Stop Motion Animation Hack
Over the summer, the location of the art room changed, and without my knowledge all of the supplies and equipment were moved to the new art room. If you're an art teacher, you know that most people's trash is your treasure! One "treasure" that was thrown out, during the move, were 10 cardboard boxes I had scavenged from BJ's Wholesale Club. They weren't just any cardboard boxes, they were for the stop motion animation club. All I did was turn them upside down, cut a hole in the top, place the iPad so the viewfinder is unobstructed and taped the iPad to the box. They are very handy and of course free! One drawback is that they're bulky and can't be stacked. Students are also limited to filming from above. Just before this year's stop motion animation club I realized that eight of the 10 had been thrown out--aargh! As I rummaged through the storage closet I came upon two dozen coffee cup trays and inspiration struck. As you can see in the photos, it's a simple cut with a box cutter or X-Acto blade to make a free iPad stand for stop motion animation. The red indicates where the iPad should be inserted. If the tab on the cupholder breaks just rotate the cupholder and use another side. To make the iPad perpendicular to the table I inserted a marker between the back of the iPad and the stand.
Now, I can offer two ways for the students to take the pictures for their animations. They can use the boxes from BJ's to film from above or use the cup holder to film in front of their subject. By the way, the cupholders are easy to stack and take up little room. Now, what about the backdrop for the animation? In the classroom, I put a chair on top of the table and tape a piece of white paper to the seat. For a portable solution, make our DIY Social Media Photo Booth.Like we always say at Pop up Art School, "Cardboard is an art teacher's best friend!" What free and easy hacks do you use in your art lessons?
Leave a comment below or join us in our Facebook group Freelance Art Teachers in Libraries. The group is for sharing ideas about teaching art and other subjects in public libraries and after school enrichment classes. Whether you are a librarian looking for new ideas or a teacher seeking a profitable AND enjoyable side hustle, we are here to answer questions and support you!
Join our email newsletter community:
Click here to find out where we’re popping up next, get helpful art-making tips and free mini video tutorials!
Pop up Art School – your one stop for art lessons
Ditch the car keys, choose a lesson, fire up your device, and create with Pop up Art School – from the comfort of home!
Even if you can't draw a straight line, our step-by-step art tutorials help you relax and feel confident.
Our Art-to-go library has prerecorded art projects for kids, teens and adults in a safe ad-free environment. We now offer kits with free shipping in the USA.