Aamna Saleh

Research:

I've search for the motion graphic trends of 2024 to gather inspiration. And these some of the trends that I will use in my animation:

1. Kinetic Typography

2. Liquid Motion

3. Combining 2D and 3D

4. Seamless transitions

5. Bold Typography

6. Grain Effects and Textures

7. Combination of 2D & 3D Animation

8. Gradients

Kinetic Typography

It combines text with animation, is a warm style in motion graphics in 2024. It artistically expresses emotions and tales by movement, color, and interactivity. Technological advances have enabled designers to experiment with 3D effects, changing fonts, and data-driven animations, therefore expanding the frontiers of animated text. Kinetic typography is rapidly being used in advertising, websites, music videos, and title sequences, providing new methods to transmit messages in the digital realm.

Liquid Motion

It is a motion graphics trend that uses water's fluidity and organic flow to create smooth, seamless animations. This current aesthetic is symbolic of 1960s psychedelic art, with swirly typography and fluid design elements that enhance the feeling of flowing liquid. This dynamic and organic aspect makes it a popular choice for creating interesting and eye-catching elements, as well as in the visual world.

Seamless transitions

It is a current trend in motion graphics that include a seamless, continuous flow of motion. They produce a visually attractive experience by avoiding quick cuts and transitions. This method is especially useful in explainer videos, product presentations, and promotional content, where a regular tempo and visual harmony are essential. The emphasis on elegance and smoothness in transitions improves visual appeal and leads to a more immersive watching experience, making it a preferred option for captivating viewers.

Gradients

Grain Effects and Textures

This trend improves character and depth in visuals. These textures give digital images a tactile feeling, increasing their vintage or film-like look. The usage of mixed media, such as images, symmetrical shapes, and squiggles, demonstrates how versatile this style is in terms of increasing visual appeal. Grain effects and textures, whether utilized quietly or loudly, provide a rich, tactile depth to motion graphic designs, increasing their engagement and visual appeal.

Bold Typography

It is a trend that use large, powerful typography to communicate messages with clarity and emphasis. This strategy, which frequently uses large typographic styles, is helpful for emphasizing key points, delivering significant information, and leaving a lasting impression in advertising, promotional films, and social media material. Bold typeface increases visual dominance, making it a powerful tool for organizations to deliver their message in a clear and appealing way.

Combination of 2D & 3D Animation

The combination of 2D and 3D animation is a growing trend in motion graphics, which improves visual storytelling by combining the flat, stylized style of 2D animation with the depth and realism of 3D animation. This method produces a dynamic and compelling style that is appropriate for a variety of genres, including short internet advertising and commercial films. As consumers continue to embrace the unique usage of mixed animation methods, the combination of 2D and 3D animation is predicted to gain popularity in the motion graphics industry.

Animated Logos

They become increasingly popular in motion graphics as a dynamic approach for firms to express their identity. This method attracts the audience's attention and produces a lasting impact, transforming the logo into a lively element of the brand's story. This approach is especially successful in today's fast-paced digital landscape, when gaining and maintaining audience engagement is critical. Animated logos create a distinct and current identity for firms seeking to identify themselves and stand out in a crowded industry.

Sketches

Working process

2024 Motion Graphic Trends Used

Kinetic Typography: I brought the text to life with kinetic typography. For the "Kitty Calm", I placed the anchor point in the middle of the phrase, allowing the letters to spread out from the center as their tracking increased, resulting in a visually appealing and useful feeling of movement.

Liquid Motion: The zigzag outline around the central shape represents a direct use of liquid motion. Animating it with a trim path makes the line appear to flow like a fluid, completing the design in an organic and dynamic way.

Seamless Transitions: Each element in the design transitions seamlessly. For example, the 'Meowind' logo and the 'Cat Mental Health Month' text animate such that each letter appears to emerge naturally from the one before it, resulting in a seamless, continuous movement.

Gradients: The background is a linear gradient with changing colors that shows a smooth transition from one color to another, creating a dynamic but undetectable background for the other elements enter.

Grain Effects and Textures: I used a grain effect on the circle elements above the main text, giving them a textured feel that gives depth to the design and contrasts with the smoother elements, creating a tactile feeling.

Bold Typography: The typography used in 'Meowind' and 'Cat Mental Health Month' is bold, letting these aspects stand out and capturing the viewer's attention. The font weight emphasizes the value of the message.

Combination of 2D & 3D Animation: I used 2D and 3D elements to create a layered, complex composition. The background and several text elements are flat and 2D, while the cat form and 'Meowind' are 3D, providing a contrast that adds to the overall design.

Animated Logos: The logo animates by increasing its opacity and scaling up in size, creating the idea of an active logo. This dramatic entrance enhances the brand's identity and provides a professional touch to the motion graphic.

Final animation

Reflection

I have been researching about new animation and interactive trends, including how approaches like digital surrealism and vertical animations are pushing creative boundaries. I've been intrigued by the seamless integration of 2D and 3D animation, the engaging nature of kinetic typography, and the subtle yet dramatic effect of grain textures. These changes provide new methods to engage people, making material more immersive and emotionally resonant. I've also noticed an increase in the use of strong typography, which grabs the viewer's attention and expresses messages clearly and positively. Understanding and incorporating these trends is critical to being current and inventive in the continually changing area of motion graphics.

I transfer the illustration to Adobe After Effects. I rewrite the text there so, I can animate it. I start by animating the background, I recreate it there by adding "Noise" to create a grainy effect and "4-color gradients" effect and animate it to keep changing the colors and their positions, then I create an adjustment layer with "Motion Tile" and "Turbulent Displace" effects to create a smooth animation like a moving fabric. For the zig zag outline I also recreate it in After Effects, and I add "Noise" & "4-color gradients" effect, and I animate it using the trim path. I animate certain elements by their opacity or scale. I animate "Kitty Calm" by increasing the tracking and for the message fist it shown with high tracking then it decreases. in the circles above, I make them wobble using "Warp" & "CC Bent It" effects. for "Meowind" I use "Warp" effect and they pop from the bottom of each letter. for "Cat Mental Health Month" I animate each letter separate by creating a pre-compose layer and add an animated three circles mask each with different colors and animate the position to come from the bottom in a smooth way letter by letter. and at the end, I add the sound.

In my animation, I embraced new trends like kinetic typography and liquid motion, purposely using them to improve storytelling and audience engagement. I used kinetic typography to bring text to life, allowing words to have greater weight and effect as they move. This not only drew attention, but also made the story more vibrant. Liquid motion was employed to introduce items in a fluid and continuous manner, making transitions feel smooth and natural. This method reflected the mobility of ideas and emotions, which aligned with the subject of Cat Mental Health Month. The selection of these trends was purposeful; they were not only attractive, but also useful, supporting the message and aim of the animation. The animation effectively educated and entertained the audience, highlighting the significance of mental health in pets, particularly cats, and fostering a deeper understanding and connection between the audience and the subject matter.