Do I need a video to start?

No — you start from a single photo and animate part of it.

What is a cinemagraph?

A photo where one area moves in a loop while the rest stays still.

Are my images uploaded?

No — all processing happens locally in your browser.

← Back to Guides

Animate a Photo with a Motion Brush (Cinemagraph Workflow)

Brush a region of a photo, animate just that area, and export a short HD loop video.

Open MotionBrushFX Make a Seamless Loop in LoopFX

TL;DR

A motion brush animates only the areas you paint, leaving the rest of the photo still.
This creates a cinemagraph — a mostly-still image with one moving element.
Brush, animate, preview, and export an HD loop video up to 1080p.

What Is a Motion Brush?

A motion brush lets you paint over the part of a photo you want to move — water, smoke, hair, clouds, or neon — while the rest of the image stays frozen. The contrast between motion and stillness is what gives a cinemagraph its eye-catching, premium look.

Best Subjects to Animate

Flowing elements: water, waterfalls, smoke, and steam.
Light effects: neon glow, light streaks, and sparkles.
Soft motion: hair, fabric, clouds, and flames.
Product hero shots that need a subtle, eye-catching loop.

MotionBrushFX Workflow

Upload a photo (PNG, JPG, or WebP).

Brush the region you want to animate, then choose the motion and animate it.

Preview in real time and refine the brushed area if needed.

Export a short HD loop video (up to 1080p).

Tips for Clean Cinemagraphs

Animate one focal element and keep everything else still — restraint sells the effect.
Brush slightly inside edges to avoid bleeding motion into static areas.
Subtle motion loops more seamlessly than fast motion.
Reuse the loop as a background for stories, reels, or animated posters.

Open MotionBrushFX Make a Seamless Loop in LoopFX

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a video to start?: No — you start from a single photo and animate part of it.
What can I export?: A short HD loop video up to 1080p.
What is a cinemagraph?: A photo where one area moves in a loop while the rest stays still.
Are my images uploaded?: No — all processing happens locally in your browser.

Related Tools

MotionBrushFX

Brush a region of an image and animate it into a short loop. Ideal for subtle motion posters, cinemagraph vibes, and social visuals. Export HD video.

Open MotionBrushFX→

LoopFX

Create a short looping animation from a single image. Pick an animation preset (breathe, sway, float, orbit, pulse, glow, etc.), tune speed/intensity, choose duration, and export.

Open LoopFX→

ParallaxFX

Animate a still photo with 2.5D depth motion. Generate a depth map automatically, paint one manually, or upload your own — then choose a motion preset and export.

Open ParallaxFX→