Welcome to my experimental playground! Here, I push Microsoft Excel Macros (VBA) to its limits to create dynamic animations right on the spreadsheet—using both Cell Pixel Art and Vector Shapes (AutoShapes).
Is this useful for daily work? Honestly, not really! But it’s surprisingly fun, technically challenging, and proves that Excel is a secret 2D animation engine.
Two Core Animation Techniques in Excel
- Cell-Based Grid Animation (Pixel Art / Matrix):
Automatically changing cell background colors in real time using conditional loops, relative directional rules, and coordinate mapping. - Shape-Based Vector Animation (AutoShapes & Kinematics):
Dynamically moving, rotating, scaling, and manipulating native Excel Shapes (lines, circles, polygons) to create smooth vector motion graphics—including 2D stick figures.
- Fundamentals (Cell & Grid Motion)
- Intermediate Motion Graphics
- Showcase Projects (Story & Physics Animations)
- 🐎 Shadow Art Reveal (Silhouette Animation)
- 🎍 Kadomatsu (Domino Effect Cascade)
- 🎨 Random Pixel Art Reveal
- 🎆 Dynamic Fireworks Display
- ⏱️ 3, 2, 1 Countdown Timer
- 📈 Animated Mathematical Graphs
- ⚽ Bouncing Physics & Exit Escape
- ⚙️ Rolling Wheel with Physics & Sound
- 🛢️ Rolling Barrel Down Stairs
- 🎎 Comedy “Hinamatsuri” (Japanese Doll Festival)
- 🌸 Comedy Cherry Blossom Viewing
- 💡 Fireflies by the Stream
- Vector Shape Animation & Kinematics Engine (Featured Focus)
- 💡 Developer Setup Recommendation
Fundamentals (Cell & Grid Motion)
Every complex grid animation on this site relies on these core algorithms:
- Basics #1: Vertical Line Sweep (Detailed Breakdown)
- Basics #2: Cross / Intersection Scanning Patterns
- Basics #3: Dot Matrix Rendering
- Basics #4: Top-to-Bottom Zigzag Pathfinding
- Basics #5: Diagonal Sweep Fill (Moving Down-Right while filling Up/Left)
▶ Read Detailed Breakdown(Japanese only)
Intermediate Motion Graphics
Combining basic movement algorithms allows for complex patterns and visual effects:
- Spirals: Monochrome, Multi-color, and Smooth Color Gradients
- Pixel Art Portraits: Mapping image coordinates directly into spreadsheet cells
- Text Reveal Effect: Sweeping text characters across cells from Left to Right
- Traditional Japanese Line Art: Rendering “Henohenomoheji” faces
- Concentric Circles & Fireworks: Simulating explosive particle physics
▶ Read Detailed Breakdown(Japanese only)
Showcase Projects (Story & Physics Animations)
When you combine physics, storytelling, and motion logic, Excel spreadsheet art comes alive!
🐎 Shadow Art Reveal (Silhouette Animation)
Technique: Cell Fill (Basics #5 Diagonal Sweep)
As the cursor moves diagonally toward the bottom right, it dynamically colors the cells above and to its left, gradually revealing a hidden horse silhouette for New Year’s 2026.
▶ View Code & Breakdown (Japanese)
🎍 Kadomatsu (Domino Effect Cascade)
Technique: Multi-color Cell Rendering
An advanced version of the shadow art logic that cascades 11 different colors across the grid like falling dominoes.
🎨 Random Pixel Art Reveal
Technique: Cell Iteration Loop
Randomly colors grid cells over 5 iterative loops until a complete pixel art illustration emerges.
🎆 Dynamic Fireworks Display
Technique: Macro Chaining
Combines rocket launch trajectory logic with expanding concentric circle algorithms into one seamless fireworks show.
⏱️ 3, 2, 1 Countdown Timer
Technique: Timer Events & Trigonometry
Uses Excel timer functions to render a rotating loading circle accompanied by a numeric countdown.
📈 Animated Mathematical Graphs
Technique: Real-Time Plotting Engine
Visualizes dynamic function curves in real-time as variable $x$ increments from -100 to +100.
⚽ Bouncing Physics & Exit Escape
Technique: Reflection Vectors & Collision Detection
A moving point travels diagonally in 4 directions, detecting outer walls and inner obstacle barriers to bounce off them and navigate toward the maze exit.
⚙️ Rolling Wheel with Physics & Sound
Technique: Class Modules (OOP) & Audio API
Defines wheel rotation, horizontal velocity, gravity/falling physics, direction reversal, and wall destruction inside custom VBA Class Modules. Incorporates dynamic sound effects.
🛢️ Rolling Barrel Down Stairs
Technique: Class-Based Platform Physics
A short-form video variant navigating barrels down multi-level platforms with collision detection.
🎎 Comedy “Hinamatsuri” (Japanese Doll Festival)
Technique: Zoom Effects & Image Swapping
A humorous story animation that zooms in on traditional festival dolls and subtly alters their faces/items across 3 comedic reveals with synthesized voice narration.
🌸 Comedy Cherry Blossom Viewing
Technique: Hybrid Engine (Cells + Native Excel Shapes)
Blends cell coloring with dynamic Excel Shape controls to render smoothly animated characters and traffic lights beneath blooming cherry blossom trees.
💡 Fireflies by the Stream
Technique: Pseudo-Multithreading in VBA
Simulates multi-threaded processing in VBA to control dozens of fireflies flickering and floating asynchronously along a river bank.
Vector Shape Animation & Kinematics Engine (Featured Focus)
Using Excel Shapes (Drawing Objects) allows for far higher resolution, smoother frame rates, and complex skeletal animation that cell grids cannot achieve alone.
- 3D Stick Figure Radio Calisthenics (IK Motion Engine):
A custom-built Inverse Kinematics (IK) animation framework in VBA that controls limb joints, bone angles, and body rotations to animate full stick-figure workout routines. - 4-Panel Manga Comic Strips (Shape + Audio Control):
Dynamic dialogue bubbles, vector character placement, and synchronized audio playback. - Interactive Story Dialogues:
Real-time character sprite movement and speech bubble triggers powered by VBA event routines.
▶ Read Detailed Breakdown(Japanese only)
💡 Developer Setup Recommendation
When writing VBA code while watching spreadsheet animations unfold, a Dual Monitor Setup is an absolute game-changer.
Keeping the VBE (Visual Basic Editor) open on your primary screen while placing the Excel Worksheet Window on an expanded 27-inch monitor eliminates the need for endless Alt + Tab window switching!
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