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How to Make Your Own Cartoons for Your Webpage

It is easy to make a cartoon to put on your own website. You do not have to be a professional animator or a website designer. With a great idea and a funny cartoon character, you can shoot your own stop motion animation to upload to your website. Stop motion animation is when each slight movement within the cartoon is filmed; when played back, it creates animated motion. All you need is a digital camera, a tripod, a FireWire or USB cable, animation software, and a video hosting website.

Things You'll Need

  • Typing paper
  • Printer
  • Sketchpad
  • Pencil
  • Eraser
  • Digital camera
  • Tripod
  • FireWire or USB cable
  • Animation software
  • Toy figures
  • Plasticine
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Instructions

    • 1

      Write your cartoon script. Plot your cartoon story to help you to create a script for your website animation or create a storyboard, which is a visual plot sequence of action shots that make up your cartoon.

    • 2

      Set up your digital camera on a tripod beside your workspace. Connect a FireWire lead or USB cable from your camera to your computer to be able to upload your animation frames while you are working. Turn on your computer. Your computer will detect the connected device so that your images will open up on the computer screen.

    • 3

      Draw your character in pencil on paper and then take a photo. Choose a character's limb to move; draw the limb in a slightly different position. Erase the earlier limb position. Take a photo. Repeat this process until you have completed all the frames. You will need to capture 15 to 20 frames to make a second of animation footage.

    • 4

      It is also possible to create stop motion animation with character figures (toys or plasticine figures.) Ensure that the toy figures have movable joints so that heads can be turned and arms and legs can be bent into different positions. Emotions are also important to bring your animated character to life. Keep it simple by only using three simple facial emotions like happy, sad, or angry expressions. Use your own modeled figures to be able to manipulate facial expressions. Position your character to shoot the first frame. Take a photo. Move a limb slightly. Take another photo and repeat this process until you have captured all your animated frames.

    • 5

      Save each animated frame to your pictures folder. Open your animation program. Upload each frame so that you can start editing and producing your animation. Use additional program features within your animation package to incorporate recorded voice overs, sound effects, or music, if applicable. Add titles and credits to make your animation ready to put on your website.

    • 6

      Upload your animation to your website. A website with a video streaming feature allows you to upload videos with the click of a button. Alternatively, find a video streaming company online that will upload a video automatically to your website, or which provides you with an HTML code allowing you to cut and paste your video into your website.

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