Alexeieff’s NIGHT ON BALD MOUNTAIN

The animation you are about to see was created entirely with pushpins in a board, by Alexandre Alexeieff and Claire Parker.

Let's let my pal, author and art expert Luis Ortiz, explain:

During the 1930s animators Alexander Alexeieff and wife Claire Parker invented a push-screen frame, basically a board with thousands of pins embedded into it. The pins were pushed into the board at various heights, using specially shaped tools, and lighted from different angles to create shadow pictures that could be filmed one frame at a time. I saw their version of Night on Bald Mountain, which preceded Disney's, back in the 1980s at film historian Cecile Starr's home (she owned a 16mm copy) and I remember being very impressed. But this unique method was too labor intensive (even by film animation standards), and for most of their later work the Alexeieffs used object animation.

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Paul - Wed Dec 17, 2008
Category: Music | Cartoons | 1930s

Comments

I find it looks better than most home-made animations these days. Doing it by hand may be more time-consuming, but it provides a level of detail that is beyond most home (computer) animators.

Posted by kingmonkey in Athens, Ontario on 12/17/08 at 12:13 PM

Actually, there are computer programs that simulate this type of art media. It is easier for a computer to recall previous images than it is to physically move the pins to reform a picture that you have done previously. Creating new images is a very time consuming process also.

But, as stated, using a computer makes it possible for everyone, even those with no artistic talent, to be an artist. As an amateur artist and former art school student I can say that only a true artist is going to be aware of the amount of detail in their work, and it will show in the final composition of their work.

Posted by Madd Maxx on 12/18/08 at 08:06 AM

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