How to get started in motion design

Motion design is one of the hottest design disciplines you can learn right now.

It’s highly in demand, it can get you work in a wide range of creative professions, and ultimately, it’s fun, rewarding and pretty cool.

In this article, we’ll explain why you should learn motion design and how to get trained. But first things first: what do we actually mean by motion design?

What is motion design?

Motion design is the art of applying graphic design principles to create relatively simple pieces of animation, for the web, TV or film.

This might be a credit sequence for a TV show or movie. Or it could a minimalist commercial or explainer video, such as this ad for Lush.

Alternatively, it might be a looping piece of animation on an app or website, grabbing the user’s attention and adding visual interest.

The rotating eyes on Creative Boom are a very subtle but (we hope) entertaining example of this, while more in-your-face approaches include kinetic typography, parallax scrolling animations or animated logotypes.

Most importantly, being a motion designer is distinct from being a fully fledged animator or VFX artist. Instead, the discipline sits between (static) graphic design and (full-on) animation and combines elements of both.

This means becoming proficient in both 2D and 3D animation, using software such as After Effects, Cinema 4D, Final Cut Pro, Photoshop and Premiere Pro.

But it’s not just about mastering the technology; it’s also about having the artistic vision; so it’s important to study and understand the fundamentals of both graphic design and animation.

Why you should learn it

Let’s be frank: because motion design requires skills from two separate disciplines, it’s not the easiest option for someone wanting to work in the creative industries. But the upside to this is that there aren’t that many people doing it.

And that means that if you’re trained in motion design, you should find it relatively easy to find work in a range of different companies, including:

• Advertising agencies
• Design agencies
• Web development shops
• Animation studios
• Video game companies
• TV companies
• Movie studios

As the world becomes more digital, and internet connections and devices become faster, the demand for motion graphics is only going to rise further. So it’s a great time to learn this increasing sought-after discipline and expand your options for getting that cool job you always dreamed of.

How to learn motion design

Are you a graduate looking to find a niche in your creative career? Or maybe you’re already an established illustrator or graphic designer looking to expand on your skill set?

It’s perfectly possible to learn motion graphics from online tutorials and videos, but it’s going to be a long, disjointed road with lots of knowledge gaps to plug and a lack of anyone to mentor and guide you overall.

That’s why Created offers a nine-month, part-time course that will teach you the skills you need to become a motion designer, in a flexible way that you can combine with your daily work and/or studies.

Whether your background is in graphic design or animation, this course will give you the training you need to master the art of motion design.

Why Created?

What’s special about this course is that it’s far from just theoretical. Created believes that learning is about doing, and so it has partnered with leading companies in the field to provide you with the practical skills and knowledge you need to survive and thrive, in the real world of motion design.

Its curriculum has literally been designed to meet the needs of the creative industries, to develop the very people that companies would love to hire.

Throughout the course, you’ll tackle real-world industry briefs under the guidance of your own industry mentor, including a series of one-to-one coaching sessions.

You’ll work, support and collaborate with other ambitious creatives, giving you a kickstart in growing your network. You’ll leave with at least six professional-level projects to provide you with a killer portfolio.

And through a mix of online learning content and physical sessions, you’ll be able to do all of this in a flexible way that suits your own personal schedule.

To learn more about how to become a motion designer, visit Created today.

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