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Design · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Abstract Motion Design

Animation is not always about characters; sometimes it is about pure form, color, and rhythm. This studio course explores Abstract Expressionism in motion. Used frequently in concert visuals, screensavers, and high-end branding, abstract motion design teaches students to evoke emotion through geometry, procedural noise, and fluid dynamics without a linear narrative.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Apply principles of Graphic Design (Balance, Rhythm, Contrast) to time-based media
  2. Master procedural animation tools (Cloners, Noise, Particles)
  3. Explore "Synesthesia" and the visualization of sound
  4. Create seamless loops for installation and background art
  5. Utilize advanced rendering techniques (Refraction, Dispersion, Sub-surface)
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01History of Abstract Animation: Fischinger to Beeple
  2. 02Composition in Motion: The Golden Ratio
  3. 03Color Theory for Motion Graphics
  4. 04Procedural Animation: Noise & Math
  5. 05Geometric Forms: Cloning & Arrays
  6. 06Organic Forms: Displacement & Deformers
  7. 07Lighting for Abstraction: Studio vs. Abstract
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Simulation as Art: Cloth & Soft Bodies
  10. 10Fluid Dynamics & Liquid Art
  11. 11Glitch Aesthetics & Data Moshing
  12. 12The Perfect Loop: Seamless Transitions
  13. 13Texturing: Imperfection & Realism
  14. 14Projection Mapping Contexts
  15. 15NFTs & The Market for Abstract Art
  16. 16Final Project: The Abstract Visual Loop

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Abstract Visual Loop

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Generative Design by Hartmut Bohnacker
  2. The Book of Shaders by Patricio Gonzalez Vivo
  3. Motion Graphics: Principles and Practices by Jon Krasner
  4. Grid Systems in Graphic Design (Applied to Motion) by Müller-Brockmann
  5. Abstract Video: The Moving Image in Contemporary Art by Gabrielle Jennings
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