Do you remember?.. The first time you played with pieces of modeling clay, melting them in your hands and going deeper and deeper into the colourful plasticine world where your imagination was the only limit. Since the 19th century, when Franz Kolb and William Harbutt independently of each other invented plasticine (modeling clay), it has been used in almost all fields of art: illustration, web design, typography, claymation, installation design.
Further Reading on SmashingMag:
* [The Beauty of Paper Art](https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/05/the-beauty-of-paper-art/)
- Pop Art Is Alive: Classics and Modern Artworks
- Beautiful Photoshop Illustrations By Artists Around The World
- Inspiring Illustrator Artworks By Artists Around The World
- Beautiful Examples of Vexel Artworks and Tutorials
Plasticine artworks can be found just everywhere: advertisements, book/magazine as well as CD/DVD covers, movies / TV series, music videos, computer / console games, and even web design elements. Below you will find a collection of beautiful plasticine artworks that hopefully will inspire you and give you an idea about how this material can be used in your next design project.
Plasticine + Photography / Illustration
Advertising
Nike Italy by Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Faber Castell plasticine Advertisement by Unitas RNL Santiago (Chile)
Onida Washing Machines Advertisement by McCann Erickson Mumbai (India)
Freya Lingerie Advertising by Stuart Jackson
Becks Advertisement by Scholz+Friends Hamburg (Germany)
Forma Total Gym by Artplan (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Nicorette Advertisement by DRAFTFCB KOBZA (Austria)
Aniquem Advertisement by McCann Erickson Peru
Stamyl Advertisement by Maruri Grey (Ecuador)
Magazine Cover Design
Esquire (March 2009) - 30th birthday of plasticine character Morph
Poster Design
“The Summer Reading Club” Poster for The Toronto Public Library by Barbara Reid
“Young Audience” Poster for Theatre Direct by Barbara Reid
Flyer for The Ovnis by Pablo Alfieri
Book Illustrations
Artworks
Plasticine + Animation = Claymation
Clay animation, or claymation as it is popularly known, is one of the types of stop-motion animation which is extremely laborious. Each animated piece is sculpted in plasticine clay. Some of the best-known clay-animation artists and studios include Will Vinton, Aardman Animation, Art Clockey and many others.
Animatied Movies / TV Series
The Gumby Show (1957 - …)Closed Mondays (1974)
Morph (1977 - …)
The Adventures of Mark Twain (1986)
Wallace and Gromit (1989 - present)
Wallace and Gromit in “A Matter of Loaf and Death” (2008)
Creature Comforts (1989)
Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase (1992)
Loves Me… Loves Me Not (1992)
Purple and Brown (2006 - …)
Shaun The Sheep (2007 - …)
Chess Game “Poole – HAL 9000” (from the “2001: A Space Odyssey” movie)
Pigeon Pilfer (2009)
Plasticine Crow (1981) [RU]
Last Year’s Snow Was Falling (1983) [RU]
From Iljitsch to Kuzmich (2000 - …) [RU]
Movie / TV Opening Title Sequences
Freaked
Spokoynoy nochi, malyshi! [RU]
Advertising
Levi’sSony Bravia: Play-doh
Chevron Cars
American Express: Modelling Clay by OgilvyOne London
Xbox 360
Music Videos
Frank Zappa - Baby Snakes (1979)John Fogerty - Vanz Kant Danz (1987)
Grizzly Bear - Ready, Able (2009)
Paolo Nutini - Pencil Full Of Lead (2009)
Computer / Console Games
Claymates (1993)
ClayFighter (1993)
Primal Rage (1994)
The Neverhood (1996)
SkullMonkeys (1998)
Platypus (2002)
Gumby vs. the Astrobots (2005)
Cletus Clay (2006)
Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures (2008)
Shaun The Sheep
Plasticine + Web Design
Plasticine + Typography
Installation Design
James May’s “Plasticine Paradise” garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2009 on May 19-23, 2009 in London, England.
Plasticine Art Tutorials
- “Working With Plasticine” Tutorial by Barbara Reid
- “Making Plasticine Pictures Video” Tutorial by Barbara Reid
What do you think?
What is your opinion on plasticine art? In case any exceptional plasticine works haven’t been covered, please feel free to use the comments area to share your thoughts and suggest other beautiful works. We are looking forward to your feedback and your thoughts!