6 TikTok Trends That Showcase Art And Creativity

Whether you like it or not, TikTok has taken the world by storm in the past couple of years. While the app is popular for its viral dance trends, the variety of content available on the platform has expanded. Consistent users of the app know that there are different "sections" of TikTok you can be in based on the type of content appearing on your FYP page. Clips that don't involve dancing are commonly considered to be "alt TikTok" — where the real creativity lives.

TikTok has become a great place to showcase art. The various filters and other editing tools, when used effectively, can produce some pretty remarkable content. Some creators use the app to show off their crafts, and others create something using the app itself. Multiple art-based TikTok trends exist, but the following six trends are the ones that really demonstrate the artistic potential of alt-TikTok.  

1. The Renaissance Challenge

This challenge is a tribute to the beauty of classical art. Accompanied by Toshifumi Hinata's soft classical number "Reflections," this trend involves the user posing majestically as they morph into a Renaissance-style painting. The challenge quickly gained popularity for its aesthetic — the vibrant colors and dreamy backdrops immediately caught the attention of TikTok artists, who then flocked to create their own looks.

The transformation was originally done using TikTok's TimeWarpScan filter and an external photo editing app. However, the developers added a Renaissance filter shortly after the trend took off, making it a bit easier to pull off. Still, the challenge called for users to showcase their photo editing skills and transform themselves into people from another era.

2. The Money Ball Challenge

I would argue that game-making is a kind of art. Being stuck inside forces families to get creative about having fun together, and one TikTok family struck gold with this simple carnival-style game. The Money Ball Challenge was born when a family decided to try rolling a small ball into cylindrical household items. The twist is that each item is given a dollar amount with smaller openings being worth bigger bucks. 

It's unknown whether the families that participate in this trend actually pay out ($1000 is a lot of money for rolling a ball into a toilet paper tube), but the trend is entertaining nonetheless. Some users have gotten creative with what objects they use — I've seen Pringles cans, coffee tumblers, candle holders, you name it.

3. Astrology "Big 3" Photoshoot

Astrology buffs, this one is for you. This trend involves using the Clone Photos feature to create a photoshoot composed of multiple you's. The fun part is that each version of yourself is supposed to represent one of the signs in your birth chart's big 3 — the sun sign, moon sign, and rising sign.

Each zodiac sign is associated with different stereotypes, and creators attempt to capture the essence of their signs with each pose. Some users have gone the extra mile and incorporated small outfit changes into the personality changes. Another variation I've seen includes 3 other planetary placements: Mercury, Venus, and Mars.

4. Angels & Demons 

Yet another trend that utilizes the TimeWarpScan feature. The Angels and Demons trend was born when TikTok users realized they could manipulate their shadows to create art. Creators used the Time Warp to distort their images, making them look like they had wings or horns.

Many different images were born from this trend, with some users morphing themselves into the Satanic symbol Baphomet, and others giving themselves incredible angels' wings. The amount of precision and creativity that went into some of these creations is incredible.

5. Point of View/Choose Your Adventure

Point of view content is nothing new. However, being able to draw an audience into a compelling story within 60 seconds — that's a skill that can't be ignored. TikToker's take on the point of view genre has been done in quite a few ways, but the most common is the this-or-that, choose your own adventure format.

Creators act out scenarios and add text to the clips that display decisions they must make. Each decision usually comes with benefits or consequences, and the stories often take a drastic turn. The audience is supposed to put themselves in the creator's shoes, and live out the scenario through them. These videos are sometimes broken up into multiple parts, all of which get thousands of views.

One thing is for sure — this trend has brought out the best storytellers of TikTok.

6. Kakegurui Challenge

If you're into anime, then you've probably seen this trend pop up on your FYP once or twice. Kakegurui ("compulsive gambler") is a show in which students' worth is determined by their gambling status and the amount of money they owe to others. A mashup of Labyrinth's "Still Don't Know My Name" mixed with the voices of the characters was released as a sound on TikTok, and the fanbase got to work.

The trend can be done in a variety of different ways. At its most basic level, users mimic the movements and facial expressions of different characters in the show. The more creative variations involve cosplaying and/or superior video editing. 

Although TikTok's most popular content is often based around dancing, there is a greater variety of content than meets the eye. Every day, new trends are being created that encourage users to think outside the box. Whether creating a skit, editing together flawless transitions, or using the filters to create art, the TikTok community is constantly discovering new ways to showcase artistic prowess and creativity.