Gathering Leaves – Robert Frost by Sinéad
Gathering Leaves:
A stop motion animation inspired by the poem from Robert Frost
Following the creation of a watercolour triptych, I decided to create this stop motion animation to accompany it, as animation is not something I do frequently. I created separate pieces of paper for different objects and painted them with watercolour in order to retain the watercolored aesthetic of the triptych.
I first discovered this poem while looking for poems to recite for a poetry competition, and over time it lead me to create a watercolour triptych and this small animation.
Each part of the animation was created to provide a visual of that stanza. I also created a voice over of the poem to help provide context for what was being shown.
We made some watercolour backgrounds to act as a base for the moving objects in each clip.
To create a slight change in the lighting of each clip we managed to use some lighting gels for stage lights. This also helped make each clip more atmospheric.
Gathering Leaves
Robert Frost
Spades take up leaves
No better than spoons,
And bags full of leaves
Are light as balloons.
I make a great noise
Of rustling all day
Like rabbit and deer
Running away.
But the mountains I raise
Elude my embrace,
Flowing over my arms
And into my face.
I may load and unload
Again and again
Till I fill the whole shed,
And what have I then?
Next to nothing for weight,
And since they grew duller
From contact with earth,
Next to nothing for color.
Next to nothing for use.
But a crop is a crop,
And who’s to say where
The harvest shall stop?