# Animated Clay Sculptures Gianluca Maruotti Turns Modeling Clay into Funky Characters By Farida Helmy | Published 2014-07-02 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/clay-sculptures References: [theinspirationgrid](http://theinspirationgrid.com/sculpted-characters-by-gianluca-maruotti/) & [behance.net](https://www.behance.net/gianlucamaruotti) These super cool clay sculptures are the work of the talented Italian artist Gianluca Maruotti who creates eclectic scenes and funky characters out of modelling clay. Taking on a life of their own, the clay sculptures are done with such precision and with such creativity and flair that the work looks like it belongs onscreen as part of the contemporary illustrated clay cartoons being made these days. As an illustrator, puppet maker and stop motion animator, Maruotti was probably thinking about that when making these charming and cheeky characters as he makes animated videos for cinema, TV and musicians -- as well as editorial illustrations and books. If this sort of artsy sculpture is up your alley, make sure to check out the rest of his stuff on Behance. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.4/10 - Popularity: 43% | Activity: 21% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Clay Sculpture Art:** Opportunity for artists to innovate by combining traditional sculpting techniques with modern mediums and animation. - **Stop Motion Animation:** Opening for filmmakers and animators to create captivating stories and characters using clay sculpture and stop motion techniques. - **Illustrated Clay Cartoons:** Potential for artists to disrupt the animation industry by creating unique and visually striking claymation cartoons. ### Who This Affects Most - **Art and Design:** Opportunity for art galleries and museums to showcase innovative clay sculpture artists and their works. - **Film and Entertainment:** Potential for film studios and production companies to produce captivating stop motion animated films using clay sculpture. - **Publishing and Media:** Opening for publishers and media outlets to feature illustrated clay cartoons, creating a new genre of digital and print content. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Digital Archetype Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/christian-rex-van-minnen-1.md) - [3D-Printed Flip Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stl-sculptures.md) - [Artfully Dynamic Vessels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/devin-wilde.md) - [Afro-Futuristic Marble Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gaia.md) - [Whimsical Spirit Art Shows](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anima.md) - [Experimental Pottery Vessels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gourd-project.md) - [3D-Printed Colorful Vessels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/olivier-van-herpt-1.md) - [Surreal Love-Themed Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/joakim-ojanen.md) - [Limited 3D-Printed Ceramic Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dyadic-series.md)