Top 7 Inspirational Animated Movies You Need to Watch Before You Start Your Career as a Graphic Designer
- Himanshi Bisht
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
"Great design begins with great imagination — and animation is where it all starts."
- Pixsmagic
Introduction
Embarking on a creative career, such as graphic design, is an exciting journey filled with innovation, problem-solving, and constant visual inspiration. While design schools, YouTube tutorials, and internships play a key role, sometimes, the most profound inspiration comes from unexpected places, like animated movies.
Animation isn’t just for kids. It’s a masterclass in storytelling, design principles, motion, colour theory, and emotional depth. These films bring ideas to life with striking visuals and deep narratives, exactly what a budding graphic designer needs to internalise before diving into the professional world.
Here are the Top 7 Inspirational Animated Movies every aspiring graphic designer should watch:
Table of Content
1. Ratatouille (2007) – "Anyone can create."
At first glance, Ratatouille is about a rat who becomes a chef. But at its core, it’s about pursuing passion despite limitations—a universal message for every creative soul.
Why Graphic Designers Should Watch:
The film shows the power of creative expression and breaking conventional boundaries.
It's rich visual storytelling teaches composition, mood-setting through lighting, and subtle colour palettes.
The core message encourages designers to believe in their vision, even if it’s unconventional.
2. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) – "What makes you different is what makes you Spider-Man."
A visual revolution in animation, this film is a bold fusion of comic book aesthetics, graffiti art, and high-octane animation. It redefined how animated films can look and feel.
Design Lessons:
An absolute treat for learning mixed media styles—including 2D/3D animation, halftone patterns, glitch effects, and typography integration.
Breaks traditional animation rules, showing that breaking the norm can lead to innovation.
Encourages designers to embrace their own voice and style.
3. WALL-E (2008) – “I don’t want to survive. I want to live.”
WALL-E is a masterclass in minimalist storytelling. Without much dialogue, it conveys emotion, narrative, and environmental commentary through pure visuals and sound design.
Why It’s a Must-Watch:
Shows the power of simplicity—a key principle in graphic design.
The post-apocalyptic visuals teach designers about space, silence, mood, and environmental storytelling.
It emphasises sustainable thinking, which is growing increasingly important in modern design.
4. The Lego Movie (2014) – "Everything is awesome!"
This vibrant and fast-paced film celebrates creativity, chaos, and teamwork. It's a visual explosion that mirrors the design brainstorming process.
Graphic Design Takeaways:
Highlights the value of thinking outside the box—literally and metaphorically.
Teaches the importance of structure vs. spontaneity, a balance every designer must master.
It’s also a reminder that even commercial projects can be deeply creative.
5. Klaus (2019) – A new take on a timeless story
Netflix’s Klaus reimagined 2D animation with hand-painted textures and lighting that gave a 3D feel to traditional 2D animation. It’s a brilliant example of how old and new techniques can merge seamlessly.
Why Designers Love It:
A feast for learning light, shadow, and depth—three visual elements crucial in all forms of design.
Reinforces the importance of storytelling through visual cues.
It’s also a reminder that design evolution doesn’t mean abandoning tradition; it means reviving it in new forms.
Also read: Top 7 Inspirational Animated Movies You Need to Watch Before You Start Career in Animation
6. Soul (2020) – "What is it that makes you...YOU?"
A deeply philosophical film, Soul explores creativity, passion, and purpose. It tackles the emotional highs and lows creatives face when trying to pursue what they love.
For Graphic Designers:
The visual contrast between the real world and the “Great Before” is a stunning use of design language to convey mood and meaning.
Encourages introspection—why do you want to be a designer? What drives your creativity?
Also features beautiful typographic details, motion design, and minimalism, making it a design treasure.
7. The Iron Giant (1999) – "You are who you choose to be."
This cult classic blends a strong emotional narrative with vintage sci-fi design elements. Its clean art style, dramatic compositions, and powerful message make it unforgettable.
Design Inspiration:
A perfect example of character-driven design—every element supports the story’s emotion.
Emphasises timelessness in style, proving that simple design can be more effective than flashy visuals.
Inspires designers to create with empathy and purpose.
Why Animated Movies Matter to Graphic Designers
Animation and graphic design are siblings in the visual arts world.
Both rely on:
Strong composition and layout
Colour theory and mood
Typography and motion
Creative storytelling and emotional connection
Watching animated films trains your eye to observe detail, understand pacing, and appreciate visual coherence. You’ll notice how characters, environments, fonts, symbols, and sound all work together to create a seamless experience, just like in great design work.
Final Thoughts
Before you start your journey as a graphic designer, immerse yourself in these cinematic masterpieces. Let them fuel your creativity, widen your perspective, and challenge you to see design not just as a skill, but as a way to communicate meaning, story, and soul. These films are more than entertainment—they are a visual design bootcamp, an emotional recharge, and a creative ignition switch rolled into one.
So grab your popcorn, open your sketchbook, and let these seven animated movies inspire your next design breakthrough.
At Pixsmagic, we believe creativity starts with inspiration, and there's no better spark than stories brought to life through animation.
Let’s design with magic.
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