Motion Designers to Inspire Your Next Project
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Motion Designers to Inspire Your Next Project
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Scrolling through the vast interweb, we see hundreds and thousands of images every single day. As our digital gaze shifts to all things video, motion has become a crucial design tool for capturing our attention. Can you imagine a YouTube ad without a single-motion effect? A movie trailer without the thrilling cut of animated words flying across the screen? Difficult, no?
Brands are looking to pierce through the ocean of static noise with movement, making motion design all the more desirable (necessary, even) for their digital assets. Not only does motion design help break down content into a visually digestible flow, but it also plays a powerful role in enhancing brand identity and garnering brand awareness.
In this round-up, we’re featuring 11 motion designers whose unique styles and skill sets create storytelling moments to be remembered. They are freelancers, creative directors, illustrators, and graphic designers as well. As you read more about our features, be sure to explore their amazing portfolios to get a glimpse of their interdisciplinary experiences!
This article is part of the Looking For series. We look for creatives to feature on a regular basis, so be sure to sign-up for our newsletter and follow us @ilovecreatives to be the first to know about the next opportunity!
➀ Keri Birmingham (they/she/he)
Los Angeles, USA
If you’re craving some groovy creative inspo, Keri’s portfolio is the sweetest treat you’ll find. Delivering motion graphics, art direction, and animation (and SO much more) for brands such as Travel Agency and Starface, Keri evokes a bright, retro feel to their design work. (Please do yourself a favor and check out their Sailor Moon-inspired graphics for Billie)
A little more about Keri’s journey to motion design:
“During a career break from media planning and strategy, I shifted to motion design by watching tutorials and taking courses—building a portfolio from personal projects and non-profit work to light freelancing and moving in-house at Billie. As their motion designer/video editor, I worked with other designers, producers, and art & creative directors learning the production pipeline and growing as a designer. I took that experience and client management skills to build my own business.”
➁ Hugh Durnford-Dionne
(he/him)
Montreal, CA
Four letters to describe Hugh’s motion design style: S-I-C-K. Hugh’s satisfying use of colors, shapes, and kinetic typography scratches just the right part of our brains. Currently pursuing an interdisciplinary BFA degree at Concordia University, Hugh sports a one-of-a-kind vintage feel in his work. You can check out his motion graphics demo reel here!
Hugh on his inspirations for starting motion design:
“The YouTube channels Vox, School of Life, and Tedx, which all blend motion design insightfully with thoughtful considerations and scholarly analysis. This style of explainer video greatly inspired me because of my background in both video production and academia. Being able to showcase philosophy, psychology, and other humanities in a digestible way in the format of motion design is much more engaging to a wider audience than an essay.”
➂ Claire Dunning
(she/her)
Clifton Hill, AUS
Looking to zhuzh up your logo or brand assets with some personal flair? You’re gonna want to get in touch with Claire. In addition to motion graphics, Claire offers services for video and logo animation to enhance your brand with an authentic, human-centered touch. Previous clients include Victorian Pride Centre, Jupiter Gin, and Sans Beast.
Claire on learning motion design:
“I was originally studying graphic design and fell in love with motion design during my multi-media subject. It was love at first After Effect. The main challenges I have are the skill gap to achieve really cool shit. So I'm constantly watching TikTok, YouTube, IG reels of how to do things in better ways.”
➃ Ester Dus
(she/her)
Barcelona, ESP
Based in Barcelona, Ester is the director, motion, and graphic designer at multi-style animation studio, Device. Her portfolio showcases her sensible eye for calm and amusing aesthetics (psst. Check out her Instagram page for more of her work). Make sure you view her stunning freelance work for H Waas x MACBA and Requena Office!
Ester shares how her motion journey started:
“TV and movies hooked me; I never skipped the intros. It’s the typical story—I loved drawing as a kid, got into audiovisual and design as I grew older, and my career naturally followed. I started in an ad agency, but doing small animations felt the most fulfilling, so when I saw the job opening at Device Studio, it was like a neon sign pointing to the obvious next step.”
➄ Christopher Gonzalez
(he/him)
Los Angeles, USA
Christopher fuses his technical talents with humor to deliver exciting motion graphic designs. Currently based in LA, Christopher carries a dynamic creative toolkit that also includes video editing, animation, and film. From promotional videos for movies such as Bottoms to Percy Jackson, you may have seen his motion magic in the creatives for your favorite blockbusters 😉 Check out all his video work here.
Christopher speaks on leaning into his visual style:
“I'm a big fan of dirty textures, low frame rates, and overall a really rough aesthetic. I think when I first started I really dialed it back and didn't put enough of myself into client work. As I've gotten older I've become a lot more comfortable imprinting myself into the work I create for others.”
➅ Esteban González
(he/him)
Barcelona, ESP
Self-taught and incredibly skilled, Esteban is a freelance motion designer whose craft is both admirable and approachable. With previous select clients including WhatsApp, Apple, and Verizon, he’s also a friendly thought leader in the motion design industry. If you’re looking to pivot into motion design, be sure to visit Esteban’s substack, The Motion Social Club, where he explores timely case studies, overcoming imposter syndrome, how he grew in the field, and more.
Esteban shares more on his self-taught path to motion:
“It started by discovering forums, around 2008, being a teenager. And at some point, I discovered VFX and then the field of motion design. Finding something on the internet that really got my interest made me follow a path that at some point took me to be a professional in the field now. At first, not being formally educated in design and not being able to go to college made me think that I was missing something. And that other professionals, who went to a university of design for example, were always going to be 'better than me'. Then, life put me working with many friends that had that experience and that made me smoothen that feeling.”
➆ Dakota Hopkins (he/him)
Los Angeles, USA
As a freelance motion designer and Art Director, Dakota has been elevating brand narratives through iconic designs for over a decade. Collaborating on global teams for clients such as Hulu, ESPN, Under Armour, and Los Angeles Rams, Dakota knows just how to engage his audience through masterful storytelling.
Dakota shares more about his experience designing the Los Angeles Rams stadium graphics:
“Whether someone is sitting in the stadium or watching the game from home, the experience is enhanced with motion design and helps to highlight the great moments that happen during the game. In a fun way, it allows you to really go for it and experiment with fun new design styles and animation techniques.”
➇ Sultan “GEO” Jumataev
(he/him)
Toronto, CA
Sultan’s distinct design style will have you mesmerized from the get-go. As a freelance graphic and motion designer with imaginative typography work, Sultan has showered his captivating design visions for clients such as YouTube, the 2022 Brand New Conference, and Jelly Marketing. Make sure you check out his personal projects too (LOVE his 36 Days of Type exploration!).
A glimpse into Sultan’s creative process:
“I have a weird obsession with typography and morphing it into other shapes by showing the legible type first and the illegible ones after. It's kind of an interesting process. I'd start off with simple type, outline it and move around the anchor points, and play around with the graph editor until I was satisfied with the results.”
➈ Sarah Oh
(she/her)
Los Angeles, USA
Whimsical and absolutely enchanting, Sarah’s work takes illustrative motion design to the next level. Throughout her freelance career, she has delivered beautiful motion graphics for clients including Snapchat, Robinhood, Pokémon, and NPR. Beyond freelancing, she is currently creative directing at Womp 3D, where she plays with charming, goopy characters and brings 3D to movement.
Sarah’s “Why motion?”:
“I was always fascinated with the idea of motion being able to bring life to something that's otherwise still or inanimate. Starting with illustrations, I felt that bringing motion to my work was a huge step in fully conveying the stories I wanted to share.”
➉ Jake Richardson
(he/him)
London, UK
Navigating Jake’s motion portfolio is a true sensation. As a freelance motion and graphic designer, Jake builds immersive moving brand identities for studios and brands in the arts, music, and fashion industries. He’s worked on projects for PLINK!, HOTEL, MIKE, G.F. SMITH, and more (explore all his work here!).
Creative industry learnings from Jake:
“Having the pleasure of working with clients in different industries/sectors has highlighted to me the lack of education around motion design. In a way, this has been great to overcome as a freelancer where I'm able to present to the client new ways of thinking with motion - not just having it be an afterthought but part of the whole creative process. This has very much been rewarding and created some really interesting work.”
⑪ Kyle Victory
(she/her)
Brooklyn, USA
With illustration, motion design, and graphic design all under her belt, Kyle creates from a refreshing intersection of her skills. Her previous clients include The New York Times, Logitech, and Meta x Local Live(s). When you visit her portfolio, don’t miss out on her Monday’s Challenge pieces, which showcase her vibrant expression of colors and characters (Funfair and Across the Universe are two of our faves).
Kyle shares how motion can set brands apart:
“In a world inundated with static graphics served to us in ads and through social media, it’s important that designs are eye-catching enough to get people’s attention. Good motion ALWAYS makes a good design even better. It is also easier to share more information in a motion piece than a static piece. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but an animated design is worth a million! Good motion design can really elevate a brand and set it apart from others in the industry.”
Thinking about learning motion design? A Motion Design Course is getting ready to enter the ilovecreatives universe very soon 👀 Join the course waitlist here to 1) give your take on what our curriculum should include and 2) get updates as soon as it launches.
Is your brand ready to hire a motion designer to spice up your 2D graphics and elevate your brand identity? Head over to our Creative Directory, and might just find the perfect match 🤭
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