But what if you find yourself out of ideas? Sitting at your desk, sketchbook in hand, ready to work on your portfolio but faced with total creative block.
Having a list of animation prompts can initially seem like a solution, but it's not a sustainable method―generating ideas is a muscle one needs to train!
Whether you know it or not, your life is an endless source of inspiration for animation. You just need a bit of know-how and some practice.
In this article, we break free from the constraints of static lists to provide you with dynamic strategies to cultivate a constant flow of animation ideas. We hope these creative techniques will help you in the long run!
It's All About Storytelling
A great animation comes from a great story.
Animation, after all, is a medium of storytelling, whether a short clip or a full-length feature.
Before putting pencil to paper (or stylus or tablet), think about the stories you want to tell. What inspires you? What stories have stuck with you through the years? What themes are you drawn to?
Your story ideas will be as unique as your perspective, but the key is to let them reveal themselves naturally through thoughtful contemplation.
You can't always force ideas to come to you, but you can always put all the good luck on your side with discipline.
Here are a few ways to go about it:
1. Fan Fiction
Think about when children draw their favorite characters from TV shows or movies. They add their own imaginative touches―new outfits, sidekicks, or even missions to accomplish.
This childlike creativity is a powerful tool.
With fan fiction, you can experiment with storytelling and animation techniques, all while connecting with other fans in the community.
Consider starting with a character you resonate with and ask yourself, "What if?" What if your favorite hero had to face their greatest fear? What if two characters from different universes met? The possibilities are endless.
A great example is "Legend, a Dragon Ball Tale" produced in 2022 by animator Agent Mystery Meat (The New Challenger Productions). It features the classic Dragon Ball characters, with the animator's unique take on the art style and an original plot.
Anime edits and anime music videos are also popular fan-made creations that are great for learning video and audio editing while developing an audience on social media.
2. Get The Basics Right
Another way to get animation ideas is to go back to the foundations of the craft.
It's not about achieving technical perfection with the basics, like animating a ball bounce, but deeply understanding and integrating the language and processes that define the world of animation.
For example, the 12 principles of animation teach you how to infuse your characters with emotion and personality.
You could start by practising each principle individually in small projects. For example, animate a simple character using exaggeration to emphasize their feelings and see how a slight change can impact the animation. As you experiment and practice, your understanding of these principles will naturally expand, and they will begin to inform and inspire new ideas.
As previously mentioned, creativity is a muscle, and muscles need fuel to function and grow. Consuming art and seeking new experiences is essential. Watching different animation and art styles opens your eyes to the myriad ways of storytelling.
Passive consumption is not the way, though. You need to engage with what you consume, whether it's through analysis, reproduction, or creation. Ask yourself why a particular animation style is effective. How does a specific animation technique convey emotion or motion?
Sampling animations also develops your own taste. What do you like, don't like, or wish to see more of.
Start a creative journal where you jot down specific scenes from animations that inspire you. Write about why they made an impact—was it the way the character moved, or perhaps the interplay of color and shadow? By documenting your thoughts, you sharpen your analytical skills and create a repository of ideas from which to draw.
Once you get the principles, you want to look into how animators work, the technical terms they use, and their processes.
You can look at our blog to learn more about the entire animation process. You can also participate in animation communities or forums or watch behind-the-scenes documentaries of your favorite animations to see how those concepts are translated into action.
Understanding the 'why' and 'how' behind a process unlocks your ability to innovate and reapply those ideas in your work.
3. The Introspective Way
Some stories are found within: explore what you want to contribute to the world!
You could, for example, solve a problem through animation. If you are passionate about environmental issues, create an animated short that illustrates the impact of plastic pollution on modern society. Humans are visual animals: what you make visible raises awareness and inspires change more engagingly than any amount of debating.
Adapting a beloved manga, comics, or novel is also a great way to showcase your animation skills. You can pick a less popular but intriguing and copyright-free story, like a classic fable or myth, and reinterpret it with a modern twist or set it within a different cultural context.
Incorporating autobiographical elements into your work is another way to get the ball rolling. If you had a profound personal experience, why not animate it? There is always an audience for personal stories.
4. Document, Don't Create
Many powerful animations aren't created from scratch and simply reflect daily life, its joys, and its struggles.
If you're learning to animate facial expressions―instead of starting with a blank slate and trying to design a character from scratch―you could document your process by filming everyday expressions around you. Capture yourself or friends showing various emotions and use those as direct references to animate.
Share your progress as you follow tutorials or tackle new courses and hobbies. It doesn't have to be about animation: you can simply combine interests to learn more about both.
Say you're learning history, mathematics, or playing badminton―anything can become an interesting animation subject. Look up explainer videos on YouTube and see how animations are used to convey complex ideas and skills.
This approach helps chart your growth and provides a learning experience others can benefit from. Think of it as a visual diary chronicling your journey.
Becoming a teacher of what you learn is a sure way to solidify new concepts in your mind while forging a tangible connection with viewers who appreciate your transparency.
5. Start With The Audience
For a more business-oriented approach, start with your prospective audience in mind: discover what people want to see and animate content that entertains or educates them.
This approach can be particularly complementary for animators interested in the management side of an animation studio.
Understanding your audience is crucial because the content you create has to be both relevant and impactful to increase the probability of success.
You can for example engage with communities or track trending topics across social media platforms.
Keep in mind however that the most successful animation studios manage to align their creative vision with their audience's interests. You don't have to please your audience at all costs to be successful. Again, you create your own audience.
Conclusion
There are many ways to find inspiration for your next animation: from simple practice exercises to deeply personal experiences, all you need is an exciting story you want to tell! Start from there, take baby steps, and eventually, you'll learn all you need.
Your journey doesn't end with an idea, though: animations require action to turn an abstract thought into a full-fledged production. Begin by conceptualizing your story and imagining the world you want to bring to life. From there, write a script, break this script down into manageable scenes, and create a storyboard. Get funding, assemble a team, and share your story with the world.
