Illustrators, education creators and storytelling brands

AI paper animation from an image

Animate your paper illustration with AI. Compare the source and real clip, download the recipe, then upload your image to generate an MP4.

Animate your image

Made on CicadasSeedance 2.5 · 4s · 480p · silent

Tested with

Model: Seedance 2.5
Settings: image to video · 4s · 480p · 16:9 · silent
Record: Made on Cicadas · 2026-09-23 · 221 credits for these settings today · provider cost ≈$0.88 · request 01a0cc27-c310…
Not tested: Seamless loops and sound: the first example is silent and is not a tested loop.

Your three-step shot plan

Open the silent recipe and replace the reference with your own JPG, PNG or WebP paper illustration, up to 10 MB.
Describe one gentle movement. Review duration, resolution, audio and the credit quote before generating.
Play and download the MP4 from My videos. Compare buildings, trees and paper edges with your input; check the end-to-start join separately for loops.

Before you publish

Check that paper texture and key shapes remain recognizable. Fine detail can soften at 480p.
Look for added, stretched or changing shapes: the sample waterfall extends downward rather than preserving every original edge.
Review the whole clip before use. This workflow does not promise seamless loops, transparent backgrounds or editable cutout layers.

Download the four-second, 480p silent Seedance sample, source image, recipe JSON and shot plan, or replace the image to make your own version. Generation uses credits; example files can be downloaded directly.

Real examples. Original recipes.

Every example names its actual model. Download the sample and recipe; generation links appear only for models currently offered here.

Seedance 2.5 · 4s · 16:9 · 480p · silent

A paper waterfall starts to flow.

A four-second silent image-to-video test. The cottage stays recognizable while the waterfall stretches downward. Fine texture softens at 480p; this is not a seamless loop.

Watch for: the waterfall stretches downward and fine texture softens at 480p

Made on Cicadas · 2026-09-23 · 221 credits for these settings today · provider cost ≈$0.88 · request 01a0cc27-c310… · test log

Prompt, settings & input

Starting image: Original paper island illustration with a cottage, stone bridge and turquoise waterfall — Original starting image · compare shape, detail and framing with the video above.

An original handcrafted paper island gently comes to life. Keep the cottage, layered paper mountains and folded trees exactly as in the starting image. A narrow paper waterfall softly flows, and the small clouds drift slowly. One continuous locked camera shot, warm soft studio lighting, tactile paper texture, subtle calm movement, no people, no text, no logo.

image to video · 480p · silent

MP4 Open recipe

Seedance 2.5 · 4s · 16:9 · 480p · with audio

A handcrafted island wakes up.

Seedance animates the supplied island with cloud and water movement. This earlier audio example includes soft instrumental music and wind-like ambience; compare it with the separate silent test.

Made on Cicadas · 2026-09-22 · 221 credits for these settings today · provider cost ≈$0.88 · request 01a0c935-5993… · test log

Prompt, settings & input

Starting image: Handcrafted floating paper island with cottage, waterfall and peach clouds — Original starting image · compare shape, detail and framing with the video above.

The cream paper clouds drift slowly from left to right while the turquoise stream shimmers. A gentle camera push creates subtle parallax between the paper layers. Keep the cottage, island, trees and handcrafted paper texture unchanged. Soft paper rustling and flowing water ambience, one continuous shot, no text.

image to video · 480p · with audio

MP4 Open recipe

Seedance 2.5 · 4s · 16:9 · 480p · with audio

A paper city starts to move.

A red paper tram crosses a cardboard city as the windows light up, with mechanical rattling and rustling in the recorded audio.

Made on Cicadas · 2026-09-22 · 221 credits for these settings today · provider cost ≈$0.88 · request 01a0c932-aeb2… · test log

Prompt, settings & input

A handcrafted paper city at blue hour. A small red paper tram glides past layered cardboard buildings while warm window lights turn on one by one. Gentle paper-wheel sounds and a soft city ambience, locked wide camera, one continuous shot, no people, no brands, no text.

text to video · 480p · with audio

MP4 Open recipe

Veo 3.1 Fast · 8s · 16:9 · 720p · silent

A paper island, drifting clouds.

An eight-second Veo scene using the same paper landscape for both endpoints. Clouds cross the island; inspect the join before using it as a loop.

Made on Cicadas · 2026-09-20 · 200 credits for these settings today · provider cost ≈$0.80 · request 01a0bea0-def7… · test log

Prompt, settings & input

Starting image: Paper-cut floating island with a cottage, peach clouds and turquoise waterfall — Original starting image · compare shape, detail and framing with the video above.

A handcrafted paper-cut miniature landscape. Locked camera. The paper clouds drift gently and return to their starting position; the turquoise stream shimmers softly. Keep the cottage, hills, trees and layered paper shapes completely stable. Begin and end with the supplied composition. One continuous restrained shot, no cuts, no dissolves, no new objects, no text.

first last frame · 720p · silent

Download ending image ↗

MP4 Open recipe

Before you start

Is this a paper cutout or fold-out editor?

This workflow uses Seedance to add motion to an existing paper illustration. It has no cutout-layer editor, fixed fold-out template or frame-by-frame capture. Turning any ordinary photo into a paper style is not a verified promise here.

What image should I upload?

Use a paper illustration or photograph you have the right to use, in JPG, PNG or WebP format up to 10 MB. Clear subjects and visible paper edges work best for inspection. Begin with one gentle movement.

What can I download, and is generation free?

The sample MP4, original reference, recipe JSON and shot plan are available to download. Making your own clip requires sign-in and sufficient credits; the workspace shows the quote for your settings before submission.

Can I make a seamless loop or add sound?

The first example has no audio track and is not an accepted seamless loop. Other examples list their actual audio settings. Changing settings requires a fresh output review; one clip does not establish quality for every option.

Make it your own

Once you have a shot, extract a cover or refine the prompt. Changing models requires a fresh output review; archive recipes are not guaranteed to reproduce across models.

Extract a cover image ↗Write a new prompt ↗Explore other use cases ↗