GIF It Up
GIF IT UP is an initiative that encourages digital art enthusiasts to explore the world's unique cultural history and transform it into eye-catching animated art GIFs.
Europeana
Remixing Cultural Heritage One GIF at a Time
GIF IT UP is an annual celebration of creative remixing through GIF-making, hosted by Europeana in collaboration with esteemed partners–including Japan Search, Art Institute of Chicago, DAG Museums, DPLA, Digital NZ, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), Centro de Fotografía de Montevideo and Trove. Anyone who loves digital culture and wants to have fun with open access collections is encouraged to take part in this exciting call for animated art!
As an artist and animator, I thrive on the challenge of reinventing historical imagery from various cultures and giving them a modern, quirky edge. Participating in the GIF IT UP competition is an exciting break from typical advertising work. It‘s a great opportunity to create something fun using animated art. Although I‘ve won Best GIF for a few years, the real prize is the satisfaction of being part of something unique and the freedom to let loose and have a good time.
Exercise 5. For the Legs Generally
George Arents Collection
Man i folkdräkt med lång byxa…
Stiftelsen Nordiska Museum
Bringing Archives to Life With Animated Art
Old Photos Inspire New Ideas
GIF IT UP is a fantastic initiative aimed at inspiring creatives to delve into the archives of cultural records and artwork from around the world, like those found on Europeana. Many of these collections contain copyright–free materials, yet many people remain unaware of their existence or rights to use them. This source of content is the perfect means of providing educators, art directors, and especially animators with a boost of creativity and inspiration.
The Coffee Family Collection, No. 3 – Elektro
UNT Media Library
The dance of death at Basel
Wellcome Collection
Mother Hubbard’s dog reading a newspaper
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art
When Inspiration Strikes
Visual Mining and GIF Creation
Searching through Europeana’s vast catalogue of image archives can be overwhelming at times. But every so often, a unique and special image catches your eye. I find that creating animated art for GIF IT UP is an inspiring exercise, often yielding unique and unexpected results. Each time I come across a peculiar picture, it’s almost as if I can already envision the GIF it was meant to be. This natural inspiration is what I strive for during the GIF creation process. Animated GIFs bring joy and humor to the world – you can never have too many!
Children with Rosy Cheeks
George Arents Collection