Aardman Animations marks 50th anniversary with new Shaun the Sheep project

Aardman Animations’ studio floor was recently captured on film as an animator, crochet hook in hand, gently lifted the eyelid of a clay‑modeled sheep—a scene that illustrates the studio’s enduring reliance on stop‑motion animation. The technique, which dates back to the earliest days of cinema, involves incrementally adjusting clay figures frame by frame to create the illusion of movement, a process that Aardman has refined for more than fifty years.

The meticulous method remains central to Aardman’s latest productions, where artisans continue to sculpt, armature, and animate each character with hand‑crafted precision. By combining traditional hand‑movement with modern digital tools for lighting and compositing, the studio sustains its signature visual style while meeting contemporary production schedules, underscoring the lasting relevance of its time‑honored craft.