The Big Draw 2006: GPO Animation

We hired artist and educator Jonathan Boast to come up with a Big Draw event in October 2006. Jonathan based his workshop on the animated films made by Len Lye for the General Post Office Film Unit in the 1930s. Len Lye famously made films without using a camera, by drawing or scratching directly onto the film, working in response to music.

We started with a screening of Len Lye's films Rainbow Dance and Colour Box. Jonathan provided five big rolls of paper and got everyone to ‘take a line for a walk’ with pastels and crayons. There was a soundtrack to work to, created by a DJ for the event. There were also side activities including flip books and collages. The kids and adults moved on from crayons to paint, and it got pretty messy!

Over the following month Jonathan filmed the rolls of paper and set them to music. The finished film is called Line Dance. You can download the film in various formats here. Don't forget to turn your sound on to hear the music!

To download to your computer:

• Right-click on one of the links and choose 'Save Link/Target As'.
  
• You will then get to choose where to save it on your own computer. We recommend you save it to your Desktop, and move it later if you want.
  

  Line Dance.wmv (2.5MB - This format will play best using Windows Media Player).

   Line Dance.mp4 (5.5MB - This format will play best using the free-to-download Quicktime player).

Line Dance.swf (6.5MB - This format will play best in the free-to-download Mozilla Firefox browser, but without play controls).

You can also watch the original Len Lye classic Colour Box, thanks to Film and Sound Online. Watch out - these are very big files! Make sure your internet connection can handle the download.

  Colour Box.wmv (20MB)

   Colour Box.mp4 (30MB)

Find out more about the Campaign for Drawing on their website, and get yourself drawing!

We will be doing another Big Draw in 2007. Sign up to email updates for the latest information about BPMA events.