How to use different animation styles together in one video

When it comes to mixing different animation styles, we like to think we’re pretty good! We’ve been making animated videos with VideoScribe for over 12 years now and during that time, we’ve learned tips and tricks from animation pros to get your video creations looking as slick, creative, and original as possible.

So now you might be thinking, “OK that’s all well and good, but how do I use different animation styles together?”... That's where we come in. In this blog post, we’ll be talking you through all the different animation styles we have in VideoScribe and how you can use each style in your videos. We’ll be covering off all of the Entrance animations, including the iconic ‘hand draw’ style… let’s get into it!

TL;DR? There’s no right or wrong way to use different animation styles together – the trick is to make sure the styling of the overall animation remains consistent. We’ll be giving you examples of this but you can watch our highlights video below to get an overall feel!

What are the different animation styles in VideoScribe?

‘None’ animation style

Using the None type of animation means your elements will be revealed in your project with absolutely no animation - essentially they’ll appear. This is a great option to choose if you want lots of elements to appear quickly, almost flashing on the screen. In our GIF below, you can see exactly how we’ve used it to create impact.

Hand draw animation style

There is a range of different animation styles you can create using VideoScribe. You can choose our iconic ‘whiteboard animation’ style with the hand draw option that uses our library of different hands and pens to draw your images, text, and elements to life. Our hand library showcases different ages, genders, ethnicities, and left/right-hand preferences. You can also choose the pen in which the animation reveals, like a classic Sharpie, or maybe you prefer a paintbrush, piece of chalk, or a pencil - there’s so much to choose from! 

Pen draw animation style

The Pen draw style is similar to our hand drawn animation style, we’ve just removed the hand! You can choose from a bunch of different pens, pencils, erasers, highlighters, paint brushes – lots of different options – and it’s effective if you don’t want to add a human element to your videos but still want that iconic ‘being drawn to life’ effect.

Draw animation style

This animation style is great for when you want to have the various elements appear in the draw style in your project but without a hand or a pen doing it for you. The draw style will bring each element to life, following the pre-defined draw path - you just need to adjust the timings and you’re good to go!

Fade in animation style

The fade in animation style is a great way to introduce elements into your project subtly. When using this style, the element will fade directly into where you’ve positioned it on your canvas to the speed at which you defined. If you go with 0.5 seconds, it’ll be a very fast fade onto the project vs anything longer like 3 seconds, you’ll progressively see the element appear in situ. Fade in is great to add elements into the background without distracting from any primary features that might be going on.

Move in animation style

The move in animation style is a fun way for elements to move onto the project from all angles. When you choose this animation style, the element will move onto the canvas in an almost “flying” effect. Depending on whether you choose for the element to come from the left, right, top or bottom, it could create a dynamic effect! Just look at how we’ve used it in the example below:

Drag in animation style

The drag in animation style is just like the move in animation style - except with a hand! So, once again you get to choose between our library of hand types to suit your video, you choose the direction that you’d like your object to enter from, and when you preview, you’ll see a hand drag the element onto your project! 

Bounce in animation style

This is one of the more playful styles of animation within the VideoScribe library. The bounce in style does exactly what it says on the tin - the element bounces onto the canvas. We use this style when we want to add in balls, frogs – anything that would naturally ‘bounce’. It adds that playfulness to your video! 

Now you might be wondering how you can use all these animation styles together. Well, the truth is there isn’t a solid rule on what animation styles you should or shouldn’t use together. We just don’t believe in that! From our perspective, you can mix and match animation styles until the cows come home - the trick is making sure the styling of your video remains consistent. 

In the video below, we’ve created a quick 47 second animation that showcases every single Entry animation style. In order of appearance, we’ve used None, Hand drawn, Pen Draw, Draw, Fade In, Move In, Drag In, and Bounce In. From where we’re sitting, we think they all look great together. Let us know what you think by dropping a comment below! 

Did you know that you can try all of this and more with our free 7-day trial of VideoScribe? Just sign up to get started. There’s absolutely no risk - we won’t ask for any payment details or personal information. Just your name and email address are all you need to create your account and unlock your animation potential with VideoScribe. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up today!