Basically, motion graphics is animated graphic design. Pretty easy to remember… but what, you may ask, is the difference between graphic design and animation? In the technical sense, the terms motion graphics and animation can be interchangeable. After all, any form of moving graphic design is “animated,” and animated movies are, in essence, graphic elements in movement.
Watch the video below to learn more
Uses of Motion Graphics
Motion graphics can be seen almost everywhere these days — so much so, we might not even notice the presence of animated shapes in mainstream media. It certainly adds both beauty and functionality to visuals, but at the same time, it flows so naturally that viewers almost expect it. So where do we usually see motion graphics in action?
On TV
Motion graphics have been on television for decades now. Remember those little strips under the news reporter where other current events are flashed? Those news tickers, also called lower thirds graphics (because they’re always in the lower 1/3 part of the screen), are an indispensable part of info-rich news shows.
The sports industry makes heavy use of motion graphics. The NBA and NFL integrate graphic animations into their onscreen scoreboards, creating a smooth viewing experience perfect for epic replays.
Marketing & Advertising
As technology advances, the marketing industry is speeding farther and farther away from the world of static ads and presentation. Every element is movable!
Videos are a powerful tool for generating sales — well-thought-out motion graphics can make them unbeatable at giving you a competitive edge in your industry. It’s always a good idea to choose animated text and other interesting visual effects when you create ads. Using animated ads on Facebook can help you engage your audience, increase social shares as well as conversions.
If you want to come up with personalized graphics for your brand or your own motion graphic video, you can go the DIY route — or partner up with Design Pickle so you can skip the learning curve and leverage a team of experienced Motion Graphic artists and animators. Learn a little more about the Premium plan that includes Motion Graphics (and the amazing Motion Graphics revision tool).
Websites & Apps
UI animations and web design have also come far in the past decade, by leaps and bounds. Millennials will remember the early days of “dynamic” websites with sparkly custom cursors, flashing GIFs, and animations that wouldn’t show up unless you downloaded an external Flash player.
Most websites today can, fairly easily compared to the olden days, build beautiful, immersive frontend experiences with motion graphics elements like loading bars, dropdown navigation menus, parallax animations, and more.
By creating a smoother, more seamless user experience, motion graphic designers can help websites look more professional and authoritative.
Motion Graphics Templates
When it comes to marketing content, there’s no rule that says you have to build everything from scratch. There are many free templates available online to create motion graphics that will help you come up with on-brand, situation-specific animated content. You can also check out this article to learn how to make animated graphics.
Envato
With a vast library of digital assets, Envato is a useful tool for web designers, developers, marketers, and other creatives across the globe. Access template here.
Motion Array
Motion Array has a premium collection of After Effects templates that can help you build animated ads, whether you need the whole video or just a part, like the title sequence or transitions. Access video template here.
Premium Beat
Shutterstock’s PremiumBeat is better known for royalty-free audio, which is their main product that you can use as background music for your motion graphics videos. But you can also download free post-production assets from their blog! Get this template here.