Today we will talk about what motion design is and where it is used. We will also look at how you can learn an interesting, creative, and promising profession of a motion designer and what skills such a specialist should have.
What is motion graphics
The word “motion” is translated from English as “movement”. Motion graphics can be used to turn a static picture into a dynamic 2D and 3D graphic. Animated objects that can move and change their appearance attract more attention from viewers than static images and text.
Visual effects, audio, graphic design and different animation techniques are used in the process of creating motion design. Motion graphics combine video, audio and text into one animated story. By using three channels of information simultaneously – image, text and sound – the user learns the data better, and animated graphics have a stronger impact on the emotional perception of the audience.
Spheres of application of motion design
Animation graphics were first used in film in the mid-twentieth century. Motion design is actively used in the film industry to this day – it is used when creating titles, various futuristic interfaces in fantasy films, as well as in the production of trailers and teasers.
Animated graphics are often used on television in introductions to entertainment shows, in the splash screens of news programs, etc. Graphic transitions used between content blocks on TV channels allow program topics to be changed without losing the viewer’s attention.
Since the 2000s, the worldwide spread of computers and the Internet, the rapid development of technology led to the expansion of areas of application of motion design. Animation graphics began to be used in the process of creating video clips, video games also widely use the possibilities of motion graphics. In the 2010s, motion design began to be actively used in content marketing and advertising.
Motion graphics are widely used in the creation of commercials. In marketing, such graphics are indispensable if you need to visualize any process or phenomenon and show the work of the product. For example, with the help of animated graphics can clearly demonstrate how an application works, visualize the process of ordering a service, etc. Moving captions and shapes along with changing colors and backgrounds attract and easily grab attention, making the user spend more time on the site.
Animated elements can often be found on lendings and multi-page sites:
- Stylishly designed with motion design, transitions between sections of the site will add to the web resource effectivity.
- Animated logos bring more life and variety to the site.
- To keep the visitor from getting bored, you can use preloader (an indicator that informs the user that the content is loaded) with animation related to the subject site.
- If you use motion graphics to design a call to action, you can draw extra attention to it and increase conversions.
- Motion graphics are used to develop advertising banners, video product presentations, as well as to animate site navigation, leafing through product cards, or adding products to favorites.
Promotional sites can be based entirely on motion graphics. In this case, the scrolling is not a top-down scrolling, but the different blocks of the site change on the screen to tell the visitor a story in sequence from beginning to end.
In addition, motion design is used in education, as it allows you to present any information in educational videos, animated presentations by adding interesting animations to the text, and explain to the audience, even the most complex scientific issues.
What skills a motion designer needs
The profession requires first and foremost knowledge of the fundamentals of graphic design:
- A motion designer must understand coloristics (color theory), be able to correctly select the color scheme of the project, as well as have an understanding of the basics of color psychology.
- The foundation of any frame is the composition. It is the right composition that allows you to make an image lively and interesting. Specialist in motion graphics should be able to harmoniously arrange and link graphic elements.
- Equally important is the knowledge of typography (artistic and expressive design of text). Specialist in animated graphics need to understand what fonts are most in harmony with the overall picture: whether to use modern or gothic fonts, serif or sans serif, as well as know how to fit the text into a general composition, to emotionally hook the reader.
In addition, the motion designer should have scripting skills, because animated graphics usually tell the viewer a story. The specialist must be able to create a storyline, know how to use the techniques of dramaturgy and have an idea of directing.
Finally, a motion designer needs to know the professional tools – the programs with which he will develop his projects. Most professionals working in various areas of motion design use the following graphic programs and video editors:
- Adobe Illustrator – graphic editor for working with vector images. Most often used to create logos, vector illustrations, as well as backgrounds for later use in animation graphics.
- Adobe Photoshop is a bitmap graphics software used to create Matte Painting, edit textures, merge images, create GIFs, overlay frame animations, etc.
- Adobe Premiere Pro is a non-linear editing program that is great for putting your work together. In this video editor, you can glue clips together, add sound, music and visual effects.
- Adobe After Effect – We can say that this is the main application for motion designer, allowing to create animations and visual effects. Features: logo animation, character animation, 3D compositing, motion tracking, and more.
- Cinema 4D is a program for 3D modeling and working with 3D animation. This editor has a wide range of features and is used by motion designers for modeling, animation and creating simulation effects.
It is worth mentioning that a good motion designer, besides the knowledge mentioned above, should have the following qualities: the ability to work with information, which is to search, analyze and use various information resources; the ability to work in a team and collaborate with various professionals: photographers, directors, software developers.
Also a professional in motion graphics has to constantly follow the trends, study new tools and programs, be able to tell the audience stories, communicate key ideas briefly and easily. An important quality is the ability to analyze your own projects and those of your colleagues and competitors, to learn and improve, as well as the ability to present yourself and your work effectively.
How to become a motion designer
The majority of users prefer a spectacular video image to a boring text, that’s why motion designers are in demand on today’s labor market, and qualified specialists can count on high compensation for their services.
Such training allows you to master the practical skills of working with various programs, learn the basics of typography, composition and coloristics, and master advanced animation techniques.
