Practical Experimentation
Thaumatrope
A small paper disc attached with two strings that when pulled in opposing directions spun quickly and gave the illusion of merging the images (popular in Europe in the 1820s).
In order to view the designs below you must click on one:
A small paper disc attached with two strings that when pulled in opposing directions spun quickly and gave the illusion of merging the images (popular in Europe in the 1820s).
In order to view the designs below you must click on one:
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| Rabbit and the Moon by Nicole Wilk 2012 |
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| Mild Mannered Hero by Nicole Wilk 2012 |
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| Girl & Corset by Nicole Wilk 2012 |
Thaumatrope and the Persistence of Vision:
Animation is based off the concept of persistence of vision, that is, that the mind holds an image longer than it is actually there (think closing ones eyes after looking at a light bulb). As a thaumatrope is the repetition of 2 images constantly alternating our mind begins to blend the two images into one when seen in rapid succession.
THE PROCESS:
Materials:
Rice Paper (decent transparency)
Lightbox (though I have a compact one I like to use a large glass table with a lamp)
Referance images (helps the process go quicker, you may also trace or rotoscope)
Something to consistently draw a decent sized circle with (I used a jar lid)
Scissors (or exacto blade)
Colouring tools (I used Pantone Markers)
Sealant (I used nail polish with varying shades of nude colouring)
String (I used elatic bands)
Cardboard (or stiff paper)
Before I began I researched thaumatrope's that others have created in order to conceptualize my own designs. The rabbit jumping over the moon is a thaumatrope cliche so I altered the concept. As I was already using nail polish as a sealant I made the moon out of two shades of silver polish and then removed circles to give it depth.
I wanted to make my thaumatrope's seem as if they were created in the 1800's so I tea-stained my rice paper prior to beginning and used a tinted (sepia feeling) sealant to protect my finished work. I chose art styles that are aged and have a nostalgic feeling of what you'd see on aged and yellowed paper.
Though not an issue for the rabbit, lining up clothes to an invisible figure takes accuracy. I had issues with my Superman design as he refused to line up, resulting in him losing half his body by the finished work.
My future thaumatrope's will be an extension to the superhero series, a blooming tree, and two silhouettes kissing. What images can you think of?
Materials:
Rice Paper (decent transparency)
Lightbox (though I have a compact one I like to use a large glass table with a lamp)
Referance images (helps the process go quicker, you may also trace or rotoscope)
Something to consistently draw a decent sized circle with (I used a jar lid)
Scissors (or exacto blade)
Colouring tools (I used Pantone Markers)
Sealant (I used nail polish with varying shades of nude colouring)
String (I used elatic bands)
Cardboard (or stiff paper)
Before I began I researched thaumatrope's that others have created in order to conceptualize my own designs. The rabbit jumping over the moon is a thaumatrope cliche so I altered the concept. As I was already using nail polish as a sealant I made the moon out of two shades of silver polish and then removed circles to give it depth.
I wanted to make my thaumatrope's seem as if they were created in the 1800's so I tea-stained my rice paper prior to beginning and used a tinted (sepia feeling) sealant to protect my finished work. I chose art styles that are aged and have a nostalgic feeling of what you'd see on aged and yellowed paper.
Though not an issue for the rabbit, lining up clothes to an invisible figure takes accuracy. I had issues with my Superman design as he refused to line up, resulting in him losing half his body by the finished work.
My future thaumatrope's will be an extension to the superhero series, a blooming tree, and two silhouettes kissing. What images can you think of?
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