LAIKA
Puppet Fabrication Internship
Hello Laika!! My name is Anya and I've made this dedicated site page just for you!! I've always had a deep love for stop-motion and tactile media, but I don't think my overall website showcases that properly. In all honesty, I haven't had much opportunity to dive into puppet fabrication - the CalArts Character Animation program is limiting in terms of time and access to materials, stages etc, so what i have below is a little half-baked.
I ask that you take a chance on me.
Though I don't have too much evidence at this time, I have experience in the following:
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sculpture (clay, foam, CG)
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working with silicones, urethane plastics and foams, resins etc
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mold-making and casting
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costume design
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costume-making (knowledge of sewing machines etc)
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wire armature puppet-fabrication
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various machinery + tools (I have scenic design and build experience from working on the CalArts Halloween and Drag Ball parties)
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I have professional experience as a character designer and understand well how to make a design functional in a 3D space. I firmly believe that my design and animation abilities would lend themselves to being a successful puppet fabricator. I have a general understanding of materials and how they bend/move as well as an appreciation for finding unconventional solutions to making something look believable.
Below are images of a few related projects. I hope this is enough for you to see my potential :)
Sculpture - Charlie
This is a clay sculpture made for a class. I unfortunately was unable to finish. Total time spent was roughly 25 hours.
Sculpture - Janey
This was a personal project done during the covid pandemic. This was my first time sculpting ANYTHING and the entire process was self-taught. This was intended to become a silicone puppet but I ended up getting too busy.
Puppet Fabrication - Janey 2.0
This is an ongoing project that was originally part of my thesis film. I intended to create a mixed media film with stop-motion protagonists, however I didn't have the time or budget. I KNOW there's some pretty egregious mistakes in here, being self taught means finding out the hard way. I promise I'm a fast learner!
Puppet Fabrication - Mango
This was my first time making and animating a wire armature puppet. Several animated clips of Mango are included in my demo reel.
Costume Making - Cowgirl
Excuse the weirdness of this one, but I made my costume from scratch for the CalArts 2024 Drag Ball. Everything except the bell, gloves and shoes were entirely handmade, including the udders and nose prosthesis. This was my first time working with latex in such a capacity.
Costume Making - Graduation Outfit
This is an ongoing project. I am currently making my graduation outfit!! I drafted the pattern for this tunic myself. I still need to sew the collar lining on, add clasps, and embroider several panels.
Thank You!
Thank you for taking the time to look through my work. I encourage you to explore the rest of my portfolio to get a better understanding of my skills and interests. Have a lovely day!! :)