In today’s digital era, with people increasingly surrounded by moving imagery, there is a new way to compose poetry: 2D animation.
2D animations are simple, clear, and innovative medium of communication. Here we take a glance at five contemporary, independent artists who have successfully adopted this medium.
Allen Laseter is an Animator and Director who’s style uses expressive, yet stylized faces in a highly colored world. This is with the aim of motivating or educating audiences in
several fields, while always remaining faithful to his unique and personal style.
Laseter holds a BFA in film. He began his career in cinema before moving on to animation and illustration, with the desire to pursue a more effective communication medium.
Based in the UK, Hannah Jacobs is a Director and Animator well known for her fluid, hand-drawn technique. Ms Jacobs’ deliberately naïve style gives a human and emotional touch to her films and illustrations. She has worked on a range of projects, music videos and films for a variety of clients such as The New York Times, Vogue, VICE and Penguin Books. Jacobs’ work has been screened worldwide at festivals including South by Southwest, Tribeca, Annecy Festival and more.
Award-winning Animator Ella Dobson, has a visual approach that is immediately noticeable through her use of delicate line work and dynamic use of organic shapes. She works on a range of projects, from film and TV through to more commercial work in advertising. Dobson is the youngest artist on this list, but has already worked with numerous large companies including 20th Century Fox, Barron’s Group and The New York Times. She is currently based in New Zealand, working for local and international clients.
Leo Franchi is an award-winning Designer and Animator based in Patagonia, Argentina, working remotely for different studios and clients from around the world. He works with a combination of analog and digital techniques, giving a craft value to his final animations.
Franchi proudly states that his creative process starts with paper, scissors and scanner. Moving then through new digital technologies, his projects harmoniously combine abstract and figurative subjects, providing his work with a solid yet delicate heterogeneity.
Katy Wang brings playful characters to life through the use of bold colors and textural brush strokes. Her work plays onthe senses, lending an authentically human feel to all of her visuals which are joyously playful yet weaved with emotion.
Wang graduated in 2017 from Kingston School of Art in London. To date, she’s worked for brands such as Absolut, Penguin Books and Girl Effect, and won a Gold Kinsale Shark award for her ‘Ma Mama’ music video.