Putting together your own unique animations with Flipnote Studio couldn’t be more straightforward. Just like creating and leafing through a flick book on a notepad, you’ll bring your ideas to life by drawing a sequence of pictures on single Flipnote pages then setting them in motion at the touch of a button.

Use the basic Draw, Paint and Erase tools to create images on an individual page. You can choose from a selection of colours for your lines and patterns and you can use them on white or black paper. Satisfied with the results? Then move on to the next one at the touch of a button to start setting your animation in motion!

The Trace option allows you to see what you drew on the previous page(s), while the Copy option lets you duplicate your drawing directly onto the next page. Both are useful tools for ensuring smooth animation - you'll decide which option works best under the circumstances.

You can also import images from your Nintendo DSi Camera Album for inclusion in your moving masterpieces. Imported images will appear in black and white and can be altered with a range of effects to give them a visual overhaul. Adjust the contrast and saturation of the picture or apply an outline effect that makes your photo look like a hand-drawn addition to your animation. 

The Page Management feature allows you to set the speed of your animation, fine-tuning it as you see fit. You can also cut, copy and paste pages here, so feel free to experiment. Then apply the finishing touch by using the Nintendo DSi microphone to add background music and sounds to your Flipnotes.

With a couple of basic Flipnotes under your belt, switch on the Advanced Tools option for a new set of tools that will make it much easier to get some advanced results.

Switching between two layers opens the way up for you to create backgrounds that can remain constant as you alter the animated action taking place on the layer above, while the Flip and Shrink/Enlarge tools make it easy to quickly alter the entire contents of a page as you send your drawings off into the distance, enlarge them for a zooming effect or flip them horizontally or vertically.

Two more Advanced Tools that can make your life easier are the Select and Draft tools. Copying selected parts of an image and pasting them on later pages can help to ensure your handiwork on one page is put to good use elsewhere. Similarly, the draft tool can make the creative process smoother by enabling you to draw sketchy outlines that act as a reference point from which to work.

Finally, Advanced Tools also include additional sound recording options that make it possible to import sounds saved in Nintendo DSi Sound. These music and sound clips can be mixed and subsequently expanded with further layers to create a single track that really brings your animation to life!