Animation that can
come home from school.

Paid apps and advertising add friction to a simple creative task. I wanted students to have a practical animation tool they could use in class and continue using at home for free.

Developing our own version also means we can change the tools around our projects and respond to student feedback.

I developed Stefan Zager’s original Stop Motion project further. Its camera, onion-skin and animation foundation provided the starting point; my work includes editable project files, local autosave and recovery, timeline editing, frame holds and undo/redo.

I also refined the tablet workspace, camera handling and export compatibility. The design prioritises the camera and capture controls, while saved projects let students return to work in progress.

The app is being used by students. Their feedback, as reported to me, highlights straightforward controls, familiar animation features and being able to use it without ads or payment, including at home.

This is qualitative feedback, not a measured learning outcome. It helps guide continued development without adding complexity for its own sake.

Project files preserve frames and settings for later editing. Local autosave provides another recovery route, while visible save errors and downloadable backups help users protect their work. Browser storage is not a substitute for keeping a project file.

This is AI-assisted software development; the animation workflow described here does not rely on generative AI. Browser and camera compatibility vary, and physical-device testing remains an ongoing part of development.

Based on Stefan Zager’s original project. The original 0BSD licence is retained in the repository.

The public app is available and in student use. The development log records improvements, checks and remaining limitations. I maintain and refine this version; I did not originate the entire application.

This project connects product development, creative production and teaching: understand the task, adapt an existing foundation, refine the interface and keep listening to the people using it.

Explore my workflow automation and custom software work →