Quick answer
To use the Butterfly Flipbook Machine, mount your paper sequence on the rotating spindle, then turn the crank at a steady pace to watch your animation come to life.
Why the Butterfly Flipbook Machine Needs a Steady Hand
Unlike digital animations, this hand-powered machine relies on your cranking speed to control the frame rate. Turning too fast blurs the images; too slow makes the motion stutter. The key is finding a rhythm that matches your drawing sequence.
How to use the Butterfly Flipbook Machine
- Prepare your paper sequence: Cut your animation frames into individual pages of equal size. Stack them in order from first to last. Common mistake: pages that are not identical in size cause the flipbook to jam or skip.
- Mount the pages on the spindle: Slide the stack onto the machine's rotating spindle, aligning the holes with the pins. Secure the top clamp to hold the pages in place. Check that the pages are not too tight—they need to fan out freely when flipped.
- Crank at a steady pace: Turn the handle smoothly and evenly. Watch the pages flip and your animation come to life. Adjust speed as needed. If the animation stutters, slow down; if it blurs, speed up slightly. Listen to the mechanical rhythm.
Product details
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Butterfly Flipbook Machine: Created by kinetic artist J. C. Fontanive in 2004 and handmade in his NYC studio from Stainless Steel. The steel construction means the machine is durable and stable, but also heavy—place it on a solid table before starting.
Butterfly Flipbook Machine
