I came up with this exercise in 2008 when I was working through the 1979 edition of Kit Laybourne’s The Animation Book and wanted to experiment with cameraless drawn-on- and scratch-on-film animation but had no analog film and no access to a projector. The result? A cheap and easy approach to teaching cameraless direct animation …
The One-Page Zine As Brainstorming Tool
Earlier this year, I went to a Zine Fest Houston workshop where we learned to make a one-page zine out of a single sheet of 8.5″ x 11″ paper. Since then, I’ve incorporated these tiny zines into my development process for all animation projects. Zine-making requires more attention and organized thought than drawing in a …
A $20 DIY Animation Light Box That Requires No Tools To Make
8" x 10" x 1" acrylic shadow box + 8" x 10" x 1 5/8" cradled birch panel + battery-powered LED pen light = an animation light box for the masses.
$60 Multiplane Animation Rig IKEA Hack
Build your own multiplane animation rig for $60, from IKEA parts! No power tools required — all you’ll need is a screwdriver. Place it under any copy stand / down shooter rig. Replacement glass (usually the most significant expense) is just $5 per sheet. Music by Black Ant (CC-BY)