From static to dynamic: creative gifs in the modern art scene

This year marks the 30th birthday of the creative gifs , which have developed from simple image loops to a well -known art form. The small, repetitive animations have developed far since their origin. In fact, the Oxford Dictionary "GIF" the word of the year 2012.

Moving images are becoming increasingly important in digital art nowadays. The GIF IT UP competition takes place every October and asks both professional and newcomers animator to create new GIFs from digital resources that can be used freely. This is an opportunity for you to be creative. AI generated GIFs change the digital art world in a great way and give artists new opportunities to express themselves. People now use these moving pictures for many different things, such as advertising, entertainment and education.

From statically to dynamic: what makes a GIF creative?

The GIF format has developed from a simple way to save pictures, to create a flexible way of creating art. It was once considered a way to transmit small files, but it has now become an integral part of the digital art scene.

A short story of the GIF format

Steve Wilhite developed the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) for the U.S. Web service Compuserve in 1987. It was first introduced as a color format to replace the old RLE format, which could only display black and white images. GIF89A, which appeared two years after Gif87a, was more than able to save more than one picture in a single file, which marked the beginning of the animated gifs.

It is interesting that animation was not the original goal; The specification clearly states that GIFs were not intended as a platform for animations. Nevertheless, the Netscape browser provided an add-on at the end of 1995, which enabled users to select how often a GIF should be played.

Gifs had a difficult phase in the 1990s due to patent disputes, but they experienced an amazing comeback in the 2010s. The rise of pages such as Tumblr and 4chan , which make it possible to share pictures, was the most important thing. The Oxford Dictionary finally chose "GIF" for the word of the year 2012.

What is the difference between static and dynamic images?

There are two main forms of visualizations : static pictures and dynamic visualizations . All images that do not move, encourage or interact with each other are referred to as static visualizations. Dynamic visualizations, on the other hand, are ideal for presenting movements, changes and processes over time.

The GIF format is a unique connection between these two worlds. On the one hand, it consists of a sequence of still images. On the other hand, the animation gives it a dynamic effect by playing frames quickly. The technological limits are often what makes them appealing - GIFs can only use 256 colors and have to make do with minimal file sizes.

Why Gifs are so popular in the digital art world

What makes GIFs so appealing is that they are simple and can be used by everyone. You can't create any other type of file on the web so quickly and easily. The constant grinding creates a fascinating effect that can also express complicated feelings.

Tom Moody , an artist, aptly describes this effect:

„Due to the endless loop structure of the GIF, a kind of 'anesthetic' takes place„

That is why GIFs are a great way to show art that focuses on rhythm and repetition.

Artists also used the format in an inventive way. Some people bring ancient works of art to life, change them or put them in a new context. The “Clones Project” of photographer Erdal Inci is a very interesting example. The way the light plays and the moving groups look like small dances.

The sharing of GIF art makes them better. make them accessible to the general public on pages like Giphy GIFs are also a significant part of online communication . On blogs like 4chan or Tumblr, for example, you typically show a stronger reaction instead of writing.

GIFs become a large part of the digital art scene because they can be both artistic and communicative. Creative gifs have become very popular, especially when pixel art became popular. Pixel art is a kind of art that hides the raw beauty of the early computer visualizations.

The technologies that get GIFs up and running

Modern gifs are possible through innovative technologies that offer much more than just simple animations. You have transformed these new methods for creating gifs into sophisticated works of art from simple image loops and opened a completely new range of design options.

Generative adversarial networks (goose)

Generative adversarial networks are a fundamental part of the technology that enables AI generated GIFs. A gan has two neural networks: a generator and a discriminator. These two networks are always competing with each other. The generator creates new images, and the discriminator tries to recognize the difference between real images created by the generator. This "cat-and-mouse game" continues until the generator creates pictures that look almost as real.

Gans are great to create new versions of pictures or even completely different pictures based on style templates. You can use them to create animations from text descriptions or image collections if they create dynamic gifs. Singan-GIF and other special variations not only learn how image segments are distributed, but also how they move.

Transfer of the neuronal style

Neural style transfers make it possible to take the style of a picture and transfer it to another. You can show a photo in the style of a well -known work of art. Leon A. Gatys , Alexander S. Ecker and Matthias Bethge developed this method in 2015, and since then it has spread all over the world.

The technology includes looking at the style of a reference picture and finding patterns and textures that can be used to transfer this style to a target image. We use pre -trained convolutional neural networks such as VGG16 or VGG19 to extract features from the input photos. This method can be used to display animated images in different art styles or to create effects that change over time.

Text-to-GIF generators

There are many AI-based tools that can currently convert text into GIF animations. Picsart has the first AI-based animated GIF generator . All users only have to enter a description and select a style. The AI then creates an animated gif.

Appy Pie Design and other similar services work in the same way. Your AI GIF generator looks at the entered words and creates animated graphics that suit you. These programs use AI language models to create animations, visual elements and effects that correspond to the written description. This makes it easy for everyone to create gifs, even if they don't know how to design.

GIFs from videos and photos series

Another essential ability is to convert films or series of photos into GIFs . This process converts video clips or groups of images into smaller GIF format, which facilitates sharing on social media.

There are also applications such as neural styles that enable these gifs to work in an artistic way. By using the styles of famous artists such as van Gogh or Wassily Kandinsky, the software can transform films or groups of images into works of art. This technology works with CPUs and GPUs and has functions such as coloring and control of the stylish strength.

These technologies are groundbreaking for creative GIF artists because they blur the boundaries between static and dynamic art and enable people to express themselves in a completely new way. Since computers become faster and AI improves, these tools become more powerful and more user -friendly.

Incidentally, this path often leads to the conversion of video files, especially from MP4 to GIF .

Technical process: MP4 to GIF - that's how it works

The technical process to convert an MP4 file into a GIF has become comparatively easy today thanks to numerous tools and software. First you select the desired MP4 video, which is to be converted into an animated GIF. You can often select certain scenes or sections to keep the file size manageable.

Afterwards, many artists use online converter or professional programs such as Photoshop who support the conversion process. Central parameters are the frames (frames per second), the resolution and the color palette, since GIFs can only represent a limited number of colors. A careful setting of these parameters is crucial to achieve an optimal balance between image quality and file size.

Finally, the software exports the GIF, which enables living and memorable animations through its endless loop. "MP4 to GIF" with an optimal result for digital use succeeds

GIFs as an artistic means of expression

Artists from all over the world have found GIF format as a way to express themselves creatively. Gifs have a characteristic loop and small shape that enable them to transform static art into moving art and to discover additional levels of meaning.

Digital art with moving pictures

The GIF format transforms part of a scene into a short story. This little way of portraying things enables artists to show complicated ideas in short, repeated sequences. The hypnotic effect of the loop is fascinating. Al Crego , a Spanish Gif artist, calls this effect "a meditative way of looking at art."

GIFs are increasingly used as a means of painting lessons in schools such as the Stuttgart Academy of Fine Arts . Students from various disciplines look at the framework to see how it works politically and socially, and then make visual comments for online forums. This intellectual commitment gives the format more artistic credibility.

Gifs as a visual narrative form

GIFs are great because they can bring still images to life and give them new meanings by placing them in a more comprehensive context. This change creates a visual story that changes between immobility and movement. Some artists even call the medium a "optical mantra" that is supposed to encourage the viewer to think.

Kajetan Obarski , a Polish artist who is known as Kiszkiloszki , combines classical painting with modern digital art in his work. He spends five to ten hours with each of his surrealistic gifs.

James Kerr , a Canadian artist who is known as Scorpion Dagger ,, on the other hand, work a lot to transform Renaissance paintings into funny, often sarcastic animations.

Examples from the international GIF art scene

Gifys Award Show gives prices for the best GIF animations every year. This shows that creative gifs are becoming increasingly popular worldwide. The Giphy platform also founded the Museum of Gif Art (Moga) , the first Virtual Museum of Animated Art. You can visit it with or without a VR headset via an app.

Iveta Karpathyova , who makes redoscopy animations, Daniel Stankler , created queer cartoons, and Stephen Foster Meyer , who creates works, exceed disciplines are all amazing artists who highlight the variety of the medium. These artists do not only use GIFs for fun; They also use them to make social comments and expand the limits of art.

Gifs in the world of street art and photography

There is a very creative connection between GIFs and Street Art . The British artist Insa has found a new way of creating art with his “Gifi” projects: he always paints large graffiti pieces on walls and other surfaces, but every time they are a little different. They take photos of each variant and then put the pictures together to encourage gifs. Insa emphasizes that this process begins exactly where most works of art end: after the physical work is done.

Al Crego , a Spanish artist, also used a similar method. It gives international street art new life by moving static parts such as eyes, heads or limbs. Crego sees it as a method to give street art in the digital world a new level of meaning:

I can't move art on the street, but I can give it a different meaning in the digital world. ”

This combination of physical and digital art shows how creative gifs can change and grow on established art media. They make it possible to capture temporary street art and at the same time to give a new depth through animation.

The social and cultural importance of gifs

To a large extent, GIFs have become digital culture and society as a whole. These short visual loops are like Mirrors of Culture that show how people feel, what they think and what they talk about, and open up new ways to look at the collective spirit.

GIFs as a comment on social issues

Creative gifs are now a good way to make social comments. The Spanish artist Al Crego thinks that art is the best way to give social comments because it is "something impersonal and yet reaches each of us." This short style of visual art makes it easy to talk about complicated social and political concerns in a humorous way.

Crego intentionally interacts with the "dark side" and looks at social problems through a "pessimistic-realistic" lens. He believes that "bad things help us learn more if we can understand them." GIFs are particularly interesting because they show how communication has changed in the digital age by showing how society works.

Gifs in activism and pop culture

GIFs have become very popular in pop culture. The "Obama Out" GIF is a great example. It became the most popular GIF of the year 2016 and is now a classic way of communicating online. “live yield” also become more popular, with short clips being subtitled and adding contributions.

Some artists, on the other hand, do not like that animated gifs are becoming increasingly popular because they think that "the way for idiotic gifs or strange things paves in endless loop." Nevertheless, this change gives artists like Crego the opportunity to work on the edges of GIF art, which in his opinion is only at the beginning.

Use of gifs in everyday life

GIFs have become an important aspect of digital communication in everyday life. Giphy says that more than 10 billion silent picture messages are sent every day. People like them because they can show exactly how people feel and what they want. In fact, 90% of all searches on Giphy are emotional phrases.

Martin Fuchs , a communication expert, says:

I would almost say that they are essential in communication these days because they make emotions and thoughts tangible and easy to understand in a short time. ”

This non -verbal lingua Franca creates a code on the Internet that quickly makes complex relationships understandable.

It is interesting because GIFs have a special power to give people the feeling of belonging. If you understand a certain GIF, you feel like a part of a group, just like when you understand a joke. In this approach, GIFs make a digital version of the old -fashioned learning style.

Tools and platforms for creating creative gifs

There are now many different tools that have been specially developed for creating creative gifs. This includes user-friendly websites and AI-based apps with which you can create the most complicated animations with just a few clicks.

A comparison of Giphy, Ezgif and IMGPlay

Giphy is one of the most popular GIF websites in the world, with more than 10 billion content for over 700 million people. The platform has a user-friendly upload module and enables you to add animated subtitles, stickers and filters. Giphy only accepts a few file types (JPG, PNG, GIF, MPF, MOV) and GIFs can only be for 15 seconds.

EZGIF is characterized by the fact that it supports a variety of formats such as GIF, JPG, PNG, APNG, Heic, WebP and many more. The tool can process up to 2,000 files at once, but it does not allow so many processing.

The IMGPlay app for Android and iOS has a simple layout and more than 30 filters and color corrections that are easy to use. The possibility of combining several videos to a single one is very helpful, but the app has advertising.

Create gifs with AI: Runwayml, Deepmotion

The AI revolution has also reached the creation of gifs. Runwayml is one of the best platforms to create great animations with machine learning. This tool can immediately convert written instructions into moving images and offer digital artists new opportunities for self -expression.

Three -dimensional animations are what Deepmotion can do best. The platform enables you to create 3D scenes from text or video so that even beginners can create cool 3D Gifs.

Photo AI GIF generator is another AI-based tool that automatically turns pictures or texts into 4-second gifs. These tools take words or pictures as input and quickly transform them into animations. You don't have to know anything about animation or graphic design to use them.

Tips for beginners

If you are new to creating gifs, it is best to start with an easy-to-use GIF generator such as Ezgif or Giphy. Follow these basic rules:

• Pay attention to loops that are smooth and have no interruptions.
• To keep people's attention, create gifs that last between 2 and 6 seconds.
• Create a list of ideas for future content and tarpaulin in advance.

Adobe Express is also good for the creation of high -quality gifs because it quickly and easily converts videos into gifs. The platform enables you to choose from different quality levels and aspirations, which is great for different social media.

We summarize together

GIFs have developed from a simple image format into a well -known art form in the past 30 years. These small image loops are a unique way for artists around the world to express themselves. They lie between static and dynamic art.

Even people who are new to animation can create complicated animations with AI-supported tools such as Runwayml or Deepmotion. At the same time, well -known artists such as Al Crego and Insa use these tools to expand the limits of traditional art forms.

The unique strength of the GIF format is that it combines art and communication. These moving pictures are like visual Esperanto; You can express feelings and ideas across language barriers. They help people feel belonging by helping them to understand each other and they are cultural Mirrors of our time.

The medium has long been accepted in the modern art world. The format gains credibility through things like virtual museums, international competitions and academic discussions. But we are probably only at the beginning of this trend. Since computers become faster and new AI methods are being developed, the number of creative options will continue to grow.

The history of the gif shows how creative use of technical formats can make it culturally significant. It started as a simple image format, but now it is an art form that conveys between art, communication and pop culture. Therefore, we can be excited to see which new forms of expression will develop creative people in the next few years.