Flipbooks

Flipbooks
Low-tech animation using paper pads and pencils create short narratives and study movement. Introduce Stop Motion Pro by filming flipbook animation.

Objectives
You will make short animations using the most basic of materials – paper and
pencils. This introduces the concept of timing to animation. Completed flipbooks can be turned into films using Stop Motion Pro.

Tasks
You can make flipbooks using small pads of plain, white, unlined paper and pencils. Old workbooks could also be used in place of paper pads. The first drawing is made on the last page of the pad. When the next page is flipped onto it, the next drawing in the sequence can be made. It will be possible to see through the new piece of paper to the first drawing. It is then possible to trace the drawing with a slight change. Repeat this process over several pages. Using the thumb to control the speed, display the drawings as an animation by flipping the pages.
Ideas for animating in flipbooks: “Stick figure Olympics” - Using simple stick figures make animations of them running, jumping and competing in Olympic events. “Shape Morph” – Make your first drawing a square. Over the next ten pages gradually change the shape into a flower, over the next ten change the shape back into something else, like a horse, continue doing this with new shapes, following the ten
drawing rule, an interesting rhythm will appear when flipping the pages.
Swap the completed flipbooks among students. These flipbooks can be converted to short animations using Stop Motion Pro to capture the individual drawings.

Assessment
You will produce a completed flipbook. I encourage you to use original concepts or ideas.
Resources

Paper pads (or recycle by using old workbooks), pencils, colored marker pens etc.

Concept
The flipbook is a similar concept to the popular commercial form of animation called “cel animation”. A series of drawings with minor changes are presented in rapid sequence to produce the illusion of movement. This concept has been refined to a great art form by Disney, and a successful advertising