A collection of Animation ideas including resource materials for use with a Genee Vision visualiser

Created by John Sutton and John Nelson

Education Consultants

Animation Lessons

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1ANIMATION with...Spelling Cat!

Resources:-

Genee Vision Visualiser, Animation Software (e.g. ‘2Animate‛), Black paper background, picture/letter cut-outs.

Notes:-

This is a simple exercise where spelling can be encouraged through a basic animation.

In this example the picture of a cat is used. This could be a template shape or drawing that the child has done already (it is an idea to leave the eyes or whiskers blank and draw them over afterwards to add to the movement).

Then a letter is added for each frame shot.

Finally, the animation speed can be adjusted for the replay to match the pace of the children‛s verbal spelling rate.

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1‘Spelling Cat‛ Resource sheet:

c a t

2ANIMATION with...Glitter Firework!

Resources:-

Genee Vision Visualiser, Animation Software (e.g. ‘2Animate‛), Black paper background, picture cut-out, glitter/sequins.

Notes:-

This is a simple but effective project for Key Stage 1 children set in the context of fireworks/celebrations.

In this example a rocket picture is used – obviously, this could have been the child‛s own drawing, a template outline or a found picture.

For this illustration, the animation sequence is a basic process of moving the rocket for each frame and adding or re-arranging the glitter (or sequins) on the black background .

Obviously, there will be lots of opportunities for language for language development as well as using ICT for creative purposes.

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2‘Glitter Firework‛ Resource sheet:

3ANIMATION with...Rolling Backgrounds

Resources:-

Genee Vision Visualiser, Animation Software (e.g. ‘2Animate‛, ‘Stop Motion Animator‛, etc), Black paper background, picture cut-outs.

Notes:-

The ‘rolling –background‛ animation technique is particularly useful in both cartoons and video games.

It‛s the same sensation as sitting on a bus or train and thinking that you are moving when it is actually the bus or train next to you that is moving!

In this example the space-rocket stays in the same place (a slight wobble and movement of the flame adds reality!), and the stars and planets are gradually moved to the left in each frame.

This could also easily be achieved with a 3D model and sliding picture backdrop.

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3‘Rolling Backgrounds‛ Resource sheet:

4ANIMATION with...Caterpillar Simulation

Resources:-

Genee Vision Visualiser, Animation Software (e.g. ‘2Animate‛), folded card caterpillar.

Notes:-

Animation is a great way to simulate the observed movement of other things such as, in this example, the looping action of a caterpillar.

All that is needed is a decorated strip of thin card to represent the caterpillar, with 3 lateral folds.

This is then a simple alternate sequence of moving the tail towards the head and moving the head forwards (little blobs of Blu-Tac keep them in place for each frame shot).

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4‘Caterpillar Animation‛ Resource sheet:Cut out a caterpillar and then bring it to life using the Genee Vision 8100.

5ANIMATION with...Reversed Sequencing

Resources:-

Genee Vision Visualiser, Animation Software (e.g. ‘2Animate, ‛ ‘Stop Motion Animator‛, etc.), Flowering plant.

Notes:-

This is an exercise in working backwards!

In this example, the animation sequence started with the final frame – the stem, leaves and flower from a plant were captured as a whole.

The next picture capture of the same plant with the flower head and top part of the stem removed was placed in penultimate frame.

This process was repeated with the plant gradually being reduced to the vestigial stem.

When the animation sequence is run,it has the desired effect of seeing the flower grow.

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6ANIMATION with...Jointed 2D Figures

Resources:-

Genee Vision Visualiser, Animation Software (e.g. ‘2Animate, ‛ ‘Stop Motion Animator‛, etc.), Jointed figure model.

Notes:-

This is a brilliant follow-on to a Design Technology exercise where the children have made 2D figures with moving joints such as the split-pin paper fastener type, for example.

This makes for the easiest of animation sequences by simply moving the model limbs and positions for each frame.

A pre-prepared background or post sequence, over-drawing will develop a more sophisticated outcome.

In this example, the Humpty model has only got 4 joints but this is ample for effective animation.

This is an ideal opportunity for introducing the idea of a storyboard!

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‘Humpty‛ Resource sheet:6

Arms

Legs

Body

Humpty

Cut out these templates, colour them in and create your animation.

7ANIMATION with...Sign Language

Resources:-

Genee Vision Visualiser, Animation Software (e.g. ‘2Animate, ‛ ‘Stop Motion Animator‛, etc.), British Sign Language Alphabet.

Notes:-

This would fit easily into a topic such as ‘Senses‛, ‘Deafness‛, etc.

Children could set each other tasks by animating signed words and then play-ing the sequence back to see how their friends ‘decode‛ them.

The speed of playback can be increased as they become more adept, or this could be set as an extended learn-ing task (possibly for homework) by saving the GIF image on the school website.

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‘Sign Language‛ Resource sheet:

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ANIMATION with...Instructions

Resources:-

Genee Vision Visualiser, Animation Software (e.g. ‘2Animate‛), subject for sequenced instructions.

Notes:-

An animation is an ideal way to show an ordered sequence of operations in an entertaining and informative way.

This could be a demonstration for children, or for children to demonstrate how they did something.

In this example, the animation shows how to build a brick wall with the use of Lego bricks and a Bob the Builder jointed model to add interest.

The objective is to show the pattern in which bricks are laid.

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9ANIMATION with...

Victorian Zoetrope

In 1877, Edward Muybridge photographed a running horse using a bank of cameras with mechanically tripped shutters. With his new system, he proved the disputed fact that a running horse indeed lifted all four feet at some point.

This series of still photographs were then made into zoetrope strips to recreate the horse‛s movement.

Resources:-Genee Vision Visualiser, Animation Software (e.g. ‘2Animate‛, ‘Stop Motion Animator‛, etc.), copies of Victorian Zoetrope picture strips.

Background:The zoetrope was invented in 1834 by William Horner, who originally called it a Daedalum (“wheel of the Devil”). It was based on Plateau‛s phenakistoscope, but was more convenient since it did not require a viewing mirror and allowed more than one person to use it at the same time. Horner‛s invention strangely became forgotten for nearly thirty years until 1867, when it became patented in England by M. Bradley, and in America by William F. Lincoln. Lincoln renamed the Daedalum, giving it the name of “zoetrope,” or “wheel of life.”

How it works:The zoetrope is the third major optical toy, after the thaumatrope and phenakistoscope, that uses the persistence of motion principle to create an illusion of motion. It consists of a simple drum with an open top, supported on a central axis. A sequence of hand-drawn pictures on strips of paper are placed around the inner bottom of the drum. Slots are cut at equal distances around the outer surface of the drum, just above where the picture strips were to be positioned. To create an illusion of motion, the drum is spun; the faster the rate of spin, the smoother the progression of images. A viewer can look through the wall of the zoetrope from any point around it, and see a rapid progression of images. Because of its design, more than one person could use the zoetrope at the same time.

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9‘Zoetrope‛ Resource sheet:

Cut these copies of Muybridge‛s orignal horse pgraphs into individual pictures and use the visualiser & animation software to copy each one into the correct order.

‘Zoetrope‛ Resource sheet:

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