The Magic of Motion: Exploring the Zoetrope

Step into the early days of animation! In this hands-on workshop, participants bring drawings to life using a historical device – the zoetrope. This “wonder drum” experience is not only fascinating but also educational, playful, and creatively rewarding.

What is a Zoetrope?

The zoetrope is an optical toy from 1834 – even older than cinema. It displays short, looping sequences such as a character walking, waving, or jumping. When a paper strip is spun and viewed through slits, the drawings magically come to life.

How does a zoetrope work? (English subtitle)

Frame by Frame: You Make It Move

In the first module of the zoetrope workshop, participants create a short animation – a one-second story drawn on a paper strip. This animation is then tested and refined directly inside the zoetrope.

This is what movement looks like on paper! (English subtitle)

Learning with Head, Heart, and Hands

The workshop combines artistic expression with technical understanding. Participants practice drawing and storytelling, while learning fundamentals of animation and physics – and simultaneously develop skills in communicating ideas.

Report by the Hessian Broadcast TV about a zoetrope workshop (in German)

The participants of the workshop gain:

• a sense for rhythm, movement and emotion
• an understanding of sequential visual thinking,
• fine motor and craft skills,
• an understanding of maths and physics as a tool
• a confidence through visible results.

How do I teach animation? (in German)

The Results Can Be Presented …

… spontaneously in a relaxed setting

The finished animations are shown using the zoetrope and praxinoscope possibly accompanied by music. They are discussed in the group, and every result is appreciated, regardless of artistic level. Spontaneous guests are welcome to join the closing round and offer feedback to the creators.

The zoetrope was invented in 1834.

The praxinoscope from 1877 is a further development of the zoetrope.

… in a special screening event or shared on a social media platform

The animations on the paper strips can be filmed and exported as a short film with music to present the final results online.

Paper strips with animation as film

animated by the participants of the Caricatura Summer Academy – in Kassel 2024

… as a coherent film or as an extraordinary audiovisual live performance

Larger collections of animations can be brought together to form a longer film that artistically reflects and visualises a common theme.

In addition, the individual animations can be presented as a Spinning Animation Show – a live event combining projection, sound, and performance – presented with various optical devices such as zoetrope, praxinoscope or on a turntable with strobe light.

A Spinning Animation Show

presented by the federal prizewinners of the “Jugend creativ” competition in 2015.

For example a Spinning Animation Show was performed:

• at the Federal prizewinner academy – jugend creativ at the Scheersberg in 2015 – 2017 and 2019,
• at the German conference of puppeteers in Northeim in 2019 or
• on the occasion of the 800th anniversary celebrations in Straubing as so-called The Spinning History in 2018.

Turning Topics into Motion – by Creative Learning

In The Spinning History, for example, students of the FOSBOS – a specialised secondary school for design in Straubing, brought the history of the city to life: with 80 short animations, which they staged in a fascinating audiovisual presentation with eight different optical devices.

The zoetrope workshop is adaptable to various themes. Whether topics such as democracy, the environment or history – participants transform their thoughts into animated ‘mini films’, or more precisely, initially on strips of paper. This approach makes complex topics tangible and engaging.

Extract of The Spinning History (film version)

Flexible and Modular – Four Building Blocks

The zoetrope workshop can consist of up to four modules, which can be freely combined depending on your objectives and time frame. Each module can be conducted in a single day or over several days.

I recommend starting with module 1.

Open a pdf-file of module 1 in German.

• Module 1: Drawing animation strips and presenting them with a zoetrope and praxinoscope
• Module 2: Building a functioning zoetrope
• Module 3: Animating on rotating discs using strobe light
• Module 4: Presenting the results as performance or as film with sound and music

Report about a workshop with 4 modules

by Simone Klar (English subtitles)

recorded at the summer academy of the ‘Jugend creativ’ competition in 2015.

Open a Flyer of the zoetrope workshop in German.

Framework & Group Size

Feeling Inspired?

• See upcoming events
• Explore my other animation workshops