In the world of animated film, there's a thrilling subset that challenges norms and defies expectations: experimental animation. This form of animation breaks the mold of conventional storytelling, utilizing abstract visuals, non-narrative techniques, and unconventional materials to create a unique sensory experience. Artists like Norman McLaren and Walter Ruttmann pioneered this movement, demonstrating that animation doesn’t have to follow a linear story but can instead explore emotions, abstract concepts, and human experience through motion, color, and sound. In this article, we’ll dive into what defines experimental animation, the creative techniques that bring it to life, and how it has influenced modern media.
Experimental animation is all about pushing boundaries. Unlike traditional animation, which often centers around character-driven narratives or story arcs, experimental animation allows for a non-narrative approach, where the visuals themselves can be the message. This approach incorporates a variety of art forms, from painting and collage to installation art, creating a medium that can blend music, color, and motion into a single immersive experience. Artists often use techniques from other visual arts, like abstract art and collage, to turn each frame into an individual work of art.
This style emerged strongly in the 20th century, fueled by the rise of avant-garde movements in cities like New York City, where artists experimented with film and video, creating short films that focused more on emotional expression than conventional plotlines. Pioneers such as McLaren and Eggeling drew from painting and music theory to explore concepts like time, rhythm, and space, which became foundational to experimental animation.
Traditional animation, whether 2D or 3D, typically follows a script or storyboard that outlines a cohesive storyline or character journey. In contrast, experimental animation may prioritize visuals over narrative, with some pieces forgoing storylines altogether. This form allows for techniques like painting directly onto the filmstrip or using found objects, creating a raw and personal touch that connects directly with viewers' senses.
The freedom from narrative constraints also allows animators to play with temporal shifts and morphing shapes. Walter Ruttmann’s Opus I and Norman McLaren’s Begone Dull Care are excellent examples, each using sound, rhythm, and visual shifts to create an experience that’s less about "following" and more about "feeling." As a medium, it’s ideal for exploring abstract and intangible concepts that might be challenging to convey through traditional animation.
One of the hallmarks of experimental animation is the use of unconventional materials. Artists might animate using paint, sand, or even physical objects instead of digital tools. For instance, the Canadian filmmaker Caroline Leaf pioneered sand animation, creating scenes by manipulating sand on a lightbox. This technique lends a tactile quality to her work, with each frame capturing the texture and subtle shifts of the sand.
Mixed media allows experimental animators to add unexpected depth to their work. By combining 2D and 3D computer graphics with hand-drawn elements, they can achieve a visually dynamic style. This layering of media, as seen in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, showcases how these techniques have become mainstream, influencing even blockbuster animation.
Experimental animation heavily relies on abstract forms to communicate ideas. Animators use shapes, colors, and fluid motion to evoke emotions rather than tell a story. Viking Eggeling’s Symphonie Diagonale is a classic example, where flowing lines and geometric shapes create a visual rhythm that feels almost musical. The movement within each frame reflects the changing emotions and intensity, creating a feeling akin to watching a symphony.
See it on Youtube thanks to user Iconauta:
This visual abstraction extends to the use of motion in experimental animation. Instead of linear movement, artists explore organic transformations, mimicking the ebb and flow of natural elements. Hy Hirsh’s work, for example, uses cyclical, pulsating motion and vivid color to create a dreamlike sensation that breaks away from any traditional structure.
Sound and music play a vital role in experimental animation, often enhancing or even driving the visual experience. Animators often synchronize visual elements with beats and melodies, creating a harmonious blend that captures viewers' attention. Norman McLaren was a master at this, using a technique called “direct sound,” where he physically altered the film’s sound strip to produce unique sounds that complemented his animations.
This approach to sound enables artists to push boundaries, as they’re not confined by spoken dialogue or character voices. Instead, the audio element in experimental animation acts almost as a collaborator, contributing to the overall mood and experience. The absence of narrative or dialogue-driven sounds also makes room for music and sound effects that take on symbolic or atmospheric qualities, deepening the viewer’s engagement.
Experimental animators often thrive on spontaneity, allowing the creative process itself to guide the final work. Without a strict storyline, animators can explore new techniques and ideas mid-process, letting happy accidents lead to innovative results. This openness to improvisation allows each project to evolve naturally, resulting in a truly unique animation that reflects the artist’s creative journey.
The absence of a rigid script also allows artists to discover new approaches on the fly. For instance, working with traditional materials like paint or sand lends itself to unexpected changes in texture and color that can be integrated into the final piece, often revealing surprising patterns and moods that were unplanned yet highly effective.
While experimental animation emphasizes freedom, it also requires a balance between intuition and technical skill. Animators must master foundational techniques to communicate their ideas effectively. This combination of discipline and creativity is what makes experimental animation so compelling—animators rely on both their technical knowledge and a sense of “feeling” their way through the project.
In this sense, it’s much like playing jazz: the artist uses improvisation while following a set of visual “notes” or techniques that maintain cohesion. Whether it’s layering media, manipulating motion, or timing the visuals to music, the technical skill involved is crucial to ensuring that even abstract or chaotic visuals are compelling and polished.
Self-expression is a key component of experimental animation, with each piece offering a glimpse into the artist’s thoughts and emotions. Because the form isn’t tied to specific characters or plotlines, animators have the freedom to explore deeply personal themes. For instance, installations that combine animation with physical space can evoke a sense of immersion, enveloping viewers in the artist’s vision.
By focusing on color, texture, and rhythm, experimental animation invites audiences to interpret the work personally, creating a deeply emotional connection. Whether it’s the burst of color in an abstract piece or the intensity of a motion sequence, these works speak directly to the audience’s senses, offering a space for introspection and individual experience.
See "Pheromone" by Helmut Breineder & Michelle Martins on YouTube courtesy of CGBros:
Several trailblazers have shaped the experimental animation landscape. Norman McLaren, for instance, was a master of combining sound with visual motion, as seen in his groundbreaking work Begone Dull Care. Walter Ruttmann’s Opus I is another seminal work, where abstract shapes move in sync with classical music, creating a mesmerizing experience that feels like a painting in motion.
These pioneers continue to influence today’s artists, with their works being referenced in everything from music videos to installation art. Hy Hirsh’s psychedelic explorations, along with McLaren and Ruttmann’s innovations, laid the groundwork for today’s visual artists, showing how sound and image can create a powerful, immersive experience without following a traditional narrative.
Here’s Norman Mclaren’s “Begone Dull Care” shared by user MaRoTo on Youtube:
Today, the impact of experimental animation extends far beyond niche art circles. We see its influence in music videos-such as Allison Schulnik’s interpretation of Grizzly Bear’s “Ready, Able”, digital art, and even big-budget films like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, where elements of traditional experimental techniques—such as frame rate manipulation and color theory—create a visually striking style that resonates with mainstream audiences.
Here’s Allison Schulniks’s work for Grizzly Bear’s “Ready Able” from their channel:
Experimental animation also influences virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), where the viewer becomes an active participant in the artwork. Installations and VR experiences inspired by the principles of expanded cinema allow users to explore an interactive space, transforming the viewing experience into a deeply personal journey.
Experimental animation is a celebration of creativity that defies conventional boundaries. Through techniques that embrace abstract art, non-traditional materials, and music, it has grown from avant-garde roots to a respected art form that continues to shape modern media. In the hands of an experimental animator, the screen becomes a canvas, the software a brush, and the audience a participant in a world of color, motion, and sound. For those willing to embrace the journey, experimental animation offers a path to boundless artistic expression, redefining what animation can be and challenging us all to see film in a new light.
