Zoetrope

Zoetrope.

What it is and how it works-

The zoetrope is an simple animation technique that uses persistence of vision to give the illusion of movement by spinning various images around in a cylinder shaped device.

A cylinder shape is cut with various 1 mm Slits for the user to look through, it is then attached to a device that will turn it at a decent speed in turn moving the drawn images inside creating a short but good looking "Animation".

Advantages-

the zoetrope is a simple easy to make device as it is possible to make one with simple everyday objects Tins, Pins, Paper etc...

It doesn't take long to make one allowing a short and simple animation to be made quickly.

Disadvantages-

The animations it creates can only be very simple and short ones eliminating the possibility of longer more complex animations.

It requires a some what decent drawing skill to create images that are clear and detailed enough to make the zoetrope work fully.

Inventor-

Although there have been many variations of this device throughout time ranging from 5000 years ago in Iran to 100bc China , and even though it was patented on march 6th 1867 by Henry Watson Hallet the earliest known use of the zoetrope can be dated back to January 1834, when it was designed and used by William George Horner a British Mathematician who had created the improved version of an idea he had seen from Joseph Plateau.

Examples-

The Zoetrope of the horse and rider is a well know, commonly used zoetrope as it is easy to create but gives a nice result of a horse galloping.













Another well known example of a zoetrope is one created with Various figures of bird in different sizes and positions giving the illusion of many birds flying when it is used.

Links to Video Examples-

1.

YouTube video showing the use of the well known galloping horse zoetrope.

2.

YouTube video showing how to create a very simple and easy to use zoetrope.