Paper Cutout Animation

Prompt*

Use the uploaded image as the primary character and composition reference when provided. Keep the subject's identity, pose and defining features recognizable, but re-render them completely in the target style — this is a style conversion, not a filter over a photo.

Create a **30-second paper cutout animation** in the selected aspect ratio (default 16:9).

## Style
Layered construction paper, visibly cut by hand: torn and scissor-cut edges showing paper fibre, flat matte colours with no shading, and characters assembled from separate overlapping pieces. Depth comes from stacked planes casting small soft shadows onto the layers beneath. Even, diffuse studio lighting from above, as if shot on a rostrum.

## Motion
Every element moves as a rigid flat piece — nothing bends, nothing deforms. Limbs rotate around visible pivot joints where two pieces overlap. Characters slide across the frame rather than walking, or step in small discrete hops. Transitions happen by sliding a new paper layer in from the frame edge, or by lifting one away. Motion runs at a stop-motion cadence, not smooth.

## Story — three acts in 30 seconds. Every beat contains an EVENT.
0:00–0:05  SETUP: A paper child slides across a layered paper garden and stops beneath a tall paper flower, far overhead.
0:05–0:17  TURN: They reach up — the arm piece rotating at the shoulder pivot — and fall short. They slide a paper box over.
0:17–0:26  CONSEQUENCE: Standing on the box, they rotate up again and the flower detaches, tumbling flat down into their hands.
0:26–0:30  RESOLVE: They hold it up in front of them. The background planes keep sliding past. Hold.

Do not pad with atmosphere. An empty landscape, a character merely walking, or a mood shot does not count as a beat — something must happen and the character must react to it. If the user supplies their own subject or scene, keep this four-beat shape and let their content fill it.

## Rules
- Commit to the style in every frame. Backgrounds, secondary props and lighting must all read as paper cutout animation — no photorealistic texture bleeding through, no mixed-media look.
- Nothing may deform or bend — paper is rigid. All movement is translation and rotation of flat pieces around pivots.
- Never render a real brand name, logo, trademark or celebrity likeness.

**Duration: exactly 30 seconds. Aspect ratio: as selected.**

Negative prompt: photorealistic skin, live-action footage, 3D volume, soft deformation, painted texture, photorealistic materials, smooth character rigging, garbled text, watermark, extra fingers, bad anatomy

Reference Images

Drag & drop or click to upload

0/4

Aspect Ratio*

Model*

Resolution*

Duration*

Premium

Paper Is Rigid, and It Shows

A 30-second paper cutout animation: layered construction paper with torn fibrous edges, flat matte colour, depth from stacked planes casting soft shadows, and rigid motion where limbs rotate around visible pivots and nothing ever deforms.

Published Aug 18, 2026 · Updated Aug 20, 2026

Premium

AnimationPaper CutoutStop MotionAI Video

Output Specs

Aspect ratio16:9 / 9:16 / 1:1

Showcases

Made with this template — tap to view

View all

How to Use

Upload a reference image for a faithful character, or skip it and describe the scene — the style is already locked in by the preset.

1Upload a photo or character image (optional), or describe your scene in the prompt.
2Pick the aspect ratio — 16:9 for a cinematic scene, 9:16 for Reels, TikTok and Shorts.
3Click "Generate" to get your 30-second animation.

FAQ

Why do characters slide instead of walk?

Because paper does not bend. Every piece stays rigid, so movement is translation and rotation around visible pivot joints — that constraint is what makes it read as real cutout animation.

Where does the depth come from?

Stacked paper planes casting small soft shadows onto the layers beneath, plus background planes sliding past at different speeds. There is no 3D volume anywhere in the frame.

Is this suitable for children's content?

It suits it well — the flat matte colours, gentle shadows and handmade texture read as warm and storybook-like rather than slick.