Newsletter 3 Page 2
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Cardboard Engineering...That’s a very fancy name for the moving
graphics I make to create a lot of simple, immediate animations on
the show (like the Rolferoo talking back to me).
To make these you really have to be able to make accurate cuts in
cardboard - scissors don’t work too well, as they "graunch" up the
card. A sharp cutting knife, like a ‘Stanley’ knife is essential. lf
you’re too young, or not allowed to use such a knife, get one of your
parents to make the necessary cuts for you.
lf you are using a knife, think ahead and look out for possible
problems - like cutting through the card into the table! Always have
some thick card underneath - whatever you’re cutting, and always
position your other hand so that if the knife slips, it won‘t cut your
fingers. Be careful - don’t try to do it in a rush. Think it all through.
BE CAREFUL!
Eye movements are fairly simple. After
you‘ve planned and sketched your character‘s face you
cut around each eye shape. (l usually cut on an angle so
that the card shows a very fine line where it meets the
underneath bit of moving card
that wiII create the eye
movement).
You should then re-draw the black line outlining the eye
shape where you cut the original line away.
Turn your card over then cut a piece of card with straight
parallel sides, to just cover the
eye holes and extend a little
beyond the edge of
your graphic.
What l usually do then, is to stick down two "guide track"
bits of straight edged card (A and B) on either side of the
moving bit (M). Use a PRITT STICK or GRIPPFIX, or any
good paste type paper glue.
A and B should be stuck fairly close to M but with enough space
to allow M to slide back and forth easily. C is a "stop"
bit of card which, when stuck down will determine
how far the eyes will move in that direction.
You could of course cut out a shape to go right
round the end of M to do the job of A, B and C
and stick that in place.
To make a stop for the eye movement in the other
direction l cut two rectangles (D & E) out ot M. Then I turn
the card over, mark the eyes on M with a pencil and, by
trial and error, work out where the stop needs to be. Very
carefully holding M in this position, turn the card over and
mark the stop point in pencil in the gaps where you cut
out D and E.
Once you are sure of that stop position, turn D and E
sideways and glue them to provide the stop points
exactly at your pencil mark.
All you need to do now is secure the whole thing so M
won’t fall off. I do that by getting any old piece of card that
will fit and sticking it on with sticky tape like this...
Check that it all works accurately
before turning it over and inking in the eyes.
To make moving things Ilke the saw and Tweety’s arms, I
use split plns. Flrst, I planned the shape of the arms and
the distance I wanted them to move on Tweety's body.
Then, I cut out a piece this shape
to represent both arms..,
I cut little square holes where the split pins will go. "
You can round those holes out a little by pushing a ball
point pen tip in and swivelling It about under pressure.
Alternatively, you can punch holes through card with a
compass point and slice oft the bit of excess card that
bulges through at the back.
Then I made a cut around Tweety‘s body, inserted one
part of the arms and marked and cut a hole tor the
split pin through Tweety‘s body. l put a spllt pin
through so the arms would swivel and then
attached the saw handle to the other end 6
ol the hands like this...
Then I was able to put the tip of my pencil
through the other hole in the saw and by
pulling the saw up and down with the pencil,
draw a path for the proposed slot for this
operating arm which would go underneath.
Then l cut that slot through the main card and pushing a
split pin through from underneath through the operating
arm the slot and the saw, I was able to move the saw as
if by magic.
Then it is only a matter of disguising the split pins. I can
do this by tearing a bit of paper - roughly the shape of the
pin to be covered - and sticking it down with one of the
glues l mentioned. When that is dry l colour the paper
in the same as the rest of the drawing on the card.
The piece of branch was made to fit over the saw and a
couple of layers of card stuck on the back to make sure it
was high enough not to catch on the saw teeth. Then I
sprayed some spray glue on to the raised section in order
to Iightly stick it in place.
This was able to be moved when the branch was
‘apparentIy’ sawn through.
By the way - if you can't get split pins - a piece of string, knotted at the back,
forced through your bits of card with a compass point and then frayed out
and stuck down with PRITT glue and paper over the top, to disguise it,
makes just as good a swivel point.
You can do anything you want to with card, pins, glue, paint and pens.
lt’s all down to your own lnventiveness and planning.
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR ENGINEERING!