How to Create Page Flip Animations in Blender (Free Add-on Guide)

Creating a realistic book or magazine animation manually in Blender is usually a complex process involving rigging and physics simulations. If you are looking for a quick and efficient way to turn a sequence of images into a page-flipping animation, the Flip My Page add-on is a standard solution for saving time. In this guide, I will walk you through the entire workflow, from correct file naming to fixing common overlapping glitches that beginners often face.

Installing the Flip My Page Add-on

Since this is not a native Blender tool, you first need to obtain it from the developer’s Gumroad page. The process is straightforward, but there is a specific method if you want to test it for free.

First, navigate to the Flip My Page download page. In the price field, you can enter 0 to access the free version. Click the I want this button and then Download. You will receive a .zip file. Do not unzip this file, as Blender installs add-ons directly from the compressed archive.

Open Blender, go to Edit > Preferences, and switch to the Add-ons tab. Click the Install from Disk button, select the .zip file you just downloaded, and ensure you check the box next to the add-on name to activate it. If you have many add-ons installed, use the search bar to locate it quickly.

Preparing Your Image Sequence

This is the step where most users encounter issues. The add-on is script-based, meaning it relies heavily on your file naming convention. If your files are not ordered correctly, your book pages will flip randomly or fail to load.

You must rename your images sequentially, such as 1.png, 2.png, 3.png, and so on. Stick to standard formats like PNG or JPEG and place all these images in a single, dedicated folder. If you are working with complex sequences or need to generate numbered assets before this step, you might find our guide on number counting animation in Blender useful for preparing your assets.

Configuring Page Dimensions and Timing

Start by deleting the default objects in your scene to create a clean workspace. You will find the add-on controls under the Object menu; look for 5-min Blender > Flip My Page.

You do not need to enter exact pixel resolutions. Instead, input the Aspect Ratio of your images. For example, a Width of 7 and a Height of 10 is a standard ratio. Adjust these values to match your specific image dimensions to avoid stretching.

The Number of Pages setting should match the exact number of images you have prepared. Note that the free version limits you to 10 pages. The Time to Flip setting controls the speed of the animation; lower values result in a fast flip, while higher values create a slower, heavier paper feel. If you want the animation to begin later in your timeline, enter the desired frame number in the Start Frame field.

Once you point the Page Image Folder path to your source folder and click OK, Blender will generate the armature and planes automatically.

Fixing Overlapping Pages (Troubleshooting)

After generating the animation, press Play to review the result. You might notice a common visual error known as z-fighting, where pages appear stacked directly on top of each other, or the grid shows through the bottom page.

To fix this, select the individual page object that is clipping and manually move it slightly upward on the Z-axis until it sits clearly above the previous page. If you generated more pages than you have images, you will see a blank white plane at the end; simply select that object and delete it. For precise positioning without manual guessing, you can use Blender Pro Align Tools to snap your objects into place perfectly.

While the free version is powerful for quick mockups, it lacks features like cover art simulation and paper thickness. For advanced motion graphics projects where you might want to overlay dynamic data or timers on your flipbook, exploring After Effects timer counter animation techniques can help you enhance the final visual output.