This stop-motion puppet and set design course is tailored for individuals who are interested in learning the art of designing and building stop-motion artwork. Trainees will learn the basics of puppet design, including armature building, rigging, molding, and sculpting techniques. They will also learn about different materials and tools used in puppet design and construction.

Moreover, they will learn the basics of set design, including scale, composition, and building techniques, as well as gaining knowledge on how to design indoor and outdoor stop-motion sets and miniatures, including environments and landscapes.

Throughout this course, trainees will work on their own puppet and miniature projects, receiving guidance and feedback from their instructor. And by the end of the course, they will have the skills to design and build their own miniature sets and be ready to bring their stop-motion animation to the next level.

• Ability to design and create fully animated puppets for stopmotion.
• Designing and creating indoor and outdoor sets and miniatures.
• Learning basic crafting skills such as: woodworking, molding, sewing, sculpting

Art students and graduates, artists, and young professionals who seek to pursue a career in animation and moving image.

No prerequisites required. Experience in hand crafts, character design, and fashion is a plus.

Students will get to keep their puppets and sets designed in the course, including a professional armature kit.

• Laptop
• Sketchbook

Basel Nasr is an animator, producer, and trainer. He holds a BSc in Architecture from Birzeit University (2003) and a Master’s degree in Animation from the University of California Los Angeles. Nasr has extensive experience in the field, having co-founded and joined several art studios and startups where he worked as an interactive designer, game designer, and visualization artist. In 2014, he established almasna (masna alrusoom almutaharrikah), a collaborative animation studio that aims to promote animation in Palestine. Nasr has produced several short films and animations through the studio. Alongside production, he is also involved in teaching and training animation, serving as both an independent trainer and an instructor at Birzeit University’s Arts and Design Faculty.

Aboud Haj, an accomplished craftsman and illustrator. He earned his BA in fine arts from AlNajah University in 2002 and has since worked on a diverse range of art projects. With a skillset that includes illustration, carpentry, sculpting, sewing, and cooking. Throughout his career, Aboud has developed a passion for creating Arabic content for children. After joining the Palestinian curriculum team straight out of university, he went on to develop a wide range of interactive tools, games, stories, workbooks, and animations aimed at engaging and educating young learners. In 2014, Aboud established almasna (masna alrusoom almutaharrikah), a collaborative animation studio that aims to promote animation in Palestine