Import images as reference or as animation frames
Blender handles images in two different ways depending on what you want to do. If you need an image to trace over or use as a guide while you draw, you import it as a reference image. If you want to use a series of images as the actual frames of your animation, you import them as an image sequence into the compositor or as textures on planes. The method you choose depends on whether the image is something you're drawing on top of, or something that becomes the animation itself.
Most 2D animators in Blender use reference images for the first approach — bringing in a photograph, sketch, or concept art to work from. Image sequences are less common in Blender's native 2D workflow but useful if you're compositing pre-rendered frames or bringing in animation from another program.
Key Takeaways
- Reference images attach to your scene and stay in place while you draw, letting you trace or match poses without the image moving around.
- You add a reference image through the Add menu in the 3D viewport, not through the file browser or import dialog.
- Image sequences go into the compositor or onto plane objects if you need multiple images to play as frames in sequence.
- Blender accepts JPEG, PNG, and other common formats, but PNG with transparency works best for layered animation work.
Adding a reference image to your scene
Open Blender and go to the 3D viewport — the main window where you see your scene. Press Shift + A to open the Add menu. Navigate to Image, then select Reference. A reference image object appears in your scene, but it won't have a picture yet.
With the reference image selected, look at the properties panel on the right side of the screen. Find the Image section (it looks like a picture frame icon). Click Open Image and browse to the file on your computer. Once you select it, the image appears in the viewport. You can now move it, scale it, and rotate it using the standard transform tools — press G to grab and move, S to scale, R to rotate.
Reference images sit behind your drawing layer by default, which is what you want. If you need to see it more clearly, adjust the Opacity slider in the properties panel to make it more or less transparent. You can also lock it in place by clicking the lock icon so you don't accidentally move it while you're working.
Using image sequences for frame-by-frame animation
If you have a folder of numbered images that should play as animation frames — like a sequence exported from another program or a series of photographs — you can bring them in through the compositor. Go to the Compositing workspace at the top of the Blender window. Make sure Use Nodes is enabled in the properties.
Press Shift + A in the compositor to add a node. Go to Input and select Image Sequence. Click Open in the node's properties and navigate to your image folder. Select the first image in the sequence — Blender automatically detects the numbering and loads all the frames. Connect the Image output to a Composite node to see the sequence play in the viewport.
Make sure your images are named with numbers in order: image_001.png, image_002.png, and so on. Blender reads the numbers to determine the frame order. If your images aren't numbered, you'll need to rename them before importing.
Importing images as textures on plane objects
Another approach is to create a plane object and explore an image as its texture. This works well if you want to animate the plane itself or layer multiple images. Press Shift + A in the 3D viewport, go to Mesh, and add a Plane. Scale it to match your image's proportions using the S key.
Switch to the Shading workspace. With the plane selected, add a new material by clicking New in the material properties. In the shader editor below, add an Image Texture node by pressing Shift + A, going to Texture, and selecting Image Texture. Click Open Image in that node and select your file. Connect the ColorBase ColorPrincipled BSDF node.
Switch to the viewport shading mode that shows textures — press Z and select Material Preview or Rendered to see your image on the plane. You can now move, scale, or animate this plane like any other object in Blender.
File format and transparency considerations
Blender reads JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and several other image formats. For 2D animation work, PNG is usually the best choice because it supports transparency — the areas around your drawn character or object can be see-through instead of solid white or another color. This matters when you're layering multiple images or compositing them together.
If your image has a white background and you need transparency, you'll need to remove the background in an image editor like GIMP (free) or Photoshop before importing it into Blender. Blender doesn't have built-in tools to cut out backgrounds from imported images. Once the background is transparent in your PNG file, Blender will respect that transparency when you use the image as a reference or texture.
For image sequences, make sure all the files are in the same folder and use the same naming convention. Blender won't find images scattered across different directories, and inconsistent naming can cause frames to load out of order or skip entirely.
Positioning and scaling your imported image
Reference images can be moved and scaled in the 3D viewport just like any other object. Select it and press G to move it, S to scale it, or R to rotate it. If you want precise control, you can also edit the values in the properties panel under Transform. The Offset values let you move the image in small increments without using the mouse.
For images on planes, the same transform tools explore. You can also use the UV Editor to adjust how the image wraps around the plane if you need to crop or repeat it, though this is less common in basic 2D animation. Most of the time, you'll just scale the plane to match your image's aspect ratio and position it where you need it.
If your image is much larger or smaller than your scene, use the scale tool to make it match your working area. A good starting point is to scale it so it fills most of your viewport without being so large that you can't see the edges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import a video file directly into Blender for 2D animation?
Not as a reference image or straightforward texture. You can load video files into the compositor's Movie Clip node, but for frame-by-frame animation work, it's better to export your video as an image sequence first — most video editing software can do this — then import the sequence into Blender. This gives you more control over individual frames.
Why doesn't my image show up after I import it?
The most common reason is that the viewport shading mode doesn't show images. Press Z and select Material Preview or Rendered to see textures on planes. For reference images, make sure the image is actually loaded in the properties panel and that the opacity isn't set to zero. If the image is there but very small, use the S key to scale it up.
How do I remove the background from an imported image in Blender?
Blender doesn't have a built-in background removal tool. You need to remove the background in an external image editor before importing. Use free tools like GIMP or online services to make the background transparent, save it as a PNG file, then import the cleaned-up version into Blender.
Can I animate the position or scale of a reference image?
Yes. Select the reference image, move to the frame where you want the animation to start, press I to insert a keyframe, then move to another frame, change the position or scale, and press I again. Blender will interpolate the movement between keyframes. This is useful if you want the reference to move or zoom during your animation.
What's the difference between a reference image and an image sequence?
A reference image is a single picture that stays in place while you draw on top of it. An image sequence is a series of numbered images that play as frames, one after another, like a movie. Use reference images for guides and image sequences when you're compositing pre-made frames or animation from another program.