Howcast

How to Create a Zoetrope

Howcast — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 08:05:28 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Plan the animation Plan out your animation. Assume there will be about 12 cells, or steps.
TIP: The best animations for a zoetrope are cyclical, like a man walking, or a sun rising and setting.
Step 2: Place the lid flat side down Place the can lid flat side down.
Step 3: Roll white paper into a tube and place into lid Gently roll the white paper into a tube and place it into the lid, so that the rim of the lid supports the tube of paper. You will have a drum with an open end and the lid as the bottom.
Step 4: Mark where the inside edge overlaps the paper Use the pencil to lightly mark where the inside edge overlaps the inside of the white paper.
Step 5: Measure the white paper Lay the white paper flat and measure the distance from the inside edge of the sheet to the mark. This will be the longer distance to the mark you made.
Step 6: Divide by the number of steps in your animation Divide the distance by 12 — or the number of steps in your animation — and mark a light line at the bottom edge of the paper to divide each cell.
Step 7: Sketch out the animation Sketch out your animation, beginning at the left cell and moving right along each cell.
Step 8: Return the paper to the lid Gently re-roll the white sheet and place it back into the lid to make sure all of your cells will be shown.
Step 9: Place black paper flat with white paper on top Place the black paper flat with the white paper on top and flush along the long edge. Make sure the light lines you made in Step 6 run along the middle of the black sheet.
Step 10: Draw a line down the length of the black paper Use the edge of the white paper to draw a line down the length of the black paper. It will run down the middle.
Step 11: Continue the marks you made onto the black sheet Continue the marks you made on the white sheet onto the black sheet. They should intersect the long line you made in Step 9.
Step 12: Move the white sheet Move the white sheet to 1/8″ inside of the opposite edge of the black sheet.
Step 13: Extend the lines Extend the lines again from the white sheet to the edge of the black sheet. Remove the white sheet.
TIP: The sets of small lines you copied on to the black sheet should line up all the way down the black sheet.
Step 14: Connect the sets of marks Use the ruler and pencil to connect the sets of marks you made on the black sheet.
Step 15: Cut windows Using the lines you made in Step 13 as guides, cut windows out of the black sheet with craft knife. The windows should start in the middle, run about 1″ down the line and be about 1/8″ wide.
Step 16: Cut an X in the lid’s center Carefully find the center of the lid and cut a 3/8″-wide X in the top.
Step 17: Run a bead of glue on the inside of the lid’s lip Run a light bead of glue along the inside edge of the lid’s lip.
Step 18: Roll the black paper and place it in the lid Gently roll the black sheet and place it in the lid so that the slits are furthest away from the lid.
Step 19: Push the black paper against the glue and let dry Gently press the black paper out against the lid’s lip so that it bonds to the glue on the lid. Set aside to dry.
Step 20: Poke the pencil down through the X Poke the pencil down through the X you had cut so that it sticks out the bottom.
TIP: The brass eraser holder should snag on the cut edges of the lid’s X.
Step 21: Roll the white sheet and place inside the drum Gently roll the white sheet and place it inside the drum so the bottom of the animation rests on the lid.
Step 22: Rotate the drum Clasp the pencil between your palms and slowly rotate the drum while looking through windows from the outside in to the opposite side of the drum.
Step 23: Watch your animation Watch your animation in glorious Zoetrope vision.
FACT: A convection-powered version of the zoetrope was built around 180 A.D. by the Chinese inventor Ting Huan.

You Will Need

A plastic coffee can lid
A strip of white paper 20″ x 1.5″ tall
A strip of black paper 20″ x 3″ tall
Glue
rubber cement or tape
A craft knife
A pencil
A ruler

How to Create a Phenakistoscope

Howcast — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:32:41 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Sketch a plan of your animation Plan out your animation with sketches. There should be 8 to 12 steps, each representing a frame.
TIP: The best animations for a phenakistoscope are cyclical, like a horse galloping or a child jumping rope.
Step 2: Draw a circle Anchor your compass point in the center of the stiff paper and draw a circle that just touches the edges. Leave a small mark where the compass is anchored.
TIP: If you’re using a manila folder, cut it along the crease and use half of it as the stiff paper.
Step 3: Bisect the circle Use the ruler to draw a faint line that bisects the circle.
Step 4: Divide the circle into pieces Use the protractor to divide the circle into equally-sized ‘wedges,’ with each wedge representing a frame in your animation.
TIP: To divide the circle into eight wedges, each piece should be 45 degrees. For 9 wedges, 40 degrees; 10 wedges, 36 degrees; 11 wedges, 33 degrees; and 12 wedges, 30 degrees.
Step 5: Cut out the circle Cut out the whole circle.
Step 6: Cut slots Cut small rectangular slots about 1/8th inch wide by 1 inch long along the separating lines of each wedge. Start at the very outside of the circle and cut inward.
Step 7: Make a small hole Poke a small hole through the center of the wheel, or slightly widen the one that is already there.
Step 8: Repeat on drawing paper Repeat Steps 2 through 5 on the drawing paper, but make this circle 2 inches smaller in diameter.
Step 9: Draw your animation On the drawing paper circle, create your animation step-by-step, clockwise around the circle. This is your animation wheel.
Step 10: Align and cement the animation wheel With a small dabs of rubber cement on the back, align the animation wheel so that it is centered on the thick paper wheel. Allow 10 minutes for the rubber cement to dry.
TIP: The smaller wheel should come about to the slots you cut in Step 7.
Step 11: Poke the thumbtack Poke the thumbtack through the animation wheel and the hole you created in the heavy paper…
Step 12: Push the thumbtack into the eraser Push the thumbtack into the side of the pencil eraser. It should be in firmly enough to stick, but still loose enough for you to be able to spin the wheel freely.
Step 13: Face the mirror Face the mirror, then hold your phenakistoscope up with the animated side pointed away from you.
Step 14: Spin the phenakistoscope Gently spin the phenakistoscope while looking through the slits. The animation will appear in the mirror.
FACT: The phenakistoscope was invented in 1832 by the Belgian physicist Joseph Plateau.

You Will Need

A piece of stiff paper 8-12″ on a side
such as a manila folder
Drawing paper
A drawing compass
A protractor
A pencil
A thumbtack
A ruler
Scissors
Rubber cement
A wall mirror

How to Create a Flip Book

Howcast — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:56:21 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Use ruler to draw frames Use the ruler to help you lightly draw a series of rectangles on loose paper. These will act as guides, or frames, for your concept.
TIP: Start with about 48 frames—you can add or subtract later as needed.
Step 2: Sketch animation in frames Conceptualize in your head the scene you’d like to animate. Then lightly sketch out your animation in the frames, drawing one frame for each stage of animation.
TIP: Draw the first and last frames before filling in the intermediary steps.
Step 3: Draw frames on index cards When you’re done with the sketches, it’s time to make the actual flip book. Carefully draw each frame on the right-hand side of a different index card.
TIP: If your animation images are small, draw them near the top corner. It will help you align your drawings to a common point of reference.
Step 4: Occasionally test Occasionally test how your animation looks by holding the left side of the stack firmly with your left hand and flipping through the right side with your right thumb.
TIP: If you think there’s a jump in the animation, insert a new card between the awkward frames and draw an intermediate step.
Step 5: Loop rubber band When you’re satisfied with all your drawings, loop the rubber band tightly around the left side of the stack.
Step 6: Flip through book Now set the scene in motion with a flick of your thumb. Try flipping it from back to front—yup, the scene goes backward!
FACT: The German word for a flip book is daumenkino, which means “thumb cinema.”

You Will Need

A ruler
Some loose paper
A pen or pencil
Index cards
And a rubber band