What are the best tabletop hands-making-things videos?

September 30, 2011 2:00 PM

You know those videos where the camera is stationed above or to the side of a work table, and all you can see of the artist is their hands? I'm looking for examples that are above average in production and/or entertainment value. They could be time-lapse art making videos, or how to make an origami crane, or white-board illustration, or something similar -- but I'm looking for the cream of the crop.
posted by jenmakes to Media & Arts (5 answers total)

Chef John's Food Wishes are some of the best cooking videos I've seen.
posted by desertface at 3:05 PM on September 30, 2011

One of the most fascinating time-lapse art videos I've seen is Peel by Duane Keiser. He paints an orange, then depicts it slowly being peeled until there's only a segment left, all by brushstrokes on a single canvas.

This is a very broad question, only slightly narrowed by a "best" qualifier. There are oodles of talented people making beautiful process videos now. Try searching for woodworking or bike machining or printmaking or any number of skilled, specialized jobs. Watching a craftsman excel at his trade is always a beautiful, inspiring thing.
posted by therewolf at 3:42 PM on September 30, 2011

1900 Thomas Edison - The Enchanted Drawing

(Mentioning this because it was one of the first films ever, and I just watched it last night.)
posted by cda at 4:44 PM on September 30, 2011

Michael Halbert's scratchboard video tutorials aren't very high budget, but they offer great insight into his to his illustration process and I find them entertaining.
posted by stagewhisper at 7:07 PM on September 30, 2011

I find the Painting a Day videos on Youtube lovely: the best are

Jos Van Riswick and Abby Ryan
posted by jrochest at 11:23 PM on September 30, 2011