INFORMATION DESIGN - PROJECT 2: MOTION GRAPHIC

INFORMATION DESIGN - PROJECT 2: MOTION GRAPHIC

9/2/2026 - 25/3/2026  (Week 1 - Week 8)
Nur Adila binti Nazary (0377352)
Information Design / Bachelor in Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Project 2: Motion Graphic

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1) Lectures
2) Instructions
3) Class Activity
4) Process
5) Feedback
6) Final Outcome
7) Reflection

LECTURES

Week 2
Kinetic Typography
Small tutorial for Kinetic Typography
The lecturer gave us a small tutorial on how to do kinetic typography for one of our group projects that we have to do. He asked us to use Adobe After Effects to do the animation. 

Week 3
Tutorial for Animation Chart
For this week's lecture, the lecturer gave us a short tutorial on how to animate and move elements in After Effects. The lecturer explained the function of different icons and demonstrated how to animate graphs chart step by step. This tutorial is important for our Animation Chart assignment. Each student will be assigned a different type of chart to animate, which is listed in the Information Student List.

Motion Graphic Animation Chart
What is a Chart?
A chart is a graphical representation for data visualization.

There are 4 charts in this lecture which are:
1) Pie Chart

Figure 1. Pie chart diagram

2) Donut Chart

Figure 2. Donut Chart diagram

3) Bar Chart

Figure 3. Bar Chart diagram

4) Line Graph

Figure 4. Line Graph diagram

WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN WEEK 2-3 LECTURES:
From Weeks 2 to 3, I learned a few concepts related to motion graphics and information design. In Week 2, the lecturer introduced kinetic typography and showed us how to animate text using Adobe After Effects.

In Week 3, I learned how to animate charts and graphs in After Effects, which is useful for the Animation Chart assignment. I also learned about different types of charts such as pie charts, bar charts, line graphs and more used for data visualisation.

INSTRUCTION



CLASS ACTIVITY
Week 5 class activity:
Vector Animation
Since we had an assignment on vector animation, the lecturer gave a short tutorial on how to animate a vector step by step so that we could create our own animation easily.

Step by step process:
BASICS (Position, Scale, Rotation, Bounce)
1) Resize the artboard to 1920 x 1080 then separate the subjects in their own individual layers. (Girl layer, Guy Standing layer, Guy Sitting layer, Background layer)

Figure 5. Process #1

2) Once done, export it to an Ai. File then import it to After Effects as a Composition.

Figure 6. Process #2

 

3) Each subject can be move by adjusting the Position, Scale and Rotation (basic transform properties).

Figure 7. Process #3

4) For the Bounce effect, add another two additional keyframes at the end.

 

Figure 8. Process #4

ADVANCED (Wiggle, Puppet position pin tool)
1) Separate the specific subject into its own layer (in this case, the Palm layer). Then save it back.

Figure 9. Process #5

2) Import it by clicking on Format and on the layer options choose your layer that you want to animate specifically. Then Parent / Link the Palm layer to the Guy Standing layer.

Figure 10. Process #6

3) When animating any object / element for this case the palm, make sure that the Anchor Point is at the wrist. Then add Expression Rotation to it and change the keyframes timings to make it move up and down.

Figure 11. Process #7

Figure 12. Process #8

4) The next part is to use the Puppet Pin tool to move the body figure of the character. By adding pins to the head, neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles and feet. The reason we have to do this so that when we edit a body part, the other parts doesn't move in the process.

Figure 13. Process #9

 

Figure 14. Process #10

When you put it all together and adding Easy Ease to all of the keyframes everything moves in a smooth way.

Here is the finished class activity vector animation.

PROCESS
Project 2, Exercise 3 Overview:
Focus: Kinetic Typography

KINETIC TYPOGRAPHY
This is a group project where we needed to animate lyrics from a song that we have chosen. Each person must animate at least four lines from the song and afterwards all the parts will be combined together to create a full animated lyric video. The animation also needs to match the style and mood of the song so that the visuals feel connected to the music.

RESEARCH AND INSPIRATION:

Song Selection
My group decided to choose Treasure by Bruno Mars from his album called Unorthodox Jukebox for  the kinetic typography project. One of the reasons we chose this song is because it is quite well known and most of the group members are already familiar with it. This made it easier for us to understand the rhythm and flow of the lyrics when planning the animation.

Another reason is that the song itself is very catchy and upbeat. The strong rhythm and clear beats make it suitable for kinetic typography because the text can follow the timing of the music.

In addition, the song has very strong retro disco style, which gave us a clear visual direction for the theme of the animation. With this, it was easier for us to find references and inspiration that match the vibe of the song.

Figure 15. Treasure Album Cover

Style and Visual References
Based on the song, album cover and the music video, the overall style is heavily inspired by retro and disco aesthetics. The genre of the music itself combines disco and pop funk elements, which are usually connected with bright colours, energetic visuals and expressive typography.

Based on these observations, we decided to focus our research on three main categories in order to develop a consistent visual style for the kinetic typography which are:
1) Colour theme
2) Typography / Typeface
3) Visuals

1) Colour theme
Since the music video was mainly inspired by disco and retro, we analyzed several screenshots from the music video to use as visual references for the colour palette.

Figure 16. Music video reference #1

Figure 17. Music video reference #2

With our research, we found that retro colours are usually more muted and warm, while disco colours are brighter and more vibrant. Because of this, we tried to find a middle ground between these two styles so that the colours would match both the retro and disco theme.

This helps to create a colour palette that feels energetic while still maintaining visual consistency throughout the animation.

References for disco colours:

Figure 18. Inspiration disco colour palette #1

Figure 19. Inspiration disco colour palette #2

Figure 20. Inspiration disco colour palette #3

References for retro colours:

Figure 21. Inspiration disco colour palette #1

Figure 32. Inspiration disco colour palette #2

Figure 23. Inspiration disco colour palette #3

2) Typography / Typeface

For the Typography style, we decided to combine both retro and disco inspired fonts so that it reflects the confident and energetic tone of the song.

During our research, we noticed that retro and disco typography usually contains curvy and flowing shapes, which visually represent rhythm and movement. Though, we needed to make sure that the text remain readable during fast animation.

Because of this, we tried to choose typography style that still have the retro aesthetic while maintaining good readability, which is very important in kinetic typography.

References for mixed styles:

Figure 24. Inspiration mixed typography #1

Figure 25. Inspiration mixed typography #2

Figure 26. Inspiration mixed typography #3

3) Visuals
For the visuals, we wanted to match it with the energetic and upbeat vibe of the song. Because of that, we searched for visual elements that are usually associated with disco themes. Some of the visuals we look thorough are like disco balls, lighting effects, sparkles and glowing elements.

These visual elements help strengthen the retro disco atmosphere and make the animation feel more lively and engaging.

Figure 27. Inspiration disco visuals #3

Figure 28. Inspiration disco visuals #2

Figure 29. Inspiration disco visuals #3

IDEATION
From all of the research and references that we gathered, we were able to finalize the design direction for our kinetic typography animation. This includes deciding on the colour palette, typography style and visual elements that best represent the retro disco theme of the song.

These design elements will help to create a consistent visual style throughout the animation.

Figure 30. Finalised colour palette #1

Figure 31. Finalized typography #2

Figure 32. Finalized typography #3

Figure 33. Finalized typography #4

Figure 34. Finalized visuals #5

Figure 35. Finalized visuals #6

ANIMATING:
The lyrics part that I chose for my section is:

Pretty girl, pretty girl, pretty girl

You should be smiling (you should be smiling)

A girl like you should never look so blue (blue)

You're everything I see in my dreams

I wouldn't say that to you if it wasn't true (true)

To create the kinetic typography, I looked through several videos on Youtube and also referred back to some old tutorials provided by the lecturers to strengthen my skills in animating using Adobe After Effects. I followed the tutorials step by step to understand better techniques and workflows for creating text animations.

Here are some of the tutorial Youtube links I have watched:
https://youtu.be/LQAHQbhTnnA?si=v77M-6QX7xPhLh1z
https://youtu.be/tQ5wqg10x_I?si=lU4ZRYBqmDiYPBHJ
https://youtu.be/rYIr9XOU-Uo?si=bKXSwwIr-drZzsWS
https://youtu.be/_CEpgznn-XU?si=h7HbvPj0fUsBildF
https://youtu.be/8biAwem4jeA?si=k-oaDPz8D1PhbrX7

Before starting the animation, the group agreed to use the same composition settings to make sure there's consistency when combining all the part together later. We used the preset of HD x 1920x1080 in 25 fps.

1) 1st part | Pretty girl, pretty girl, pretty girl
For each lyric section, I tried to make the animation literal to the words. For example when the lyrics say "Pretty girl", I used a more curvy font and brighter colours to match a more feminine and playful style. Since this part is the beginning of the pre chorus, I decided to start with a simpler animation. I animated the text by changing the position and also added motion blur to make the movement smoother. Each "Pretty girl" appears following the beat of the song, which helps the animation feel more connected to the rhythm.

Figure 36. Process picture #1

2) 2nd part | You should be smiling (you should be smiling)
This part is quite fast, so I continued using a simple animation by adjusting the position with the Transform effect. I animated each words separately so the lyrics remain easier to read. For the word "smiling", I created a transition where the words changes into a smile visual, then scales up to fill the screen. This adds a small visual effect on the lyric. I also used a Null Layer to link multiple layers together so the text moves more smoothly. To transition to the next part, I added a pink background sliding down from the top following the beat.

Figure 37. Process picture #2

Figure 38. Process picture #3

3) 3nd part | A girl like you should never look so blue (blue)
For this section, the pink background continues from the previous scene. I used three contrasting colours so the text remains clearly visible. Using the Null Layer technique again, I flipped and zoomed the words to keep the animation energetic. For the word "blue", I changed the background to blue and isolated the words to emphasise its meaning. The word also pops in and out following the beat.

Figure 39. Process picture #4

Figure 40. Process picture #5

4) 4th part | You're everything I see in my dreams
For the part "You're everything", I created a wavy text animation to match the drawn out vocal in the song. This also keeps the style consistent with another group member who used a similar effect. For "dreams", I added a glow effect and blinking animation to emphasise the word.

Figure 41. Process picture #6

Figure 42. Process picture #7

5) 5th part | I wouldn't say that to you if it wasn't true (true)
This line moves quite quickly, so I again used a Null Layer to move the text smoothly across the screen. For the final word "true", I isolated it to emphasises the end of the pre chorus. I coloured it yellow and added a blinking effect, similar to the word "dreams", so it stand out.

Figure 43. Process picture #8

Figure 44. Process picture #9

After finishing the animation, I rewatched it several times to check for any errors or small adjustments. Once everything was finalised, I rendered the video and sent it to the group.

This is only my final part for the pre chorus:

Youtube link: https://youtu.be/FkQ15JILHKc

All parts were later combined to create the full lyric animation for "Treasure".

The final video was uploaded to Youtube as an unlisted video.

Youtube link: https://youtu.be/3_gboBnDo7c

WHAT TECHNIQUES I'VE USED:
The animation was created in Adobe After Effects using keyframes to control the movement of the text. The position and scale of the typography were adjusted to follow the rhythm of the song. A Null Layer was used with the Parent & Link function to connect multiple layers and keep the animation organised  Motion blur was also added to make the movements smoother. Additional effects such as glow, blinking animation and colour change were used to emphasise certain words like "dreams", "blue" and "true".

Project 2, Exercise 4 Overview:
Focus: Animation Chart

ANIMATION CHART
For this assignment, we needed to make a small animated chart based on the dataset assigned by the lecturer from the Student Information Design list.

RESEARCH AND INSPIRATION:
Based on the Student Information Design list, I was assigned to animate a Line Graph. 

The subject of the graph shows the percentage of students who presented with depression, anxiety or a relationship problem as their main reason or seeking help at a counselling center.

Here is the link to that study / data:
https://diggingdeeper.psu.edu/2016/04/students-under-stress/

Figure 45. Students under pressure study / dataset

After selecting the dataset, I decided to look for a suitable colour palette for the line graph. I chose colour with a strong contrast so that the important informaton would be easier to identify.

INSPIRATIONS:

Figure 46. Line graph colour palette inspiration #1

Figure 47. Line graph colour palette inspiration #2

Figure 48. Line graph colour palette inspiration #3

These references and inspiration helped guide the colour choices so the graph would be clear and visually readable.

IDEATION
During the Week 3 lecture, the lecturer showed how to animate different types of graphs. I looked back to the recorded tutorial and followed the steps shown in the video.

SETUP / PRE-ANIMATING:
Before starting the animation, I recreated the dataset in Adobe Illustrator so that the chart accurately follows the original data.

I used Adobe Illustrator because the grid system helps to maintain accurate spacing and alignment for the graph.

The composition size was set to 1920x1080 px.

Figure 49. Setup line graph

After finishing the chart, the file was exported and imported into Adobe After Effects.

ANIMATING:
1) Setting up

For the animation, the composition was set HD x 1920x1080 with 25fps. The Illustrator file was imported into After Effects as a reference. I placed the illustration in the center of the composition to keep the layout balanced.

Figure 50. Line graph process #1

2) Key in Text, Data and Line Graph

The opacity of the reference illustration was reduced to 50% so it could be used as a guide. After that, I recreated the text, data numbers, the information box and line graph directly in After Effects. I opened up the Proportional Grid.

For the colour design, the highest data values was highlighted with a brighter colour to emphasise its importance, while the lowest value used a cooler colour. For the middle values, I used green as it is usually associated with balance and stability.

Figure 51. Line graph process #2

3) Animating the Lines

For each line graph, I added the Trim Paths effect to animate the lines. Then I created 2 keyframes and applied Easy Ease to make the animated smoother. For the first keyframe, the End values was set to 0% and for the second keyframe it was set to 100% so the line gradually appears across the graph. The same technique was repeated for the other lines to complete the animation.

Figure 52. Line graph process #3

WHAT TECHNIQUES I'VE USED:
The animation was create din Adobe After Effects using the Trim Paths to animate the line graph. Two keyframes were added to the End value, starting from 0% to 100%, so the line gradually appear across the graph. Easy Ease was applied to make the animation smoother. Text and data points were also added to clearly show the information from the dataset. Different colours were used for each line to make the data easier to compare and understand.

Project 2, Exercise 5 Overview:
Focus: Vector / Character Animation

VECTOR / CHARACTER ANIMATION
For this assignment, we needed to animate a vector / character assigned by the lecturer from the Student Information Design list. We can animate the vector / character in any way that we want them to move.

RESEARCH AND INSPIRATION:
Based on the Student Information Design list, I was assigned to animate VECTOR D.

It is a simple vector with one character in the middle using his computer, with some elements and symbol surrounding him.

Here is the VECTOR D.

Figure 53. Vector D

IDEATION
During one of the class activities, the lecturer demonstrated how to animate vector characters step by step. He showed several methods and techniques that could be used in the animation.

SETUP / PRE-ANIMATING:
Before starting the animation, I made sure that the Vector D file composition size is 1920x1080 px.

Figure 54. Setup vector animation

After adjusting the Vector D into the correct composition size, I separated each element / subject into its own layer.

Figure 55. Vector animation seperated layers

After that, the file was exported then imported into Adobe After Effects.

ANIMATING:
1) Setting up

For the animation, the composition was set HD x 1920x1080 with 25fps with a duration of 3 seconds, as required by the lecturer. I then imported the updated Vector D as composition.

Figure 56. Vector animation process #1

For specific element / subjects that required more detailed animation, I imported them as footage and selected the layers for the guy character, smiling chat box and like chat box.

Figure 57. Vector animation process #2

Figure 58. Vector animation (guy character)

Figure 59. Vector animation (smiling chat box)

Figure 60. Vector animation (like chat box)

2) Popping animation
For the main subjects, which are the table book, the character, the plant and the clock, I created a popping animation by changing the scale from 0% to 100%. A slight bounce motion was added at the end to give the animation more movement. All keyframes were applied with Easy Ease to make the motion smoother.

Figure 61. Vector animation process #3

3) Animate along path
For the smaller elements and symbols, I animated them from the center outward to their original position using Paths. The opacity was also changed from 0% to 100% so the elements appear gradually. Each symbol has different timing to make the animation more dynamic. All keyframes were applied with Easy Ease to smooth the movement.

Figure 62. Vector animation process #4

4) Puppet pin animation
For the guy character, I wanted him to move his head up and down like a nodding motion. I used the Puppet Pin tool to achieve this. Pins were placed on the head, neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, ankles and feet so the head could move without affecting the rest of the body.

Figure 63. Vector animation process #5

Figure 64. Vector animation puppet pins process #6

6) Swing effect
For the happy chat box, I added a swing effect. Both chat boxes pop out from 0% to 100% scale with a bounce effect. The smiling emoji swings left to right before slowly returning to its original position. All keyframes were applied with Easy Ease to smooth the animation.

Figure 65. Vector animation process #7

WHAT TECHNIQUES I'VE USED:
The animation was created in Adobe Effects using several techniques. Scale animation was used to create a popping effect for the main elements by changing the scale from 0% to 100%. Motion path and opacity animation were used from the smaller symbols so they move outward from the center and gradually appear. The Puppet Pin tool was used to animate the character's head movement, while rotation was used to create a swing effect foe the smiling chat box. Easy Ease was applied to all keyframes to make the animation smoother.

FEEDBACK
All designs were sent to the lecturer for some feedback and some improvements.

Project 2, Exercise 3: Kinetic Typography
The lecturer said that for this part (you should be smiling), the word smiling should change into another font that is not cursive or too curvy so that it would be easier to read. Plus, when doing kinetic typography make sure that each word is following by the beat or the lyrics properly.

Figure 66. Before feedback (Kinetic Typography)

Figure 67. After feedback (Kinetic Typography)

WHAT I IMPROVED
After receiving feedback from the lecturer, I changed the font used for the word "smiling" to a simpler, bolded and more readable font instead of a cursive one. This made the text clearer and easier to understand in the animation. I also adjusted the timing of the words so they follow the beat and lyrics more accurately, which helps improve the overall flow of the kinetic typography.

WHAT COULD BE DONE BETTER
I could further improve this exercise by refining the timing and rhythm of the animation so that every word appears exactly in sync with the music. I could also experiment with different text movement and transitions to make the animation more dynamic and engaging.

Project 2, Exercise 4: Animation Chart
The lecturer suggested to change the colours of the box, so that it is more visible to see the information.

Figure 68. Before feedback (Animation Chart)

Figure 69. After feedback (Animation Chart)

WHAT I IMPROVED
Based on the lecturer's feedback, I adjusted the colour of the boxes so that the information in the chart becomes clearer and easier to read. The improved colour contrasts helps highlight the data better and makes the chart more visually understandable.

WHAT COULD BE DONE BETTER
For future improvements, I could spend more time refining the colour balance and visual hierarchy so that the important information stands out more clearly. I could also improve the animation timing and smoothness to make the chart presentation more polished.

FINAL OUTCOME
Project 2, Exercise 3: Kinetic Typography
Youtube link (FULL VIDEO): https://youtu.be/3_gboBnDo7c

Youtube link (PRETTY GIRL PART ONLY): https://youtu.be/FkQ15JILHKc

Project 2, Exercise 4: Animation Chart
Youtube link: https://youtu.be/N81wsV0YEHg

Project 2, Exercise 5: Animation Chart
Youtube link: https://youtu.be/iWMG7D68KjI

REFLECTION
Experience
The exercises for this projects were quite time consuming. After Effects is still fairly new to me, so it took some time to understand how the tools work. I realised how sensitive each tool is, because even small changes can affect the whole composition. Another thing I noticed is how complex After Effect is. There are many buttons and effects available, which can fee overwhelming at first, but the more I learn about them, the more useful they become for creating better animations.

Observations
I realised that motion graphics are not just about moving objects around. We need to carefully plan each step so that the animation moves the way we intend it to. It takes patience and experimentation. Looking at the references from platforms like Youtube or Pinterest also helped me understand different animation styles and gave me ideas for planning my work.

Findings
From these exercises, I learned that planning and understanding the tools in After Effects are very important in motion graphics. By practicing different techniques such as keyframing and easing, I was able to create smoother and more controlled animations. These exercises also helped me become more confident in using After Effects for future projects.