Animating water in stop-motion sounds like an incredibly complicated task, and if you are curious how it can be done, check out this behind-the-scenes video on crafting stop-motion water animations from LAIKA Studios. The studio's artists, Oliver Jones, Brian McLean, Martin Meunier, Brian Elliot, and Steve Emerson, present some of their innovative techniques employed in five films: Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Missing Link.

The creators shared that they wanted to keep everything practical. For example, they created a whole shower series with 3D-printed strands and unveiled an impressive setup to bring sea waves to life using fabric. In another scene, the artists used a sheet of glass and a huge tennis racket to create a motion of water, and showcased a tricky way to create caustics to make the scene more immersive. Of course, it's difficult to use only practical tools, and the animators combine intricate analogue setups with digital solutions.

In another episode of the Craft in Motion series, the creators from LAIKA Studios show how stop-motion artists brought a 150-year-old Victorian mansion to life:

The studio's YouTube channel features a lot of engaging videos unveiling the creative process:

If you like how stop-motion animations look, check out more of the projects crafted with this technique, such as a dreamlike short film by Lauren Tsai, an animation with Toy Story's Sid by JuanCarlos CR, and a WIP action platformer titled Out of Words, developed by Kong Orange and WiredFly in collaboration with Epic Games Publishing:

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