Make Your Own Animation: 5 Beginner Lessons
You do not need expensive software to start animating. These lessons use paper, a pencil and a phone, and each one teaches a real principle used by professional animators.
A 35mm animation camera stand: Asanagi, CC0
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Lesson 1: A flipbook
The simplest animation of all, using a small notepad.
- Get a pad Use a small notepad or sticky notes stacked together, at least 20 pages.
- Start at the back Draw your first picture on the last page, near the edge you will flip.
- Change a little On the page above, trace the drawing but move it slightly. Repeat on each page.
- Flip it Hold the spine and flip the pages with your thumb to watch it move.
Tip: Small changes look smooth; big jumps look fast or jerky. Try both.
Lesson 2: The bouncing ball
Every animation student starts here. It teaches timing, spacing and squash and stretch.
- Key poses Draw the ball at the top of its arc, then on the ground, then at the top again.
- Spacing Add drawings in between: close together near the top, where the ball slows, and far apart near the ground, where it is fastest.
- Squash On the ground frame, flatten the ball a little so it looks soft and heavy.
- Stretch On the frames just before and after the ground, stretch the ball slightly along its path.
Tip: Read our 12 principles page to see why this works.
Lesson 3: Phone stop-motion
Make a short film with toys, clay or objects and a free stop-motion app.
- Fix the camera Prop the phone so it cannot move; tape it down if you can.
- Light it Use a lamp instead of a window, because daylight changes and makes frames flicker.
- Move and shoot Move your object a tiny amount, take one picture, and repeat.
- Play back Play at 12 frames per second, which is the same as animating on twos.
Tip: Keep your hands out of the frame and check that nothing else moves by accident.
Lesson 4: A simple walk cycle
A loop of drawings that makes a character walk forever.
- Contact poses Draw the moment each heel touches the ground, one step with each foot.
- Passing pose In between, draw the legs passing each other with the body slightly higher.
- Down pose Just after contact, draw the body at its lowest as the weight lands.
- Loop it Repeat the poses for the other leg, then play them in a loop.
Tip: Swing the arms opposite to the legs; it makes the walk look natural.
Lesson 5: Basic lip sync
Make a character say a short line.
- Record Record yourself saying a short line, two or three seconds long.
- Break it down Listen slowly and note the main sounds and when they happen, frame by frame, like an exposure sheet.
- Mouth shapes Draw a few shapes: closed for M, B and P, wide for A, round for O, teeth showing for E and F.
- Match and play Place each shape on its frame, then play with the sound. Adjust a frame earlier if it looks late.
Tip: Mouths often look better slightly ahead of the sound.
Light pad or lightbox
A thin glowing panel for tracing drawings.
Why: Lets you see the previous drawing through the paper, like a traditional animation desk.
$20-$80
Search on AmazonPeg bar and punched paper
A strip that holds paper in exactly the same position.
Why: Keeps every drawing lined up, so the animation does not jitter.
$10-$30
Search on AmazonDrawing tablet
A pen tablet for drawing digitally.
Why: Most studios now animate 2D digitally; a tablet lets you try the same tools.
$40-$400
Search on AmazonSmall phone tripod
A stand to hold your phone still.
Why: Essential for stop-motion, because any camera movement ruins the illusion.
$15-$40
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Facts on this page were checked against these sources (updated Oct 13, 2026). Spot an error? Email hello@fireempireshop.com.