What do the nine pictures show?

Thaumatrope sheets in three pairs, a bird and cage, a fish and bowl, and blank discs, each in three styles.

How do I make it work?

Cut out the discs, join the two sides back to back, and thread a string through the holes at each side. Twirl the string to spin the disc.

Why is the second picture upside down?

The second picture is drawn upside down so that it lines up with the first when the disc is twirled.

Can I ask for another pair?

Yes, type a pair such as frog. That is a request, and the pictures may not match the sample.

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/thaumatrope-templates · craft

Thaumatrope templates: bird in a cage, fish in a bowl, draw your own

Thaumatrope templates — a printable thaumatrope sheet with two discs, a small bird on one and an empty birdcage on the other, the second disc drawn upside down, solid cut circles and string holes at each side, clean closed black line art in one uniform thin stroke, no shading, no gray tones, no fills

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every sample — three subjects, three styles ↓

Reading 1Bird in a cage

Reading 2Fish in a bowl

Reading 3Draw your own

A thaumatrope is a disc with a picture on each side, and when it is twirled on a string the two pictures merge into one. These nine pictures give three pairs: a bird and an empty birdcage, a goldfish and an empty fishbowl, and blank pairs for children to draw. Each comes as black line art, felt-tip and a Victorian toy print. Type a pair, such as sun and moon or frog, and the disc layout stays the same.

an optical toy for a science class
a gift that moves when twirled
a drawing activity for children
a Victorian-style toy for a display

Frequently asked questions

What do the nine pictures show?: Thaumatrope sheets in three pairs, a bird and cage, a fish and bowl, and blank discs, each in three styles.
How do I make it work?: Cut out the discs, join the two sides back to back, and thread a string through the holes at each side. Twirl the string to spin the disc.
Why is the second picture upside down?: The second picture is drawn upside down so that it lines up with the first when the disc is twirled.
Can I ask for another pair?: Yes, type a pair such as frog. That is a request, and the pictures may not match the sample.

About toile

This page is a showcase and a starting point: nine samples already rendered, three readings of the pack crossed with three styles, each shown at the size and ratio it was made for. Take any of them further on the wall with a few words, or ask for all nine again under your own direction; a sign-in keeps what you make, and it is free while Toile is new. The recipe behind each sample — the subject, the style, the palette, the framing — travels with the image rather than staying private to the render: it is in the alt text of every sample and in the page's own structured data, so a search engine reads the same handles a person would.