Art is a form of expression that a lot of people use in many different ways. For some, painting and drawing are where they showcase their talents, others prefer dancing or creating music. Wilson Evans (12) enjoys the process of creating stop-motion animation; a form of art expressed through side-by-side images that tell a story.

Evans had the opportunity to explore this hobby through a UT art event. His previous passion for animation was what encouraged him to attend the program.

“What inspired me to make stop motion animation was my love for animation in general as well as some time at the UT art school event,” Evans said.

Having created his fair share of animations, Evans can confidently say that the biggest aspect of this hobby is the time that goes into it. He enjoys the process of turning the separate images into one story.

“Typically time is the biggest thing that goes into any animation as each frame is delicately posed to continue the flow from the previous frame which creates the illusion of motion,” Evans said.

The hours put into this hobby are worth it for Evans when he can see his finished product. For him, the best part of creating these animations is being able to see the full picture at the end.

“The most rewarding part will always be the ability to just see even a second of animation that spawned from hours of work,” Evans said.

While Evans definitely has a strong passion for stop-motion animation, it certainly has its challenges. The process of creating these images can have many different setbacks and obstacles, making it all the more difficult when creating the animations.

“Each animation type has its own troubles to get through but for stop-motion, it is typically working with a medium that you can’t work backward from. This leads to professionals creating multiple figures of the same character and on top of that, clay is rather easy to squish which can be a setback,” Evans said.

Despite these challenges, Evans still adores creating stop-motion animation. His passion for the hobby allows him to continue making these stories and bringing them to life! He is excited to see where his talents can take him.