You may decide to produce animated videos to promote your business after knowing about their potential. At the same time, you may ask yourself before video production: What is the difference between motion design and animation? No worries if you do not know the difference between motion graphics (moving graphics or motion design) and animation!
In this post, we shall talk about both of the aforementioned terms in detail. Eventually, it will let you know how animation and moving graphics are different from each other.
Motion Design – What Is It?
Motion design or moving graphics refers to graphics in motion, as it provides movement to graphic design. It is a type of animation that gives some extra visual flair to graphic design. One good example of motion design is an animated logo that brands create to stand out in the competition.
However, animating characters to breathe life into children’s fairy tales is not motion graphics. This is because moving graphics usually depict shapes, objects, or texts in motion rather than characters.
Moreover, motion design can successfully illustrate complex ideas with the aid of visuals. For instance, it is hard to explain abstract ideas to your audience via still images or words. This is where you can think of capitalizing on graphics in motion to explain such ideas.
Furthermore, password fields vibrating or turning red when you enter wrong passwords is also an example of motion design. It is also a sign that you need to try again and enter the right password to enter the website. So, graphics in motion can clear up everything for the audience perfectly in a few seconds.
It is also important to note that moving graphics can help you engagingly communicate your message to the audience. Irrespective of the industry you are in, you can leverage motion graphics to successfully communicate your message to the audience.
Animation – What Is It?
Unlike moving graphics, animation is a broader term as the former falls under its umbrella. The latter has a history that dates back to more than 100 years. Besides, animation translates to any technique that makes static images or objects move. Hand-drawn cartoons, CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery), claymation, motion graphics, etc. are different categories of animation.
The aforementioned animation categories are not mutually exclusive. For instance, most moving graphics animations entail CGI. It is actually the content that differentiates motion design from other forms of animation. Providing a graphic, infographic, or web design with the movement is a type of moving graphics animation.
On the other hand, animation focuses on cinematic effects and storytelling techniques to craft narratives (stories). Unlike graphics in motion, animation features characters in motion that go on a journey entailing emotions.
Based on what we have said above, you can comprehend the difference between motion design and animation as follows:
- Animation Is What Brings Characters to Life via Storytelling.
- Motion Design Is What Brings Statistical Data to Life.
How to Make a Choice between Motion Design and Animation?
You can come up with moving graphics or other forms of animated videos for branding. But you cannot just use any type of video animation for branding despite the fact internet users love videos.
Besides, 93 percent of digital marketers say they have won new customers with the aid of videos. This is because most customers engage with brands after watching their videos on social media. Still, it is important you use the right video types for branding.
Moreover, it is time we reveal to you when you should use motion design or other animation techniques. Let us unveil that to you without further ado:
When Should You Use Moving Graphics?
- Use moving graphics to emphasize facts and illustrate a point you want to make.
- Leverage motion design when you do not need any narrative or a story for communication.
- Adhere to motion graphics to present your complex product or service to the audience in a memorable way.
Furthermore, remember moving graphics excel at communicating complex ideas through visuals. So, you can best capitalize on this type of animation for explaining hard-to-understand ideas to your target audience.
When Should You Use Animation Other Than Motion Design?
- Use animation to emphasize the emotional aspects of your story or connect with your target audience emotionally.
- Capitalize on animation techniques other than moving graphics when motion design does not suit your needs the best.
Moreover, you should know that stories let you build a stronger connection with your target audience. Thus, you can stick to animation techniques other than moving graphics for coming up with narratives, in particular.
Do Motion Design and Animation Overlap? Does it Matter?
Motion graphics and animation are not the same, which you can comprehend based on our above-mentioned discussion. But you should know that there is loads of overlap between moving graphics and other animation techniques in videos. When that happens, you will find it hard to tell one apart from the other. It does not matter either!
However, you can come up with engaging content for your target audience if you decide to invest in animated videos. Put differently, you can surely engage your target audience via video animations, irrespective of the animation technique you choose.
Moreover, you should consider partnering with the experts to produce animated explainer videos for branding. It will ensure you produce one-of-a-kind video animations to engage your audience and successfully communicate your message to the audience. So, consider hiring the experts when you decide to produce animated explainer videos for branding.
Conclusion
You may think about creating video animation to promote your business. But you may ask yourself: What’s the difference between motion design and animation? Moving graphics refer to graphics in motion; furthermore, it generally entails the depiction of animated shapes, objects, or texts. Contrarily, animation is a broader term and moving graphics falls under its umbrella. It focuses on cinematic effects and storytelling techniques for communication. Furthermore, moving graphics excel at communicating hard-to-understand ideas. It is also important to note that animations and moving motion graphics often have loads of overlap. Lastly, it does not matter, because the purpose of these techniques is to engagingly communicate with the audience.
