Doodles are fun, but turn them into a flipbook and they spring to life on the page—your flower blooms, your rocketship blasts off, or, if your doodles are a little on the primitive side, sure: your stick figure walks.

Step 1: Use ruler to draw frames

Use the ruler to help you lightly draw a series of rectangles on loose paper. These will act as guides, or frames, for your concept.

Step 2: Sketch animation in frames

Conceptualize in your head the scene you’d like to animate. Then lightly sketch out your animation in the frames, drawing one frame for each stage of animation.

Step 3: Draw frames on index cards

When you’re done with the sketches, it’s time to make the actual flip book. Carefully draw each frame on the right-hand side of a different index card.

Step 4: Occasionally test

Occasionally test how your animation looks by holding the left side of the stack firmly with your left hand and flipping through the right side with your right thumb.

Step 5: Loop rubber band

When you’re satisfied with all your drawings, loop the rubber band tightly around the left side of the stack.

Step 6: Flip through book

Now set the scene in motion with a flick of your thumb. Try flipping it from back to front—yup, the scene goes backward!