![BoxTrolls](/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/BoxTrollsFeatured.jpg)
Good friend of Animation Mentor Malana McFarlen visited the Portland Art Museum last week to see an exhibit on the work of stop-motion animation studio Laika! Luckily she was able to snap some photos and tell us a little about the experience—in case you can’t make it out to Portland. If you can, seems like it’s definitely worth a visit! Here are some highlights.
The Portland Art Museum is featuring the work of Laika called ”Animating Life” until May 20, 2018. Laika, formerly Will Vinton Studios, is a stop-motion animation studio headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon (near Portland).
The company makes its movies using an old-fashioned filmmaking technique called stop-motion animation, which requires animators to manipulate miniature puppets frame-by-frame to simulate motion.
Although the puppets are small, they require large, custom-built sets to create the world around the characters. So Laika needs a large soundstage to make its films. The warehouse where all this takes place has recently been expanded to 250,000 square feet.
![ParaNorman House](/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/HouseParaNorman.jpg)
House from ParaNorman (2012)
Pieces of those sound stages, and sets, as well as artboards and puppets are showcased at the exhibit.
![Boxtrolls](/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Boxtrolls.jpg)
A scene from The Boxtrolls (2014)
The two photos below are examples of Look Development. Every Laika film strives for a unique look and LookDev is where designers, model makers and painters explore materials and ideas for the film.
![Props1](/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Props1.jpg)
![Props2](/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Props2.jpg)
Laika uses 3D printing to create the facial expressions of their characters. Pictured below is a wall of faces that shows the transformation between expressions.
![PuppetsLaika](/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/PuppetsLaika.jpg)
Puppets from the films show the incredible detail required in fabricating the clothing, textiles and accessories that bring a character’s personality into being.
![Kubo](/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Kubo.jpg)
At the exhibit you’ll also see the world’s largest animation puppet created for the fight scenes in the film, Kubo and the Two Strings”(2016). You’ll also see how the filmmakers created a mechanical ocean and swimming monsters for the film.
![KuboSkull](/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/KuboSkull.jpg)
![KuboWorm](/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/KuboWorm.jpg)
This exhibit continues until May so if you’re in Portland, be sure to check it out! Here’s more information on visiting the museum.
Want to learn more about stop-motion animation? Check out our in-depth Q&A with Laika Animator Jeff Riley about his work on Kubo and the Two Strings!
Want to learn from professional animators?
Start your journey by learning with professional animators from a variety of major studios and career paths! Get more information about Animation Mentor’s Character Animation Courses.