Flip into Action!
Have you ever wondered how cartoons are made? Find out by making one yourself.
- You will need: a 3-inch square pad of yellow self-stick notes, a pencil, and your imagination.
- Think of an object that you can draw easily. Then imagine it moving in some interesting way. Remember, in the world of special effects, plants sing, milk cartons dance, and vegetables fly.
- Place the stack of notes on the table with the sticky edge to the top. You will be drawing your "flipbook" from the back to the front.
- Draw your object in its final position on the last sheet in the pad. Remember, you are working backwards, so imagine that your object has just finished moving.
- Lay the second-to-the-last sheet on top of the last. Trace the parts of your figure that will not move. Then, draw the moving parts in a slightly changed position.
- Repeat the process until you have 10 to 15 sheets. Each time you start a new sheet, trace the parts of the figure that will not move and make slight changes in the moving parts. Your top sheet should be the object as it is before it starts to move. Pick up the stack of self-stick notes and flip the pages rapidly from back to front. Watch what happens.
- Why do you think the figure appears to move? Does the action change if you go slower or faster? How is this like an animated cartoon?
Curious for an answer? Look Behind the Scenes.
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