Animated GIFs have been around for a while now and whilst they were initially used to create funny memes, designers, illustrators, photographers and artists began using them as a new sort of canvas for their work. As you can imagine, the results are gorgeous and here we pick a few of our favourite artists.
01. Patakk (opens in new tab)
Paolo, aka Patakk is a 22-year-old designer currently based in Zagreb, Croatia. He's created a series of animated GIFs that we've quite frankly fallen in love with! With typography, triangles, faces and fonts to browse through, there's plenty of inspiration to be had.
02. Micaël Reynaud (opens in new tab)
Micaël Reynaud is an award-winning designer and stop-motion artist whose work has gone on to inspire many. Taking snippets from videos he has previously produced, Reynaud then edits the animation with various effects such as time-lapse and masking.
03. Carl Burton (opens in new tab)
Working as an animator, 3D artist and illustrator, Burton has combined all of his expertise to create some really rather beautiful offerings. Inspired by everything from news stories to his surroundings, the colours and intricate animations make these GIFs stand out from the crowd.
04. Archery (opens in new tab)
Tumblr GIF artist Archery uses the Mathematica (opens in new tab) software to generate hundreds of stunning animated GIFs, which mesmerise the viewer with their looping choreography. If you're interested into how he makes them exactly, he also kindly provides the source code for each of his creations.
05. Rafael Varona (opens in new tab)
"Since I'm obsessed with loops, I decided to challenge myself to put lots of them into one animation," he explains. "It's part of a series, with much more to come!" The project features sharks, birds and more placed in a rather unusual setting.
06. Edward Carvalho-Monaghan (opens in new tab)
Channelling the best of comic art (opens in new tab), these weird and wonderful GIFs from London-based illustrator and animator Edward Carvalho-Monaghan have us hooked. Featuring an array of bizarre creatures, monsters and shapes, each GIF uses bold, brash colours and a thick black outline that make an instant impact and demands the viewer's attention.
07. Guillaume Kurkdjian (opens in new tab)
Crafted by French student Guillaume Kurkdjian (opens in new tab), who specialises in photography, 2D and 3D animation as well as video direction, these GIFs are simple and subtle. Combining all his efforts, this latest collection of animated GIFs entitled 'Bisous Les Copains' is a gorgeous source of inspiration.
Who are your favourite GIF artists? Let us know in the comments box below!
