Aardman Animation is a British stop motion clay animation studio known for films like Wallace and Gromit. It was founded in 1972 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton to produce animated films and TV shows using clay animation techniques. Some of their most famous works include the Wallace and Gromit shorts about the adventures of the eccentric inventor Wallace and his loyal dog Gromit, as well as the children's series Shaun the Sheep. Aardman is known for its realistic and expressive clay animated characters that are brought to life through the labor intensive stop motion animation process.

2. History
Aardman Animation Ltd. is a British animation studio in Bristol, United Kingdom. It is
known for its stop motion clay animation techniques. It is best known for Wallace and
Gromit. It was founded in 1972 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton who both had a dream to
produce an animated motion picture. The partnership started to create animated sequence for
a BBC series for deaf children called Vision On. They then made a clay animation called
Greeblies which then was the inspiration for them to create Morph which was a simple clay
character that explores.
The name “Aardman” was taken from one of the superhero’s that were created in Vision On
in 1972. Even though they are known for there claymotion productions Aardman was cel-
animated. The name comes from a Dutch work “aarde” which means earth.

3. Key Film/Creations
Wallace & Gromit
Director : Steve Box and Nick Park
Wallace & Gromit is two characters that are best friends and each film has a different adventure to it. The Films that
include Wallace & Gromit are “A Matter Of Loaf and Death”, “The Curse of the Were-Rabbit”, “Cracking
Contraptions”, “The Wrong Trousers”, “A Close Shave” and “A Grand Day Out” Each film is about the adventures they
go through, towards the end they will always be together. What always comes up in Wallace and Gromit films is that
Wallace loves cheese. This is what they are known for and there saying is “Cheese Gromit” which the audience picks
up.
Everything in the film and the characters are all made from clay and using istop motion to create
the animation. This requires details and each character has to have a body language to describe
each one.

4. Key Film/Creations
Shaun The Sheep
Director : Nick Park
Shaun the sheep is about a flock of sheep that act human like behind a human’s back. The farmer
doesn’t know that his sheeps are like this but Shaun goes through different adventures in each
episodes there is another character which is the sheepdog that helps shaun through these
adventures behind the farmers back.
All the characters are made from clay using istop motion. Each character has human
abilities, behaviour and intelligence but they are shown in different ways. The sheep dog is
like a human behind the farmers back and his facial expressions shows what his
personality is like, he seems moody, angry and confused with what the other sheeps does
and even though he is sheep dog it seems that they never listen to him.

5. Key Characters
Gromit symbolises the films Wallace and Gromit, He is important in the film as he is the main character along side
Wallace. Even though Gromit doesn’t speak you can understand what he is trying to say through his actions and
facial expressions. Gromit is very laid back and prefers to sit back on a armchair with the newspaper. Gromit always
has to solve and save Wallace when he is in his situations and problems. Even though the audience can see that
Gromit is a dog they see him as Wallace’s best friend and a human like him because of what he does he walks
around on two feet instead of four which shows what kind of character he is like.

6. Key Technology
All of Aardman animations are done by stop motion clay animations and this is what
Aardman is known for. They create each different character differently and using patience
they use the program stop motion to create the animation that they are trying to make.