zoetrope

One of the most popular optical toys of the early 1900's, the Zoetrope was invented by William Horner.

To make your own Zoetrope:

zoetrope instruction

You'll need:

a 9 inch square board

flexible illustration board at least 6 inches wide by 30 inches long

white drawing paper at least 30 inches long

two dozen small tacks

rubber cement

black poster paint.

For the zoetrope:

First draw a 9 inch diameter circle on the board and cut it out.
Then drill a hole in the center of the board large enough to fit over a dowel or a bolt.
Cut a strip of the illustration board at least 6 inches wide and long enough to fit around the outer edge of the circle. Allow about 1 inch extra for overlap.
Mark 12 slots equal distances apart to be cut into the strip. The slots should be 1/2 inch from one edge of the strip. Each one should be 1/4 inch wide and 1 inch long.
Cut the slots out with a razor blade or exacto knife.

For the base you need: a spool (like for thread), a 6 inch square board, a dowel or bolt to fit into the spool and wood glue.

To make the drum of the Zoetrope:

Paint the back side of the illustration board black.
Wrap the illustration board around the circle with the slots nearest the top.
Tack the illustration board to the circle. Fasten the overlap with rubber cement.

To make your animation:

On the drawing paper, mark a rectangle 3 and 1/2 inches high and long enough to go exactly around the inside of the cylinder.
Cut out the rectangle and wrap the paper around the inside of the cylinder resting on the base.
Put a faint pencil mark on the paper just below each of the 12 slots.
Remove the paper and draw an animation sequence positioning one drawing at each of the pencil marks.
Put the finished paper back inside the cylinder making sure that each drawing is directly opposite a slot in the cylinder wall
Put the cylinder on top of the bolt (use a nut to secure it loosely) and spin the Zoetrope.

Watch your animation action through the slots.