Information Design | Final Project : Motion Graphic

 

Information Design

07/03/2026 - 21/03/2026 | Week 05 - Week 08

Jesslyn Octavia Tjong / 0374562 / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media

Information Design / Exercises / Taylor's University

Table of Contents

I. INSTRUCTIONS

II.&n bsp; INFORMATION & DESIGN RESEARCH

III. PROCESS WORK

IV. REFLECTION

III. QUICK LINKS

I. INSTRUCTION

II.  INFORMATION & DESIGN RESEARCH

INFORMATION RESEARCH

After completing the Instructable infographic poster, we were required to create a motion graphic based on it. I was paired with Hui Xuan, and we decided to use my tiramisu recipe as the main content. For our research, we referred back to my original poster to guide the overall direction, structure, and sequence of steps. The content is organised into three main stages, which are the coffee preparation, the cream making process, and the assembling of the layers, allowing us to clearly plan the flow of information in the motion graphic.

DESIGN RESEARCH

For the design approach, we were inspired by an art gallery style with a slightly vintage, minimalist feel. Instead of reusing the original poster assets, we decided to create new ones, with Hui Xuan focusing on designing the assets.  A key idea was incorporating the Mona Lisa as a playful visual element to represent Italy, the origin of tiramisu, while adding a humorous and unique touch as if the Mona Lisa is guiding and interacting throughout the process. Here below are other factors we took in consideration to build the vision we wanted:

Tiramisu Brainstorming Presentation 

III. PROCESS WORK

I was assigned into doing three parts : Opening, Step 1 and Step 2. 

Opening Titled Tiramisu

For the opening, which is about three seconds including the transition, I created the “tiramisu” title with a soft shadow behind it and ribbons overlapping the text. I pre-composed the title with the background because I used the pen tool to shape it instead of just layering fonts, which took more time but let me be more creative. The ribbons were separated into three parts, front, middle, and end, so it was easier to animate them one by one using trim paths. I adjusted the start and end timing to make the ribbons flow smoothly, like they were coming out of the text.

Phase 1 Scenario : Coffee

The coffee scene was quite straightforward since it mainly involved position and rotation, with not much scaling. The hardest part was animating the liquid. For the pouring effect, I used the stroke tool and adjusted the taper while refining the start and end manually. For the moving liquid, I applied wave warp and added another layer underneath so it wouldn’t look too messy. It took me about an hour to get it right, but after that, I understood it much better and it made the rest of the process easier.

Phase 2 Scenario

For the baking section, it was also quite simple. I created several pre-compositions and separated them into still and moving elements. Each had two versions, yolks and whites, since the animation focuses on separating eggs and there are multiple bowls involved. To avoid confusion, I used a slight color difference like a pink tone to help distinguish between them. Since the designs were very similar, I could just duplicate and adjust the colors, which made the whole process faster and more efficient.

Final Work

IV. REFLECTION

OBSERVATIONS

While working on this 60-second motion graphic, I noticed that both design choices and technical execution really affect how smooth and engaging the final animation feels. Breaking the project into smaller sections made it easier to manage, and I also realised that layering and pre-composing elements helped keep everything organised. I observed that more detailed approaches, like using the pen tool or separating elements into parts, took more time but gave better visual results.

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FINDINGS

From this project, I found that understanding the tools in After Effects is important for creating more natural motion. The liquid animation, in particular, showed me that effects like stroke, taper, and wave warp require experimentation to get the right look. I also learned that pre-composing and reusing elements can speed up the workflow while keeping the design consistent. Overall, I found that balancing creativity with efficiency is key to completing the animation smoothly.

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EXPERIENCES

My overall experience was a mix of challenge and improvement. At the beginning, I felt quite slow and unsure, especially when trying more complex techniques, but as I continued, I became more confident and comfortable with the process. The more difficult parts, like the liquid animation, were frustrating at first, but they pushed me to experiment and understand the tools better. By the end, I was able to work faster and more efficiently, and I felt more confident in both my technical skills and creative decisions. This project also inspired me to explore more creative approaches in future work instead of always choosing the easiest method, as I realised that putting in extra effort can lead to more unique and satisfying results.