How To Create a Phenakistoscope

Anchor your compass point in the center of the stiff paper and draw a circle that just touches the edges. Leave a small mark where the compass is anchored.

Use the ruler to draw a faint line that bisects the circle.

Use the protractor to divide the circle into equally-sized “wedges,” with each wedge representing a frame in your animation.

Cut out the whole circle.

Cut small rectangular slots about 1/8th inch wide by 1 inch long along the separating lines of each wedge. Start at the very outside of the circle and cut inward.

Poke a small hole through the center of the wheel, or slightly widen the one that is already there.

Repeat Steps 2 through 5 on the drawing paper, but make this circle 2 inches smaller in diameter.

On the drawing paper circle, create your animation step-by-step, clockwise around the circle. This is your animation wheel.

With a small dabs of rubber cement on the back, align the animation wheel so that it is centered on the thick paper wheel. Allow 10 minutes for the rubber cement to dry.

Poke the thumbtack through the animation wheel and the hole you created in the heavy paper…

Push the thumbtack into the side of the pencil eraser. It should be in firmly enough to stick, but still loose enough for you to be able to spin the wheel freely.

Face the mirror, then hold your phenakistoscope up with the animated side pointed away from you.

Gently spin the phenakistoscope while looking through the slits. The animation will appear in the mirror.