Motion Graphics

When: 7 sessions - Saturday 10am-2pm EST 
Dates: 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2, 8/9, 8/16

Who: Rising 10th–12th Graders

Where: Online

What You Will Learn
This course is for high school students with strong art backgrounds who are new to Motion Graphics, are considering majoring in Communications Design, Graphic Design, Animation, or are curious about Motion Graphics. 

Through real world examples, practical exercises, and creative problem solving, students will:

  • Learn how Motion Graphics is important in today’s digital world

  • Experience and learn how creativity can be expressed in countless ways

  • Understand a sense of design in a more dimensional thought process

  • Learn about professional skills and tools related to Motion Graphics

  • Complete a meaningful project for portfolio

Course Schedule Overview

Week 1: Introduction to Motion Graphics Tools

  1. What is motion graphics?

  1. Overview of creative workflows

  2. Getting started in After Effects, Illustrator, and Procreate

Week 2: Finding a Concept & Design Fundamentals

  1. Choosing a topic or theme

  2. Basics of design: contrast, alignment, hierarchy, and balance

  3. Sketching visual ideas with Procreate or pencil

Week 3–4: Animation Basics & Storyboarding

  1. Core animation principles (timing, easing, anticipation, etc.)

  2. Working with vector-based and frame-by-frame animation

  3. How to storyboard for motion

  4. Practice short animation loops in After Effects

Week 5: Motion Graphic Types & Style Selection

  1. Exploring styles: kinetic type, flat design, infographic, and social content

  2. Selecting color palettes and typography

  3. Creating and preparing visual assets based on your storyboard

Week 6: Building & Organizing Your Animation

  1. Importing and organizing files in After Effects

  2. Compositions, pre-comps, and layer management

  3. Begin animating your final project with peer feedback

Week 7: Final Touches & Presentation

  1. Refining animation: timing, easing, transitions, and audio

  2. Exporting for different platforms

  3. Final review, polish, and presentation of your project

About the Instructor
Bin Jin is a Motion Designer with over 7 years of experience crafting 2D/3D animations, explainer videos, and branded content for tech and media companies. Currently working at Datadog, Bin has produced high-impact videos featured at major industry events like AWS re:Invent and Datadog SKO. With a strong foundation in Adobe After Effects, Illustrator, and storytelling, Bin is passionate about helping beginners build creative confidence and learn industry-ready motion design skills—from concept to animation.