The Zoetrope Workshop

The Zoetrope Workshop

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.

 

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.

 

Learning with Head, Heart, and Hands

The workshop combines artistic expression with technical understanding. Participants practice drawing and storytelling, while learning the fundamentals of animation and physics – and at the same time develope skills in communicating ideas.

 

The participants of the workshop gain:

 

  • a sense for rhythm and movement,
  • an understanding of sequential visual thinking,
  • fine motor and craft skills,
  • applied knowledge of math and physics,
  • confidence through visible results.

 

It’s not just the mind that learns – the heart celebrates, along with others, what the hands have created.

 

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 praxinoscope was invented in 1877 and is a further development of the zoetrope.

 

 

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

 

Animations can be documented as a short digital film with music and shared online – a great way to showcase the creative process and final results.

 

 

… 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 The 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.

 

The Spinning Animation Show were presented at German events, for example:

 

  • 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‘ 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 – you transform your thoughts into animated ‘mini films’, or more precisely, initially on strips of paper. This approach makes complex topics tangible and engaging.

 

Flexible and Modular – Four Building Blocks

The 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 the 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

 

Open the Flyer bellow in German.

Moduls of the Zoetrope workshop by Thomas Stellmach

How does a zoetrope work?

(English subtitle)

This is what movement looks like on paper!

(English subtitle)

How do I teach animation?

(in German)

Excerpt from a documentation by students of the FOSBOS Straubing, 2018

Report by the Hessian Broadcast TV about a zoetrope workshop

at the city museum of Kassel (in German)

Stripes of paper with animation as film

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

The Spinning Animation Show

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

Extract of The Spinning History

(film version)

Report about a workshop with 4 modules

by Simone Klar (English subtitles)

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

nur zur Ablage der Buttons

Füge diese zwischen Public presentation und Flexible syxstems … ein.

Take part in a zoetrope workshop

Framework & Group Size

Minimum duration: 5 hours for up to 12 participants
13 or more participants: at least 6 hours required
Target audience: Ages 10 and up; for schools, museums, festivals, families, art academies, and anyone interested in animation

 

Trusted by Many – Selected References 

  • Futurespace Kassel (STEM education center)
  • Kassel City Museum & Grimmwelt Museum
  • Caricatura Gallery Kassel – Annual summer academy for young cartoonists
  • City of Straubing for the 800th anniversary celebrations in cooperation with the FOSBOS – Secondary technical school for design in Straubing
  • ‘Jugend creativ’ competition organised by the Association of Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken
  • School authority Kassel – Department for the promotion of gifted children
  • Robert Bosch Foundation in cooperation with the German Film Museum Frankfurt

 

See full list of references here.

 

Experience & Insights 

See for yourself:

Experience reports in my blog about past zoetrope workshops.

 

Watch clips and presentations on social media

 

    

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 the fundamentals of animation and physics – and at the same time develope 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 and movement,
  • an understanding of sequential visual thinking,
  • fine motor and craft skills,
  • applied knowledge of math and physics,
  • 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 praxinoscope was invented in 1877 and is a further development of the zoetrope.

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

 

Animations can be documented as a short digital film with music and shared online – a great way to showcase the creative process and final results.

Stripes of paper 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 The 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.

The Spinning Animation Show

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

 

 

The Spinning Animation Show were presented at German events, for example:

 

  • 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‘ 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 – you transform your 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)

Take part or book a zoetrope workshop in your city 

You can take part in my zoetrope workshop in Kassel or use my contact form bellow to book me for a workshop in your city.

Advertising trailer of my next zoetrope workshop.

Visit our next presentation.

Flexible and Modular – Four Building Blocks

The 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

  • Minimum duration: 5 hours for up to 12 participants
  • 13 or more participants: at least 6 hours required
  • Target audience: Ages 10 and up; for schools, museums, festivals, families, art academies, and anyone interested in animation

Trusted by Many – Selected References 

  • Futurespace Kassel (STEM education center)
  • Kassel City Museum & Grimmwelt Museum
  • Caricatura Gallery Kassel – Annual summer academy for young cartoonists
  • City of Straubing for the 800th anniversary celebrations in cooperation with the FOSBOS – Secondary technical school for design in Straubing
  • ‘Jugend creativ’ competition organised by the Association of Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken
  • School authority Kassel – Department for the promotion of gifted children
  • Robert Bosch Foundation in cooperation with the German Film Museum Frankfurt

 

See full list of references here.

 

Experience & Insights 

See for yourself:

Experience reports in my blog about past zoetrope workshops.

 

Watch clips and presentations on social media

 

    

Any questions?