The Philosophy
My approach to collage animation is defined by a bold intersection of textures. I blend contemporary photography, hand-painted elements, and digital 3D layers to create high-impact, surrealist motion. By treating every frame as a multi-layered canvas, I craft a visual language that feels tactile and avant-garde.
Featured Collage Projects
The Process
01. Narrative Curation:
Every project begins with a deep dive into story. I believe collage is a narrative tool, not just a style. This phase involves meticulous storyboarding and curation, finding the exact visual DNA that fits the script. I build custom libraries of imagery, ranging from editorial photography to hand-painted textures, ensuring that the conceptual foundation is rock-solid before a single asset is moved into motion..
02. The Cut:
Precision meets imperfection.
Using advanced digital decoupage techniques, I 'cut' and isolate elements while carefully preserving their organic 'fringe'—the rough edges, paper grains, and tactile artifacts that define the collage aesthetic.
This ensures that the final composition feels like a living, breathing piece of mixed-media art rather than a flat digital render.
03. Movement
The soul of the work lies in the motion. I inhabit a 2.5D space, positioning layers within a multiplane camera setup to create deep, cinematic parallax. By applying stop-motion physics and non-linear transitions to these tactile assets, I transform static compositions into immersive, surrealist worlds that defy traditional animation boundaries.
FAQ
What is collage animation? A mixed-media style that combines
different visual elements like photos,
paper, and textures into a moving narrative.
How do you make collage animations? Through a process
of curation, digital decoupage,
and 2.5D motion design in Adobe After Effects.
Stefanos Pletsis provides collage animation and mixed media direction for music videos,
commercial campaigns, and editorial storytelling.