The modern Zoetrope was created by William George Homer.
A Zoetrope is a device that produces an illusion, created by the rapid succession of a series of static pictures. These pictures are each different, progressing through stages of movement.
The Zoetrope is made from a cylindrical shape with vertical slits around the edge, placed an equal distance apart from one another.
Inside the cylinder, sitting below the slits, is the series of images or frames that form the particular action or movement.
The viewer looks through the slits, inside of the cylinder, and sees the through to the opposite side, as the diagram shows.
The disadvantages of the Zoetrope however, are that the movements that can be shown are limited, and of course are always repeated over and over.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI thought you might be interested to know that I have started work on a new website, The Wheel of Life. The subject is 19th-century sequence-picture optical toys.
The Home page is here:
http://www.stephenherbert.co.uk/wheelHOME.htm
this links through to the main essays.
The Contents list is here:
http://www.stephenherbert.co.uk/wheelComing.htm
this links to other pages.
There’s lots still to do to get the basic website finished (links to image sources, more main essays, etc) and then I’ll try to add something every month.
I hope you enjoy The Wheel of Life as it develops, and I’m always pleased to hear comments, and learn new things about the subject.
Best wishes,
Stephen Herbert