Portfolio Project
Motion Graphic: "How to Paint Like Lauren Aldrich"
A short video created in Adobe After Effects showcasing my artistic style and animation skills.
CLIENT
Lauren Aldrich (Myself)
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An artist and designer with a diverse body of work including many oil paintings of a particular style.
CLIENT NEEDS
I need to showcase my animation skills while promoting my artistic abilities. I would like anyone who views my portfolio website to understand that I possess a diverse range of creative skills.
My painting style was very whimsical and playful, so any media portraying that style must maintain the same feeling. I also want to push my understanding of motion graphics by creating a challenging project with many different components.
SOLUTION
Using storytelling and animation principles, I created an short motion graphic video, timed to music, that showcases the artistic style and animation skills.
The 2 minute short was first storyboarded to lay out a plan of attack, then the necessary assets, such as digital illustration, vector art, and hand lettering, were generated or gathered.
The visual style of the piece is reminiscent of my oil painting style: bright colors and a hand-drawn quality to the various elements.
This project was animated in Adobe After Effects, with other elements created in Illustrator and Photoshop. Around 30 individual After Effects compositions are used.
This video demonstrates my ability to keyframe and ease motion, effects and properties of elements, as well as utilize masks and mattes, parent-child relationships and null objects in After Effects.
Lastly, I chose music that exemplifies this visual style, and timed the motion to the music. This piece will be showcased on my portfolio site to show viewers that I an a capable animator as well as artist.
TAKE-AWAY
This project was indeed complicated and involved, with many moving parts, and much organization needed, but nonetheless I deeply enjoyed the process. I learned that I love animating graphics as I put this piece together.
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This was an excellent foray into the world of animation. Every time I have the opportunity to do a bit more work with After Effects, I savor every bit of it, soaking up and delighting in new tricks and techniques. I look forward to new challenges in motion graphics.
