Scanimation, also known as barrier-grid or picket-fence animation, brings static images to life through a clever interplay of vertical lines and motion. By integrating this fascinating optical illusion into a functional timepiece, we’ve created a design that’s both mesmerizing and practical.

After launching our first Scanimation Clock, a community member reached out and asked if we can create a clock face for human walking/running animation. Since we already cracked a scanimation design, we thought this could be a simple request, but the design process took longer and we encountered more challenges than we expected (again lol). We iterated 9 times total, tested out different combinations of: number of frames, number of barriers, walking / running animation, different figure styles, trying to find a balance among speed, realistic of the animation, and animation visibility. At last, we think this is the best we can achieve with the man in the center of the clock. 🚶

Note: This model ONLY includes the human walking clock face. It needs to be used together with our Scanimation Clock components (👈 Please read instructions in the description of this model).

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You will need multi-color printing like AMS to print the clock face. The clock face is printed face-down for best results. Ensure your print bed is very clean before printing.

How to achieve the best animated effect?

1. Choose high contrast colors: Ensure adjacent areas have strong contrast (e.g., a white cat with blue eyes on a red background). Low-contrast combinations may result in less visible animation.
2. Avoid using dark color background: Using dark color background for this particular clock face will increase the moire effect and make the animation not clear. In our first test print, we tried printing the human in PLA White and the background in PLA Matte Blue, but surprisingly the result wasn't very good. The opaque quality of PLA White filament, thin lines around the center area (least visible), and moire effect on dark background all result in less visible animation. Our example photos (PLA Matte Blue on PLA Matte Mandarin Orange) show the animation better than our first test print, but we recommend to use a even lighter color for the background, like PLA White.

Assembly Guide

👉 Watch assembly guide video on Youtube. 

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