French photographer and director Romain Laurent started making portrait-based GIFs as a way to produce work outside his commercial jobs, a spontaneous project that would encourage him to produce consistently for himself rather than clients.

An injured person is seen after an earthquake hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, January 12, 2010. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake, the largest ever recorded in the area, rocked Haiti on Tuesday. (Photo by Jorge Cruz/AP Photo)

Cars at a car dealership are seen in the flooded village of Fischerdorf, near Deggendorf June 7, 2013. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle

This picture taken on August 4, 2016 shows three orphaned orangutan babies hanging in a tree whilst attending “jungle school” at the International Animal Rescue centre outside the city of Ketapang in West Kalimantan. (Photo by Bay Ismoyo/AFP Photo)

Penelope Cruz attends the Palme d'Or Award Ceremony held at the Palais des Festivals during the 63rd Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2010 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

James Kerr started his project “Scorpion Dagger” without any real direction, except for the intention to make one GIF everyday(ish) for one year. He had been making collages for some time and “Scorpion Dagger” started out to be a test of discipline and a way for him to learn how to animate. Making GIFs was a logical evolution to him. The project represents many different things to him, the works from which he draws upon are so powerful and inspirational to him, that he is now nearly obsessed with repurposing them to share his vision of the world, and perhaps inspire people to look at art differently. The project is tremendously personal to him, it’s a lot more than the humor that’s at its surface and he is still trying to work out what “Scorpion Dagger” really is.

Musician Fefe Dobson onstage at the 25th Annual Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Waldorf=Astoria on March 15, 2010 in New York City.