motion-drawing

A research blog about independent drawn animation

The act of drawing as an artistic form of expression is spontaneous, simple and direct: impulse, movement and drawing mark are closely related to one another. The animated drawing, however, seems to oppose this in many ways, as the creation of an illusionary flow of moving imagery requires a systematic, thought-out approach: every line has to be placed in relation to its progression in time and space.

Since the invention of the animated drawing, rules and techniques of how to set drawings in motion have been developed. They shape our expectations of how a drawing should “behave” on the screen. However, a multitude of artists are developing their individual strategies based on their respective approach to drawing and thus develop films with a dramaturgy that often draws straight from the potential of the image-making process itself.