Vimeo has established itself as a friendly, accessible and supportive platform for budding artists and jumbo studios alike. This is fortunate for us because animators are just as prone to running low on inspiration as the next creative!
So, for a handful of channels bristling with inspiring show reels, practical tutorials, and thoughtful curation that's all bundled up with a community that fosters all things creative, take a peek below.
6. Method
We kick things off with a channel that will definitely give students and animation newbies something to shoot for. Method offer a real masterclass in what the standard of top-level professional entertainment VFX looks like. Head here for an inspiring look at how to inject creativity into commercial animation, too.
Even if you have no interest in VFX, you’ll definitely recognise and be spellbound by the star-studded work of this award-winning studio. Seriously, I was almost as dazzled by the big names in their videos as I was by their stunning visuals.
Stick around on this channel and you’ll find VFX for movies, television, video games, adverts, apps and more. These guys are everywhere.
5. Greyscalegorilla
Here’s one for the 3D animation lovers: Greyscalegorilla’s channel is an encyclopedic hub of 3D animation tutorials.
There are videos on lighting, shaders, colour profiles, particle effects, texture art, VFX guides, rendering techniques and then, just when you thought you’d learned everything you ever needed to know about animation: a “How to Make a Dynamic Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube Man from Scratch series here. Sorted.
4. Illustration Animation
This channel is the creation of Adam Grabowski, a Vimeo curator with a very particular taste in animation. You’ll see as you scroll through the hundreds of short animated works, that bold, distinct edges, striking colours and creative transitions are the preference here.
There are projects on this channel that showcase work for huge clients alongside dozens of inspiring show reels. My favourite, though, are the endearing self-promotional projects by budding solo animators:
With all these incredible projects in one place, it’s easy to just let time slip away, watching video after video as you seek that spark which will prompt you into grabbing your stylus.
3. FutureDeluxe
Strap yourself into the DeLorean, because as the name suggests, a visit to this channel may as well be a trip through time. Their experimental, challenging takes on abstract motion graphics feel like trying to watch Blade Runner through a kaleidoscope.
FutureDeluxe have a hefty roster of clients in their show reel willing to be represented by their visuals. From Dali-esque living bananas, to digitally made-up actors that straddle the line between live action and motion graphics, I don’t blame them. These guys are at the bleeding edge of what’s possible with animated advertisement.
2. Everything Animated
Here’s an incredible resource created by Aziz Kocanaogullari, just a dude/animator who loves this profession so much that his channel has become one of the heavyweight animation curators on Vimeo.
If I had to distil what makes Everything Animated such a great channel, i’d say that it’s a cross-section of the best and most passionate animated talent out there today.
You can be watching highly polished animated short stories that have graced international film festivals one minute, and the next, you’re engrossed in a soulful, experimental tale animated by an ambitious student as their final project.
1. beeple
You’ll be forgiven for thinking that beeple is a studio full of animators and designers working away to create some of the entrancing videos on this channel - it’s actually just one guy.
Mike Winkelmann is a short film maker from Wisconsin USA who, in his own words, says “he makes a variety of art crap across a variety of media. some of it is ok, but a lot of it kind of blows ass.” Well you're clearly being modest, Mike!
His dreamy animated loops are like something you'd expect to see running on a massive monitor behind some DJ in a tent at Glastonbury in the wee hours of the morning. In fact, Zedd, Tiësto, and Skrillex have all commissioned his work for their shows.
The best thing about beeple is the resources page. Make shares his Cinema 4D project files in an open source concept, encouraging animators and designers to pick it up and create something of their own with it. If that’s not inspiration-fuel, then I’m not sure what is.
Got any of your own favourites that you want to give a shout out to? Share the love and give us a shout on one of our socials below!