How to Make a Flipbook
Get a stack of paper., Choose your subject., Keep the sticky notes or notepad together., Locate the very bottom sheet of the pad., Turn to the next "frame" (the next sheet from the bottom)., Repeat the process., Try it out!, Be creative.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get a stack of paper.
You can use notepads, post-it notes, notebook paper, printer paper, or even the corners of a book! Thin paper is generally better, as it's much easier to "flip." Thicker paper will do in a pinch, but your flip will probably be jerky or slow.
How much paper do you need? The more frames (pages) per second your flipbook has, the more realistic the movement by characters or objects will be.
Motion pictures generally have between 24 and 30 frames each and every second—which would be a lot of drawing, even for a 3-second flip! For a flipbook, somewhere between 5 and 15 frames per second will work fine. -
Step 2: Choose your subject.
Start with a design or character that you want to animate.
You don't have to be a great artist, and your flipbook can be about anything you like.
Your main characters could be stick figures, people, animals, or anything you'd like to see move such as a car, a plane, a boat, etc.
Inanimate objects can work well as flipbook also; something as simple as a bouncing ball can be a masterpiece.
Flipbooks don't have to be animated; you can use photos as well.
Use your imagination! , If you separate them, the flipbook might not work or might even fall apart. , Draw the figure or object here first.
Use a pencil so that you can erase mistakes.
You can outline your pencil marks in pen if you wish to make it more visible later.
You can also start at the top sheet, but it will make it more difficult to achieve smooth animation since you won't be able to reference or trace the preceding image.
You can add a background too, if you wish.
It could be a static scene, like a house or something that doesn't move from frame to frame, or it could be something that's moving too—like clouds, or an airplane. , You should be able to see your original drawing through the sheet.
If not, the paper may be too thick or your lines too light, so start again, as it's important that you can see through just enough to get a relative idea of where to draw the object.
If your subject is going to be moving, draw it in a slightly different location this time.
If not, draw it in the exact same place.
Bigger changes in the subject will appear as faster motion when you flip.
Smaller changes will seem slower. , Keep drawing the character or object over and over until you run out of slides.
Each time make slight adjustments so that the character or object is starting to change position or move.
How much you want the movement is up to you but you should plan each movement according to the amount of pages you have so that you can fit the move in. , Test the end result to see if you have an animated character or object you like.
If it doesn't seem to change much, go back and make a few changes to help increase the sense of animation.
Once you're satisfied with it, you can outline the pages in marker to make it easier to see. , There are lots of things you can do with a flipbook.
Start out small, maybe with a bouncing ball, or a frown filled face that turns into a smiley face.
You can even expand on something you started, and make it something else.
For example, if you started with a bouncing ball, you could go over it again, and add arms and legs and a face that "pops out" every time the ball bounces. -
Step 3: Keep the sticky notes or notepad together.
-
Step 4: Locate the very bottom sheet of the pad.
-
Step 5: Turn to the next "frame" (the next sheet from the bottom).
-
Step 6: Repeat the process.
-
Step 7: Try it out!
-
Step 8: Be creative.
Detailed Guide
You can use notepads, post-it notes, notebook paper, printer paper, or even the corners of a book! Thin paper is generally better, as it's much easier to "flip." Thicker paper will do in a pinch, but your flip will probably be jerky or slow.
How much paper do you need? The more frames (pages) per second your flipbook has, the more realistic the movement by characters or objects will be.
Motion pictures generally have between 24 and 30 frames each and every second—which would be a lot of drawing, even for a 3-second flip! For a flipbook, somewhere between 5 and 15 frames per second will work fine.
Start with a design or character that you want to animate.
You don't have to be a great artist, and your flipbook can be about anything you like.
Your main characters could be stick figures, people, animals, or anything you'd like to see move such as a car, a plane, a boat, etc.
Inanimate objects can work well as flipbook also; something as simple as a bouncing ball can be a masterpiece.
Flipbooks don't have to be animated; you can use photos as well.
Use your imagination! , If you separate them, the flipbook might not work or might even fall apart. , Draw the figure or object here first.
Use a pencil so that you can erase mistakes.
You can outline your pencil marks in pen if you wish to make it more visible later.
You can also start at the top sheet, but it will make it more difficult to achieve smooth animation since you won't be able to reference or trace the preceding image.
You can add a background too, if you wish.
It could be a static scene, like a house or something that doesn't move from frame to frame, or it could be something that's moving too—like clouds, or an airplane. , You should be able to see your original drawing through the sheet.
If not, the paper may be too thick or your lines too light, so start again, as it's important that you can see through just enough to get a relative idea of where to draw the object.
If your subject is going to be moving, draw it in a slightly different location this time.
If not, draw it in the exact same place.
Bigger changes in the subject will appear as faster motion when you flip.
Smaller changes will seem slower. , Keep drawing the character or object over and over until you run out of slides.
Each time make slight adjustments so that the character or object is starting to change position or move.
How much you want the movement is up to you but you should plan each movement according to the amount of pages you have so that you can fit the move in. , Test the end result to see if you have an animated character or object you like.
If it doesn't seem to change much, go back and make a few changes to help increase the sense of animation.
Once you're satisfied with it, you can outline the pages in marker to make it easier to see. , There are lots of things you can do with a flipbook.
Start out small, maybe with a bouncing ball, or a frown filled face that turns into a smiley face.
You can even expand on something you started, and make it something else.
For example, if you started with a bouncing ball, you could go over it again, and add arms and legs and a face that "pops out" every time the ball bounces.
About the Author
Jerry Reynolds
Committed to making lifestyle accessible and understandable for everyone.
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