Motion Design
Motion is an essential element of any effective design.
In modern digital media, movement is central to enhancing any presentation. Animation can uniquely emphasize balance, rhythm, and space, which is why I make a point of integrating motion graphics techniques into my design toolkit. I primarily use After Effects, Premiere Pro, and Clip Studio Paint (for traditional animation) in my motion projects.
Stage 1: Research
The first thing I do to treat any topic is to research the subject at hand for a working understanding of what I'm trying to represent. This usually involves Internet research, hands-on experiences, and talking with knowledgeable people about its ins and outs. For example, in making the Redshift logo animation, I drew inspiration from zine printing processes, and in explaining the dark forest hypothesis it is necessary to first be familiar with the Fermi paradox.
Stage 2: Storyboards
For motion reels and animations, I make a moment-to-moment storyboard of the planned movement that acts as a guide during the animation process. Multiple iterations of this serve to refine the idea and create a more interesting narrative to drive the piece.
Stage 3: Motion Sketches
The next step is to start animating and try out different movements and expressions based on my favorite storyboard concepts. These are less polished and serve as a playful way to see what these concepts could look like realized.
Stage 4: Final Product
Finally, I put everything together in a finished product, making multiple formats and compatibility versions for deployment. For example: this motion reel about the Dark Forest Hypothesis!