Motion Graphics & Compositing Motion Graphic Motion Graphic Exercise 2

 

  ZHOU XINYI / 0378623

Motion Graphics & Compositing

 Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media

Table of Content

1.Instruction

2.Process Work

3.Feedback

4.reflection

1.Instruction

2.Process Work

2.1Process

First, I created a new project in After Effects and set up a composition with a resolution of 3000 × 3000 and a duration of 5 seconds. Then I selected a suitable background colour and arranged the basic layout and typeface design.

Next, I created a white solid layer with a size of 40 × 40 pixels to build the square mosaic effect. I added a mask to the layer and adjusted the mask properties, including the mask path and feather, to control the visible area and create smoother edges.

After that, I created a new composition called Main Com with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 and a frame rate of 24/25 fps. I added a dark blue background layer and imported the layout composition into the scene. Then I animated the mask path by moving the mask vertices between keyframes to create motion in the mosaic effect.

To control the overall movement, I created a Null Object and parented the layout composition to it. I animated the null object’s position on the Y-axis to create smooth vertical motion.

For the text animation, I created text layers, adjusted their size and position, and parented them to the null object. I then applied the Characters Shuffle In animation preset to make the text appear dynamically.

Finally, I adjusted the scale and position of the null object and animated the layout composition back to its original state. I also duplicated and replaced the gridline system composition to create a colour switch effect. To complete the animation, I added scale-up keyframes and applied Easy Ease to all keyframes for smoother motion.

Fig2.1Process

2.2Final Presentation

Fig2.2Final Presentation

3.Feedback

week2

During Week 2, the teacher taught us the first four steps of creating the motion graphic animation in After Effects. We learned how to set up the composition, create the square mosaic effect, animate the mask path, and use a null object to control movement. The class helped me understand the workflow more clearly and improved my understanding of keyframing and animation structure.

week3

In Week 3, the teacher went through the whole process again from the beginning, which helped reinforce the techniques and made the steps easier to understand. We also discussed ideas for the final project and shared different creative directions in class. Through the discussion, I started developing more ideas for my horror-themed intro sequence and thought more about the visual style and atmosphere I want to create for my final work.

4.reflection

This week, I became more confident using After Effects and understanding the animation process step by step. Repeating the workflow again in Week 4 helped me understand the tools and keyframes better, especially how masks and null objects can control movement more smoothly.

I also realized that planning and creativity are very important for motion graphics. During the class discussion about the final project, I started thinking more seriously about the atmosphere and visual style I want for my horror-themed intro sequence. Although my idea is still developing, I feel more inspired and motivated to experiment with different effects and animations in the coming weeks.