Israeli Animation App Co-Founded By Bezalel Lecturer Among Apple Design Award Winners

An innovative hand-drawn animation application developed by an Israeli animation artist was honored as one of eight apps globally recognized out of tens of thousands at the Apple Design Awards.

The Apple Design Awards celebrate the creative artistry and technical achievement of developers who reflect the best in design, innovation, and technology on Apple platforms.

The app, Looom, was developed by animator-designer Eran Hilleli, a lecturer at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem, and programmer Finn Ericson (who collectively form Iorama Studio).

Looom calls itself a “a new way to create hand-drawn animation.” The company’s technology is an intuitive tool for making animated loops, with beginners in mind.

Looom’s technology, which involves stitching together loops, brings hand-drawn animation into the iPad age. The loops can be exported into desktop animation software like Adobe Animate.

Hilleli learned of his win when Apple delivered the news virtually, due to current COVID-19 restrictions.