If I play a skilled animator on
a) a non creature artifact like a fountain of renewal or
b) an artifact creature like a mishra's self-replicator
What will happen in case a) will I still get the lifegain at my upkeep ?what will happen with the fountain of renewal when the 5/5 artifact creature that it has become, is destroyed with a creature destroying spell such as walk the plank ? Will the fountain be put in the graveyard ?
In case b) where the animator buffed up the self-replicator to a 5/5 , can I still use the underlying ability to pay 1 when I cast a historic to make a copy of Mishra ? Will the copy be a 5/5 ?
When I play a mirror image or pay 2 to use the ability of my mirage mirror , can I target the 5/5 artifact creature made by the skilled animator and will it also be a 5/5 creature ? Will a copy of the 5/5 (if even possible) also die if the skilled animator leaves the battlefield ?
a. An artifact that's a creature due to Skilled Animator is subject to spells and abilities that affect creatures (C.R. 300.2). For example, it can be the target of Walk the Plank as long as it isn't a Merfolk.
b. When an object becomes a copy of Mishra's Self-Replicator, the copy won't necessarily be 5/5 (in general, copying an object doesn't copy other effects on that object, such as the effect of Skilled Animator) (C.R. 706.2). This is the case no matter how that object becomes a copy of Mishra's Self-Replicator, whether by Mishra's Self-Replicator's own ability, by Mirror Image, by Mirage Mirror's ability, or otherwise. Also, if Skilled Animator leaves the battlefield, that doesn't make anything leave the battlefield — rather, Skilled Animator's effect ends (C.R. 611.2a).
EDIT (Sep. 19, 2020): One important clarification. In general, when a permanent gains another card type or becomes an "artifact creature", it doesn't lose its abilities unless the effect specifically mentions otherwise (compare Skilled Animator with Titania's Song; see also C.R. 205.1b, this thread, this thread, and this thread.)
a) a non creature artifact like a fountain of renewal or
b) an artifact creature like a mishra's self-replicator
What will happen in case a) will I still get the lifegain at my upkeep ?what will happen with the fountain of renewal when the 5/5 artifact creature that it has become, is destroyed with a creature destroying spell such as walk the plank ? Will the fountain be put in the graveyard ?
In case b) where the animator buffed up the self-replicator to a 5/5 , can I still use the underlying ability to pay 1 when I cast a historic to make a copy of Mishra ? Will the copy be a 5/5 ?
When I play a mirror image or pay 2 to use the ability of my mirage mirror , can I target the 5/5 artifact creature made by the skilled animator and will it also be a 5/5 creature ? Will a copy of the 5/5 (if even possible) also die if the skilled animator leaves the battlefield ?
b. When an object becomes a copy of Mishra's Self-Replicator, the copy won't necessarily be 5/5 (in general, copying an object doesn't copy other effects on that object, such as the effect of Skilled Animator) (C.R. 706.2). This is the case no matter how that object becomes a copy of Mishra's Self-Replicator, whether by Mishra's Self-Replicator's own ability, by Mirror Image, by Mirage Mirror's ability, or otherwise. Also, if Skilled Animator leaves the battlefield, that doesn't make anything leave the battlefield — rather, Skilled Animator's effect ends (C.R. 611.2a).
EDIT (Sep. 19, 2020): One important clarification. In general, when a permanent gains another card type or becomes an "artifact creature", it doesn't lose its abilities unless the effect specifically mentions otherwise (compare Skilled Animator with Titania's Song; see also C.R. 205.1b, this thread, this thread, and this thread.)