Over the years, GIFs have taken the internet by storm. Just scroll through Facebook or Instagram and you’re bound to come across an animation or two depicting that all-too-relatable case of the Mondays we all get. Much more than a fun way to share relatable content, GIFs have recently become a serious game-changer for fashion brands and photographers alike. Exhibiting this digital trend is London-based Kate Bones. With a background in art and sculpture, Bones is creating unique and powerful GIFs that combine illustration and analog photography. Working together with big-name brands such as Nike and Rimmel, Bones’ eye catching content places clever emphasis on the minute details rarely noticed in static images.
We caught up with “Queen La GIF-Ah” to hear more about the first animation she ever made, what it feels like to kick-ass at the GIF game and a breakdown of her favourite moving graphics.
GIF for the new, Cara Delevingne-fronted 2017 Rimmel London campaign
SLEEK: Tell us a little about yourself and how you developed your GIF art?
Kate: I graduated from art school, and even though I’d made a video installation for my final show the thought of making more films after graduation didn’t appeal to me. I needed a break and a new creative outlet. Around the same time, I’d started to use tumblr and fell in love with all the variety of GIFs they showcased. It then occurred to me that GIFs would be a really cool way to document gigs and festivals but it could also work as a form of portraiture. I have a lot of friends who are musicians and they were willing subjects so it all began to fall into place from there.
What was the very first GIF you ever made?
I made my first set of GIFs at In The Woods festival a few years back. A dear friend was playing with his band and invited me along. Of all the GIFs I’d seen on tumblr, the 3D style animations really stood out. At the time, however, I just couldn’t work out how they were made. A friend told me about an alternative technique to make wiggle GIFs. This is where you align the lenses of two disposable cameras and tape them together. Then, you point-and-shoot, making sure you press both shutters at the same time. My lo-fi set-up got a lot of funny looks in the photo pit from the other photographers but the results were really fun. The festival loved the results and invited me back the following year to shoot GIF portraits of the performers.
What is the most exciting part about working with GIFs?
The GIF is an old format going through a renaissance. What’s happening now is unchartered territory but I believe GIFs are the perfect visual medium for social media. The potential of the GIF format as a viable medium for advertising, art, portraiture, documentation, etc is becoming more and more evident. When I first started making GIFs the only other people I knew working in the medium were all based in NYC. They were a real source of inspiration and kept me motivated as it was rather lonely. Getting early support from GIPHY was invaluable and really kickstarted things for me. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw my GIFs of Baddie Winkle on huge screens in the new Missguided store and my Nike Lunar Charge campaign GIFs on the escalator screens at Oxford Circus. I feel like I took a creative gamble to specialise but it’s actually paying off.
Which artists and creatives inspire your work?
My fellow GIF artist Sam Cannon is a big inspiration. She’s truly made the GIF into an art form without compromising on her aesthetic. I always look forward to what she’s going to make next. Photography wise I’m a big fan of Bruce Gilden and Wolfgang Tillmans. Gilden because of his strong determination and the shocking realism of his portraits, and Tillmans because he makes it all look so easy. He sees beauty in the everyday and the people around him.
Do you think your art degree has enabled you to create such a unique take on imagery?
100%. Studying art made me less inhibited and more in-tune with my conceptual thinking. I’m willing to take creative risks and think outside of the proverbial box, two skills that were heavily emphasised throughout my studies.
GIF commissioned by the Globe to promote Annie Ryan’s upcoming production of The White Devil
Red Bull Music Academy x Awful Records, commissioned for the label’s show at St John’s Church in Hackney
Clio Peppiatt’s SS16 collection
“Introducing Internet Rap God Candy Ken”, for Hunger Magazine
“London’s Calling”, for Paper Magazine
It’s unique that you work with analog images to create moving ones. Why don’t you shoot with digital?
I’m primarily known for my 3D GIFs, which are all shot using a film camera. In order to make these images move, they have to be animated using Photoshop. I also make looped video GIFs, which I draw on frame by frame – this is actually a very old animation technique called rotoscoping. I love the combination of analogue and digital. I’m not a purist. We have super-fast computers and amazing software now, but also access to analogue techniques. Combining these makes my output unique. With digital photography and digital art, I find it hard to differentiate between artists/photographers. It’s difficult to make something your own when it can be easily replicated or learned from a Youtube tutorial.
What is your favourite brand of film to shoot with?
I try to experiment with different types of film – it always depends on where and when I’m shooting. At the moment I’m playing around with cine film and the results are lovely.
You have covered an amazing range of brands, talents and people for your GIFs. Do you think you have focused on one subject more than any other?
I love people, so I’m naturally drawn to shooting them. I photograph a lot of drag queens; they’re a willing subject and it’s so great to document each look in a new and exciting way. The community seems to really appreciate what I do and it makes me so happy when they share my images. I want to explore portraiture further using GIFs as well as still photography. The subtle movements really lend themselves to portraiture. I have a couple of beauty shoots coming up that I’m looking forward to working on.
What has been the best platform for showcasing your work?
Instagram and GIPHY. Some of my gifs have had over 300K views on Instagram and my 3D GIF of a clown surrounded by confetti has had 26M views on GIPHY. That’s kind of crazy when you remember that it’s just a one second looped movie!
What’s next for you?
Next up is more experimentation and some collaborations. I do love 3D GIFs and I could probably just shoot that style forever but it’s really important for me to develop my practice, to keep learning and evolving. I’m especially excited about a new technique i’ve been shooting with. All will be revealed soon!
Block9 for NYC Downlow at Glastonbury 2016, for Hunger Magazine
Baddie Winkle for Missguided
Nike Tech Pack Reveal Sportswear GIF for Nike Sportswear
Performer at Red Bull’s 5th Birthday celebration