Chapter 6: Animate Clay 5. It is easiest to work with clay as a pure form without use of an armature. 6. Whenever possible, figures should be small so the clay can support its own weight, enabling easier animation. 7. When armatures are used for clay, there may be a need to resculpt the figure, as the force used to move the clay will also distort it. 8. Blending hardened clay parts into soft clay is a good strategy for clay animation. 9. Using casting methods, clay can be used to create replacement figures for use in Puppetoon-style animation. 10. Animating in reverse is a good way to create transformation effects using "destructive animation." Films to See Claymation Classics' Oscar-winning short Closed Mondays along with other Oscar-nominated shorts such as The Great Cognito. Volume 1 has a documentary on the Claymation process. The films are available courtesy of Will Vinton (www.willvinton.net). GumbyDharma (2006) by Robina Marchesi. This fascinating documentary traces the life and times of Art Clokey, the creator of Gumby (Gumbydharma.com). Wallace and Gromit: Three Amazing Adventures, available from filmingthefantastic.com and Amazon.com. This compilation has three spectacular examples of Aardman animation: A Grand Day Out (1989), The Wrong Trousers (1993), and A Close Shave (1995).