had a great equipment kit to share with us! Click on the image above to watch a video reminder of the different types of material and equipment we used.

If you're interested in building your own animation kit, check out Mike's recommendations below:

Jovi Plasticine: Click link to view on cregalart.ie

Tablet Holders: Click link to view on Amazon

LED Desk Lamp: Click Link to view on amazon

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Mike demonstrated a few ways to make characters out of plasticine and use armatures (see photo).

You can mix the plasticine colours together to get different shades and skin colours

Don't be afraid to just throw on the plasticine and add a few details!

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Mike gave a demonstration!

Using coloured card for the background and the ground (stick with blu-tack so it doesn't slip!), Mike built a scene by cutting clouds and other shapes out of card (attach with blu tack) and arranging a selection of pre-made houses & trees. He made a little car and added a lego man!

Using the free Stop-Motion Studio, we took photos on the tablet to capture the action in the story, taking a photo each time we moved a character /object in small increments so that when we played back the photos, the story was animated!

Use the 'Onion Skin tool' (because an onion comes with layers!) to help track your moving objects/characters against your previous photo (see red car in image)

Set the number of frames per second for your work - we did 9fps and Mike said 5fps was about the lowest he would do.

Press play and watch it back!

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Let's Make a Movie.

Want to create movies like Wallace and Gromit or those groovy Lego shorts on YouTube? With its user-friendly interface and powerful editing tools, you can bring your imagination to life and share your creations with the world. Perfect for both beginners and professionals, the Stop Motion Studio app is the ultimate tool for creating captivating animations. Download it now and start animating today!

Stop Motion Studio it's simple to use, it's deceptively powerful, and it's tremendous fun. Available for iPhone, iPad, and macOS as well as Android, Windows, Chromebook, and Amazon Fire devices.

Use your digital camera.

Take your stop-motion animation to the next level with Stop Motion Studio and your full-size Canon or Nikon DSLR camera! Create professional-quality stop-motion animation with the app's advanced camera controls. Easily control objects and movements using Live View. Control shutter speed, ISO and aperture directly from the app. Take advantage of the quality of a full-size camera.

Magically get rid of unwanted objects in your movie.

Stop Motion Studio's masking tool is a powerful feature that can help you remove unwanted objects from your animations with ease. Whether it's a string used to hang objects during capture or other distracting elements.

Turn good looking pictures into spectacular.

Transform your stop motion animations with the powerful image editor in Stop Motion Studio. Easily adjust the composition, fine-tune color levels, and apply stunning filter effects to bring your animation to life. With non-destructive editing, you can experiment with different styles and refine every detail until your animation is just right.

Made with Stop Motion Studio.

From quirky comedies to epic adventures, the possibilities are endless. Join the ranks of talented filmmakers who have created award-winning movies using Stop Motion Studio.

Stop Motion Studio in the Classroom

Stop Motion Studio is an excellent tool that can enhance the learning experience in any classroom! As a powerful and user-friendly app, Stop Motion Studio allows students to bring their creative ideas to life, while providing endless opportunities for project-based learning and collaboration. Stop Motion Studio is a great classroom tool. It's used by thousands of schools around the world.

Check out the buzz.

Stop Motion Studio has received widespread recognition and has been honored with numerous awards. It was featured as 'App of the Week', on Apples Keynote, and on Apple TV Ads. Stop Motion Studio has been seen on various TV shows around the world and has earned a reputation as the go-to app whether you are a beginner or a professional stop motion animator.

Stop-motion animation is a great way to bring toys and other objects to life - and learn the basics of filmmaking.
The New York Times

Stop Motion Studio makes it easy to create your own stop-motion movies.
The Washington Post

All you need is an iPhone or iPad, a tripod, the right software, and a bit of creativity.
PCMag

Stop Motion Studio Brings Out the LEGO Moviemaking Geek in All of Us.
Technewsworld

On all your devices.

Create and edit stop-motion projects seamlessly across all your devices. Whether you're using iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, Chromebook, or Amazon Fire HD, you can easily start a project on one device and finish it on another.

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Stop Motion Studio is a unique app to create stop-motion animations. Powerful, easy to use, and lots of fun. Available on iOS, Android, Windows & Mac.

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Participants divided themselves into groups at the animation stations and everyone got stuck in! Groups decided on a story / idea and got animating!

Click on the image above to see a slide reel of the work!

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Mike showed us how to animate text for title or credit sequences or for anything else in your animation!

We made letters using plasticine and cutters

We placed them on card and shot vertically using a different clip-on tablet stand

We shot the text in full. We wiggled the letters slightly over a few shots to get the animation effect. We shot a sequence where the letters slowly mushed together into a round, shiny ball that rolled away.

We selected all frames and then reversed the sequence. We copied the frames where the entire text 'wiggled' and pasted it a few times to extend that section.

We played around with ideas of ways to bring our text to life!

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Release your Unlimited Creativity with InShot

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Editing & Adding Sound using the InShot Video Editing App

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Editing & Adding Sound using the InShot Video Editing App

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Then we worked to edit our animations and add sound using the InShot app!

We saved our animation sequence to the table and then uploaded it to InShot

We added music/soundscapes and chose fades & volume levels

We moved the cursor to where we wanted to add a sound effect, then selected a sound effect from the library and clicked to insert

You can select the mic to add live voice recording

We edited the sound effects, clicking on the white start/end bars to extend /shorten

To delete the watermark on the free app version just click and watch the add!

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We also used InShot to add title and credit sequences.

Add a scene before and after the animation

Add colour background, add text and edit font & colour and place it where you want on the screen

Get creative!