The World of Tomorrow

In addition to being an illustrator, I also work at the Queens Museum where I oversee After-School and Family Programs.  One of my favorite gigs is running the Musem's art camp called The Big Time Summer Art Thing for Kids.  

This past summer we embarked on an ambitious undertaking, creating a stop-motion animation project inspired by the Futurama exhibitions from the 1939 & 1964 New York World's Fairs.

Approximately 22 students, ages 7 - 12, created a city of the future backdrop made entirely from felt.  First they imagined their buildings, then modes of transportation, roads, and lastly the inhabitants.  Participants adhered everything one element at a time to a gaint stretch of black felt that was stapled to a wall in one of the museum's galleries.

Before students actually began to animate, it was important to preform a mock run through so that everyone understood how the process worked.

Students hardly tired in the four days it took to film the production.  They worked in small teams each choreographing different sequences moving their various felt props about in small increments, shot by shot, bringing everything to life.

Here's the final result, aptly titled The World of Tomorrow...