Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
the message
. He describes how moving a text object, slowing, and fading in
and out of black will imbue that text element with a sense of drama, focus, and
perhaps, stability. Or moving an object by spinning it around the screen might
imply playfulness, or in most cases, annoyance (Curtis, 2000).
Curtis has done a strong job of deciphering the art of motion graphics and with
it he implicitly focuses his design strategies on using motion for communication.
His strategies are important to understand and exercise as you develop motion
graphics for your Web portfolio pages.
Motion is a universal language. It's understood by everyone in
varying degrees. Look at it this way: If something whizzes across
the screen, it communicates “fast” or “urgent.” And the slow
move can communicate “calm.” It's really about rhythm, and
we all understand that language.
(Hillman Curtis, 2000, p. 4)
What you must take away from Curtis and his theories are that motion should
communicate. Rhythm is a crucial component in successfully communicating
with motion graphics. Moving objects should have intelligent function other than
to simply experiment or show off. Keep a practice page on your Web site to
post things that you are trying out. Get the opinion of others on the value of the
communication. As with all design, the design of motion graphics needs to be
consistent and persuasive.
Motion graphics spans across many four dimensional mediums. You will see
motion graphics in television, film, video games, marketing & training CD
ROMs, and of course Web sites. The use of motion graphics varies from simple
text animation to full scale animations with music tracks and character voice-
overs.
There are many computer applications designed to author and output motion
graphics. Macromedia Flash is the premier tool for creating motion graphics on
the Web. It is not a simple application to master, but if you focus on a few small
foundations, you can build up a very functional skill set that will help you add
impressive motion graphics to your Web portfolio.
