Artist and filmmaker Martha Colburn taught students how to produce stop motion animation. 

The workshop was held in East Stadium Room 131 on Tuesday, Feb. 20 through Thursday, Feb. 22 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. on Feb. 21.

Assistant Professor of New Media and Animation Cristina Molina invited Colburn to teach so students could see what it’s like to work as an independent artist.

“I wanted students to get direct exposure to an artist who works independently in the field that they’re studying,” said Molina. “Martha also has experience with teaching these workshops. She goes all around the U.S. doing them, and she has a great system.”

When asked how she became interested in the craft, Colburn cited three things.

“I was a painter, and I was writing poetry, and I was playing music,” said Colburn. “I took all those three things, and then I put them together.”

Colburn discussed how these three things are incorporated into the process of making a stop motion animation.

“Like a lot of these students, I had to do some drawing,” said Colburn. “So, you include composition for instance. You include in this field rhythm, and then we include ideas, you know scenes, which is kind of theatrical. It’s poetic. It’s telling a story.”

Colburn explained how students can benefit from participating in this workshop.

“It’s interesting that say when someone graduates, you can do commercial work, you can do music videos, and you can do work for an art gallery,” said Colburn. “You can do many things with the same craft.”

What makes the workshop stand out is how the students have to work together to complete their project.

Molina believes that by getting the opportunity to showcase their artwork at a museum, students are gaining real life experience, and they are also getting something to use for their resume and portfolio.

After students complete their artwork, they will have their artwork presented in the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum on Monday, Feb. 26 from 6-8 p.m.

“I think that each student has their own contribution to make to the project,” said Molina. “We’re going to do a public screening at a museum. I think it’s a very good opportunity for the students in their professional development.”

Colburn thinks that because students are getting an opportunity to present their artwork at the museum, it helps them to branch out and work outside their comfort zone.

“I think it’s important for students to learn to work with people outside their own group, to be part of society in a way and not be in your studio,” said Colburn.

Sophomore art major Madison Dean shared the process of how students will showcase their art in the museum.

“These pictures all came from the Colburn Pharmacy Museum, and they’re actually gonna play this stop motion video that we’re making, and all the students get to be a part of it,” said Dean.

Dean illustrated what the attendees could expect their video to look like.

“We did a guy being stabbed by a syringe, and then he dies,” said Dean. “Rich people would eat silver and gold pills, but it made them sick. But they ate it because they were like, ‘We’re rich. We must have to eat this.’”

Dean enjoyed the process of creating stop motion animation.

“I never did stop motion before,” said Dean. “This is my first time. So, this is like really cool to me.”

Sophomore art major Monica Copping shared what she though made her and Dean’s video stand out.

“We actually painted in this like in the beginning,” said Copping. “So, people will actually realize that we actually drew onto the pictures, not just moving the pictures.”