Grade 10s Use Traditional Techniques for Animation

The Grade 10 IB Visual Arts classes wrapped up their first unit project on Phenakistoscopes. The students used their creativity to bring together an animation of their choice, as Phenakistoscopes were one of the first animation devices widely used to create the illusion of fluid motion. The Phenakistoscope, invented in 1833 by Belgium physicist Joseph Plateau, uses a spinning disc attached vertically to a handle. The user spins the disc and looks through the moving slits at the disc’s reflection in a mirror.  The task set out was for each student to create their own Phenakistoscope, as they experimented with the traditional animation technique creating their own sequence of illustrations that expressed a variety of narratives. “I’ve always enjoyed art, and I have been interested in space, so I thought I could make a really cool design with a technological theme mixed with space,” explained Anton Richards about his animation of a rocketship. “At first I sketched a couple of ideas, and then I asked for peer feedback of the different things I could include (rockets, meteor, etc). After, I decided I would make the rocket with fire, and spin it around in space.”  Olivia Dunkley created an animation of a hungry worm, and incorporated a chewing sound to bring it to life.  “I always liked playful things to do with nature, so I thought it would be a neat concept of a worm eating an apple,” she said. “I thought it would be cool to make it childish like a cartoon. Then at the end, I added a sound effect, and I thought it was just another neat step to make it cool.”  Students chose many different scenarios for their animations including, using sports, and people.  Briana Flores created a poison apple and said she had a really fun time putting the animation together.  I had fun doing it, and I really enjoyed it,” she said. “I had an idea of a candy apple, but then I remembered there was a version of Snow White where the candy apple takes the shape of a skull. It turned out really nice.”  All of the Phenakistoscope animations have been put onto a website for everyone to enjoy! Way to go Grade 10s!