Looking for reliable sources of animation inspiration? Vimeo and YouTube are populated with artists who share professional content to learn from, providing an expansive look at the possibilities in animation. So, before you begin your next animation project, spend some time with the following channels to get inspired.
1. Axis
With an emphasis on video game and commercial work, this UK-based animation studio produces wildly vivid work. This channel is perfect for anybody aspiring to jump into the gaming industry.
2. Giant Animation Studios
Working in film, television, and interactive media, award-winning Giant Animation Studios has a lot of irons in the fire. The company’s character design for clients (and its own original content) is second to none.
3. beeple
Based out of Wisconsin, beeple (aka Mike Winkelmann) is a go-to source of insane animated visuals for music artists like Zedd, Tiësto, and Skrillex. With over 450 videos on his channel (and roughly one new post a week), beeple is a constant source of motivation for his subscribers.
4. Motoko
Motoko’s commercials and shorts are sometimes simple — but they’re always effective.With clients like MasterCard and Canon, Motoko is an excellent example of how corporate video can be entertaining and engaging.
5. PES
PES is a breath of fresh air, specializing in groundbreaking stop-motion animation. With an Academy Award nomination under his belt, his channel currently has over 200,000,000 million views. On top of having an impressive library of eye-catching clips, PES uploads behind-the-scenes videos that offer insight into his process.
6. Pencilmation Cartoons
Pencilmation takes the basic concept of characters drawn on paper and turns it into something charming and inventive. Just like PES, Pencilmation goes the extra mile for its viewers, teaching them how they too can create exceptionally fun animation.
7. Jacob Frey
Jacob Frey (who most recently worked on Zootopia) doesn’t feature a lot of videos on his channel — but the content he does spotlight is detailed and beautiful. Anybody looking for 3D animation inspiration would be wise to add Frey’s channel to their feed.
8. Woodwork
Woodwork’s desire to marry digital and analogue design leads to some truly riveting work for clients like Heineken, Adidas, and Facebook. Their creative energy is off the charts and their passion is apparent, as is their attention to detail — “24 FRAMES PER SECOND. ONE DETAIL AT A TIME.”
9. mushi
Abstract and mind-bending are two words that perfectly capture mushi’s aesthetic. The studio’s approach to design and animation is at once contemporary and futuristic, making them a company to keep an eye on in the year ahead.
10. MaliArts
MaliArts works with clients (like Playstation and Red Bull) from all over the world. The company’s channel features animation and VFX work, plus some examples of industrial design. For anyone looking to develop a well-rounded career, subscribing to and exploring the MaliArts channel certainly can’t hurt.
Know of any other boundary-pushing animation channels? Let us know in the comments below!
Top image by Tithi Luadthong