OUR CAPABILITIES
The Perfect Blend of Art and Technology

                    
     

The key to success in puppet building can be summed up in one word - Realism. To achieve true realism requires a mastery and a merging of two vastly different disciplines, artistic excellence and technological expertise. And that's exactly what you will find at ANIMAX. We would like to introduce you to Animax Designs, an industry leader with over ten years of experience in puppet and character design. Now here is your tour into the world of Puppet Character Design.

Design
A great puppet character begins with a great design. The first step in the design process is to determine just what that unique character is going to look like. At Animax, our artists provide you with the experience and talent to help take your idea or thumbnail sketch and transform it into and original pencil sketch, color drawing, or even presentation quality artwork.

Sculpting & Moldmaking
Once the design and look of a character has been determined, the project is turned over to the sculptor, who ...using only his bare hands, some foam or clay, and a few essential tools... transforms the character`s image into a three dimensional form. The sculptor follows a methodical process of adding and subtracting bits of material until gradually the form takes shape and a personality emerges. Wrinkles, warts, bumps, and skin texture are applied in painstaking detail.

The final step in this elaborate process involves casting the finished pieces. Here is where silicone, flexible foams, acrylics, and carbon composite materials are transformed into skin, teeth, fingernails, eyes, and other body parts. The result is a collection of handmade parts and pieces that will ultimately become the building blocks for a living, breathing puppet character.

Custom Eyes
A great set of eyes is critical to the success of a character. Animax is a leader in the manufacture of realistic eyes with options for molded plastic and hand blown glass eyes with unlimited size and color options. Whether it is a cartoonish eye or an extremely realistic creature eye, Animax can custom design and fabricate the perfect pair.

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Prosthetics
If you want to transform an actor into a creature, or an alien, or a wise old mystic, Animax has you covered with prosthetic makeup effects. Custom fit foam appliances are fabricated, applied, and blended into the actor`s face. The end result is a transformation of unmatched beauty or horrifying terror!

Mechanical Animation
A comprehensive puppet design facility must include an equally skilled mechanical design and engineering department, and Animax has just that. Services include full CAD design to precision manufacturing of custom components. Whether it`s a simple eye blink mechanism, or a fully animatronic robotic character, Animax has the experience and mechanical animation skills to breath true realism into a character.

Our machine shop services include mill & lathe work, cutting, grinding, polishing, welding, and laser cutting! Our knowledge base is grounded in the concept of simple, rugged, and reliable mechanical design. When it comes to driving the components, Animax offers a number of control alternatives including direct linkage, cable, servo, pneumatics... and more.

For film and commercial applications, Animax has developed a series of intuitive "Telemetry" devices that allow the puppeteer to control the character`s movements in a natural, performance driven manner via the aid of a computer.

Detail & Finish
Our puppet design facility wouldn`t be complete without a team of artists to assemble and finish the job. Every piece must be cut, trimmed, sanded, painted, and otherwise treated before it can become part of the whole. Fine airbrushing and hand painting adds depth and a level of realism that a great character requires. Fur and hair is added, and wet silicone finishes and aging techniques are used to enhance the look and beauty of our characters.

Costuming
Animax maintains a complete in-house costume and fabric design shop with on-staff master costumers. Custom fabric coloration, patterning, costume design, and finish ensure a level of detail and realism demanded by our clientele.

A standard of high quality, and attention to every last detail is what sets Animax characters apart from the crowd! Detail that stands the test of time, and that close-up camera shot! We look forward to the opportunity to put our character design services to work for you.

FAQ
This section is still being developed.

When you are ready to see your next puppet character come life, make ANIMAX your first call.

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