How to Find Your Animation Art Style in a World of AI

Introduction

In a world where technology eats everything (cough AI cough), it's easy to wonder if the art of animation is losing its unique touch.

Hayao Miyazaki once famously critiqued the use of artificial intelligence in animation, suggesting that the soul of artistry could never be replicated by machines.

But here we are in 2025 with everyone posting generated "Ghibli art".

Animation is not just about bringing characters to life, fortunately. It can also be about leaving your personal imprint on every frame and scene.

Miyazaki’s work is iconic not because it follows a formula, but because it is steeped in his unique vision, storytelling prowess, and deep emotional resonance. Just as Miyazaki carved a niche for himself by staying true to his passion and principles, you, too, have the potential to forge your path.

In a world of "AI art", your distinct style can be what sets you apart.

Read this article for some tips on where to start.

Why You Need An Art Style As An Animator

In a competitive industry like animation, having a recognizable style sets you apart from other animators. It becomes a part of your personal brand.

For freelance animators or those looking to establish their own studios, a strong, consistent style can attract clients who resonate with your vision. Audiences are also drawn to animations that offer a fresh, unique perspective.

You might wonder what the point of developing your own style is when an AI can blatantly steal it without any repercussions.

It's important to note that Ghibli's situation is an extreme case. For Internet communities, it's a meme fueled by Ghibli's decades of influence on the collective unconscious. It reflects neither the vision nor the sense of storytelling of the studio―an empty shell.

Your art style is a reflection of your personality, experiences, and influences. It allows you to express your individuality, thoughts, feelings, and perspectives through your work. This personal touch makes your animations more relatable.

Developing a style that feels authentically yours brings a sense of satisfaction. It allows for greater creative freedom, as you are not confined by the expectations or norms set by others.

AI cannot steal any of those, so go ahead and have fun anyway!

1. Finding Your Voice

Animation is about stories, so your style should be a reflection of the stories you wish to tell.

You'll naturally uncover your distinctive voice as an animator by focusing on storytelling.

Central to this process is your vision—an individual perspective that influences how you interpret and create stories.

Your artistic vision guides the choices you make, from character design to color palettes, and shapes the narratives you wish to explore. Tim Burton is a perfect example: his distinct style, characterised by gothic whimsy and quirky characters, is a direct reflection of his unique vision and creative mind. His animations are immediately recognizable and have become synonymous with his name.

Keep in mind you don't need to become overly fixated on pinning down a personal style immediately. Your style should feel natural, a genuine form of self-expression that emerges gradually as you continue to grow and experience. Your style evolves with you.

Embracing this organic development is key, just as stories change over time, so too will your approach to animation. By nurturing your vision while remaining open to growth, you'll find that your unique style will reveal itself.

2. The Importance Of Consumption

The journey to discovering our unique style often begins with what we consume: the media, art, and animation that we experience all play a crucial role in shaping our creative outlook. It's through this consumption that we gather inspiration.

One popular idea in the creative community is the concept of "stealing like an artist." It doesn't mean copying someone else's work outright, but rather absorbing a wide variety of influences and reimagining them in a personal and innovative way.

By observing how other artists solve creative problems or tell compelling stories, we can develop a more refined understanding of what resonates with us and incorporate those elements into our style. That's how humanity evolved for thousands of years.

This practice encourages us to borrow aspects we admire, mix them with our perspective, and ultimately create something uniquely ours.

Hayao Miyazaki himself stood on the shoulders of giants, like his mentor Yasuo Otsuka, or French animator Paul Grimault, with The King and The Mockingbird:

"We were formed by the films and filmmakers of the 1950s. At that time, I started watching a lot of films. One filmmaker who really influenced me was the French animator Paul Grimault. [...] It was through watching Le Roi et l'Oiseau by Paul Grimault that I understood how it was necessary to use space in a vertical manner."

But continuous consumption without reflection or intention can dilute our originality.

It's important to periodically step away from the influx of external influences and brain rot and engage in what might be called a creative detox―an intentional pause that allows us to process what we've absorbed, letting our natural preferences emerge without being overshadowed by current trends or the styles of others. We need to create space for our inner voice to speak.

3. Exploration

Consumption is one thing, but you also need intentional practice: exploring different artistic mediums and techniques is a great way to work on a unique style.

One way to begin is by engaging in traditional forms of art like drawing and painting.

Drawing, whether a quick sketch or a detailed study, sharpens your understanding of form, line, and texture. It encourages you to observe the world around you with a keen eye and translate those observations into visual stories.

Similarly, painting opens up a world of color and composition, allowing you to experiment with mood and lighting in ways that can enrich your animations.

Sculpting is another avenue for exploration, particularly when it involves creating models for claymation. Working with your hands to mould characters and scenes brings a tactile dimension to your creative process. It challenges you to think in three dimensions and consider the physical space your characters inhabit, which can enhance your ability to convey depth and realism in your animations.

More broadly, you can find different benefits in exploring all kinds of art forms.

Trying new tools is another way to push your creative boundaries: whether it's getting comfortable with a new type of software, using a tablet for digital drawing, or using animation techniques like stop-motion or 3D modeling, each tool offers unique possibilities and inspires innovative approaches.

4. Change Your Process

Beyond tools and art techniques, finding your unique style as an animator requires shaking up your creative routine.

It can be incredibly beneficial to first learn the best practices of the industry. Familiarizing yourself with these established methods provides a foundation on which to build, and paradoxically, they can also serve as guideposts for understanding how to break free from the norm when the time is right.

One effective strategy for evolving your style is to experiment with different environments, workflows, and topics.

As previously mentioned, trying out new animation software or tools can introduce you to different ways of thinking about your art, but you can also consider altering your usual working space.

Exploring unfamiliar themes or narratives in your animations challenges your usual assumptions and pushes the boundaries of your comfort zone.

5. Create Your Studio

Embracing your unique animation style can mean stepping outside the confines of someone else's studio.

While working within an established studio offers invaluable experience and insight, it limits the full expression of your individual style. To truly let your creativity flourish, you need your own space—whether it's a physical studio or a metaphorical artistic environment.

Creating your own studio allows you to define the parameters of your creative process so that your artistic voice can be heard without interference. This freedom enables you to experiment, take risks, and explore new techniques that might not align with the established norms of other studios.

While independence is empowering, seeking validation and feedback from external sources remains crucial. Release your work. Engage with a community of fellow animators, mentors, and audiences to gather diverse perspectives on your work. Constructive criticism provides the motivation and direction needed to refine your style further.

Conclusion

So, what does it truly mean to find your style as an animator? It's a journey of discovery—blending your influences, experimenting with different techniques, and ultimately, embracing your individuality. You can draw inspiration from other studios, but your signature as an artist will come from the authenticity you bring to your work.

You're making more than just art, you're defining your legacy in the world of animation, while getting a chance to express who you are. Embrace the challenge and let your style speak for yourself: the magic of animation lies not in the tools we use, but in the soul we pour into our craft.

For this reason, and leaving the ethical aspect aside, worrying about AI stealing your style is an overreaction. Nobody can tell stories like you do, even if the looks are similar, so go ahead and do it anyway!