For my final seminar project, I decided to make a phenakistoscope. I learned how to make one over the span of this past semester and enjoyed it the most out of the other projects I’ve attempted, so I decided to give it another try and share with the class how it’s created and how it can be manipulated.
The first step to making my project involved coming up with a concept of what the moving image and the theme would be. I’m really fascinated with the ocean, so I figured that the center of the circle would involve a lot of oceanic colors; whether or not they would be abstract or concrete was yet to be decided at that point. Once I decided on an underwater theme, the first thought that came to mind regarding the “moving” image was Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film, Ponyo, which is basically a Japanese interpretation of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. The scene I chose occurs at the beginning of the movie, just as Ponyo is about to encounter Sōsuke and experience a moment that will change her life.
Almost everything after the concept involved technical work, but I faced most of my challenges in trying to get them done. Once I took screenshots of the scene on my computer, resized them, and cut them out to the shape I wanted, I needed to figure out how big my circle would have to be. I think this was my most difficult obstacle because I didn’t have a circular shape to trace, so I needed to be confident with my estimate. The thickness of my paper was also a consideration I needed to make. If I used thick cardboard, it would have been incredibly difficult to make clean cuts, but if I used flimsy paper, the project would be infeasible. I decided on poster board with cardboard support for the back so that the circle can stand vertically without flopping over. Once I carefully cut that out, I figured out an abstract painting scheme of oceanic colors with brighter colors filling the center and darker colors filling the edge so as to provide a contrasting background for the images around the border. Getting past the technical details of creating a phenakistoscope and getting to the design portion of it was definitely the best part of my experience. Engrossing myself in painting is one of my favorite activities because it allows me to escape my mind temporarily and enter a world of serenity and unrestricted color.
Presenting my work was an interesting experience for several reasons. I was able to see the reactions of my classmates about the idea and the concept, which was exciting. It also felt refreshing to simply present my work as opposed to subject it to criticism the way I’m used to doing it in my art class this past semester. I didn’t necessarily have a plan about what I was going to say, which is unusual for me when I prepare for presentations, but I realized from how I felt about presenting it without preparations how comfortable I had gotten with my classmates. I really respect the views and opinions of the people in our seminar and I know I’m going to miss them now that our class has ended.
As for how I feel about my completed work, I’m not necessarily sure that the ending product was a success, but the process itself was enough to feel “successful” in my eyes. I like the idea of work never being fully completed or perfect, like an ongoing process that can always be modified, improved, worsened, or transformed. Something about that is very interesting.
