Witness the Methods of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Revealing Deceptive Technology in Traditional Clay Animation

Uncover the manner in which Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Employed Digital Deception in Traditional Claymation Animation.

Technology has always been a quirky aspect in the realm of Wallace & Gromit, where Wallace's eccentric contraptions, ranging from actual spacecrafts to remote-controlled robot pants, coexist with a nostalgic, low-tech portrayal of Britain. This same blend of old and new has been the formula for Aardman Studios as well, with their acclaimed hand-animated features still thriving amidst ventures into CGI assistants and fully digital projects throughout their lengthy career. As Aardman prepares to revisit Wallace & Gromit for the first time in 16 years with Vengeance Most Fowl, this snapshot from the film's new artbook offers a hint at how the studio managed to harmonize both traditional and modern elements.

Set for publication on December 31 by Titan Books, The Art of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance MostFowl—written by Richard Hansom, the development producer for the previous Wallace & Gromit TV film A Matter of Loaf and Death—provides an insider's look into Aardman's development process for this long-anticipated revival of its most popular characters. The book includes interviews with cast and crew, as well as a slew of behind-the-scenes reveals, including early concept art by Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park himself, and close-ups of the countless clay models crafted for the film.

You'll also discover more about how Vengeance Most Fowl incorporated more technology into its production process, such as 3D-printed prototypes, in our selected excerpts from the book below (don't forget to click for the full-resolution images!). Yet, you'll also catch a glimpse of Aardman's dedication to preserving the film's homemade feel, even when digital tools could have easily replaced certain elements—like a scene where Wallace's latest invention, Norbot the Smart Gnome, finds himself bathed in the green glow of Matrix-like codes on a computer screen.

The Art of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance MostFowl Exclusive Preview

Animators could have easily created this effect using post-production VFX, but as shown in the image above, animator Sean Gregory elected for an in-camera effect: using a miniature model projector to illuminate the scene and display the animated coding graphic, matched perfectly with the stop-motion filming. A harmonious blend of technology and hand-animation that even Wallace would admire!

The Art of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance MostFowl will release on Titan Books on December 31, after Vengeance Most Fowl airs in the UK and Ireland on Christmas Day—before its international release on Netflix on January 3.

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The upcoming book, The Art of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, published by Titan Books on December 31, features insights into Aardman's use of modern technology during the production of the film, such as 3D-printed prototypes.IO9 readers can look forward to exploring the intersection of technology and traditional hand-animation in Aardman's work, showcased in the book's detailed excerpts.

Uncover the manner in which Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Employed Digital Deception in Traditional Claymation Animation.

The Art of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance MostFowl Exclusive Preview

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