10 Tips to Become a Successful Motion Graphic Designer

Talent is in short supply and highly valued as a motion graphics designer, it is one of the trendiest career options people are looking for currently, and it is also possible because of the advent of technological changes and innovations.

There are various forms of designers, such as web graphics, user experience, user interface, and many more, and the fact is, designers still keep on multiplying and growing.

A motion design course will help you understand the ongoing technological changes and guide you to sustain yourself in this ever-changing creative sector.

Here are a few skills you need to become more productive while progressing your motion graphics course.

1. Graphic Design Skills

These skills are the hot commodity of creative workers who enjoy using the right side of the brain, a basic understanding of design fundamentals will give your work a more professional look and feel, also known as the art of bringing still motionless graphics to life through animation.

If you freelance, you must learn to make effective virtual structures and frame them from scratch to succeed that should be customized especially for your clients. By all means, these graphic skills will empower you to make the right creative decisions.

2. Traditional Art Skills

If you are looking to develop traditional art skills, many courses and series could demonstrate how to incorporate these skills. Cultural art and values are highly significant during your design process and are the best way to showcase your design to the audience. During most motion graphic courses, sketches were the task of putting out your ideas on paper. Sketch designing is considered faster and allows you to brainstorm different ideas quickly, ultimately speeding up your workflow.

3. Understanding Animations

Motion graphics can be time-consuming even for experienced graphic designers, regardless of their technical skills. For professional graphic designers, the ability to animate 2D elements is crucial. To have a successful animation career, you will need to study the Fundamentals of Animation and be thoroughly knowledgeable about the Principles of Animation.

4. 3D Design skills

3D designs are terms as “Future of Graphics” the skillset of a motion designer is continuously evolving. It is, therefore, necessary for designers to stay updated with new software such as AutoCAD, Maya, C4D, and Blender and understand the ways of working to keep up with industry demands. A good 3-D designer understands motions and timelines. On the big screen, on a smaller screen, or in print, 3D logos appear frequently. To design one of these, you should not limit yourself to 2D logos, as there are many other opportunities to pursue in the field.  

5. Typography

It is commonly used in design and is often the most important thing behind motion graphics. A motion design may only use type to covey the product, company, or services to the viewers, and using the right font can send your motion design to the next level. As a result, designers should be familiar with typography, the elements that constitute a typeface, how to use fonts to complement designs, and what typefaces are simple for the general audience to read.

6. Color Theory and its understanding

The theory of color is a crucial element of the motion graphic design process. When choosing colors, designers must be conscious of the moods and feelings they want to convey to an audience. Without a strong-color-choice foundation, a designer’s designs will likely fail to come alive.

7. Creative Thinking

Creative thinking involves coming up with the new, innovative, interesting, engaging, unique, and is a skill that gives motion designers the ability to create dynamic graphics.

A motion designer’s primary job is to tell a story with pictures and words. You can make your simple ideas more effective by adding layers of complexity that will make them visually appealing to others.

8. Technical Skills

With the day-to-day changes and technological upgrades, a motion graphic designer needs to have relevant technical skills and be able to adapt to the new product, services, server, and acquire skills. To be successful in a design career, you should master the technical skills necessary to meet the on-demands of the job. “Adobe” is the most commonly used software among designers.

9. Interpersonal Communication

Communication plays a vital role in motion design, this can mean with a client or your creative director, being a motion graphic designer, you need to articulate your ideas and concepts effectively and efficiently, even though this skill doesn’t have any relevance but still very important for a designer to make their ideas way understandable and clear.

10. Originality

Being original takes time to develop. Every designer has a style that distinguishes your work from that of other designers. Think of your style as your signature. Whether you are creating artwork for your business or posting personal projects on social media, you want to make sure to use this signature style in everything you do. When you add your signature style of work to the larger body of work, it will raise and set you apart from the rest. For example, Henrique Barone is uniquely considered to be is one of the artists who has developed his signature style of art, his artwork can be recognized by many.

To wrap up

To become a member of the motion graphic design community and to have a successful career in the field, it is essential to acquire relevant skills and hands-on experience. People pursuing careers as motion graphic designers should aim to attain in-depth knowledge of the subject or work with a professional in the field.

With trends in motion graphics changing with the times, there is no such thing as a “replacement” for a skilled motion graphic designer.