On average many designers may say that good design starts with creative inspiration. The truth is that good design is nothing without direction. You ...more On average many designers may say that good design starts with creative inspiration. The truth is that good design is nothing without direction. You get direction by knowing the product or service for which your developing the work. You need to know purpose of the project and what demographic is the client trying to target. From this, the project practically develops itself, all you have to do as a designer is “package” it. If asked what the difference is between good design and effective design, I’d say there is no difference. The two are one in the same just like space-time. They coexist in a harmonious union. Over the years at the firm, I was invited to sit in meetings to discuss the marketing aspect of the materials that I was to develop. From that I began to understand how my skill set served a very important roll in the grand scheme of the company’s plan for growth and expansion. I learned that everything from the font style to the timing in an animation sequence needed to deliver the same message and to call attention to the same list of offerings that served as the basis for the company’s value proposition. Even something as rudimentary as colors often have different meanings depending on what market you’re targeting. For instance, “Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love. Red is a very emotionally intense color.” (source color-wheel-pro.com) Motion graphics and animation are even more involved than static graphic design. The designer is now faced with many more variables in which to express a company’s message. Timing is everything! In a trade show scenario, research states that you only have 2.3 seconds to capture the attention of a potential client. This is simply because of the barrage of stimuli that conference goers are having thrown at them in countless directions over various forms of media. Video is one of most effective ways to get them to look twice. Much like graphic design, motion graphics and video are governed by some of the same principles such as color, balance and composition. But with video, motion and audio the playing field is boundless. Most videos are comprised of sequences and compositions. Each sequence introduces another focal point of the overall message. A collection of sequences form a composition. The composition is the sum total of the message that the video/motion graphic animation is designed to deliver. When audio is added, each sequence can be set to a pattern with music, or highlighted with voice over. The completed work can be the difference between a company coming across as inexperienced or lacking professionalism verses being seen as an industry leader in the provision of specific services. hide