3 motion exercises to finish this week
In less than an hour each
Lately, I’ve been feeling a bit stuck in the space between wanting to explore and not having time to start anything.
We tend to overthink motion projects. “What if this becomes a portfolio piece?” “Should I try a new style?” “Do I have time to really finish it?”
But when time is limited, what I really don’t need it’s another idea.
It’s an excuse to sit down and do something small.
Something that can be done in one focused session, even if it doesn’t feel “big enough.”
So this week, I wrote down 3 motion exercises I’d recommend to anyone who wants to break the cycle and make something, even if it’s tiny.
You don’t need a story. You don’t need a big idea. You just need an hour (or less) and a reason to just put some action
Lets dive right in. 🏄🏻♂️.
🗣️ Animate a word using only TextAnimator
⏰ 60 minutes
Pick a word you like (literally any word), and animate it using only the TextAnimator in After Effects. No keyframing position or scale manually, just explore what the built-in tools can do.
→ You’ll start to notice how much you can express just through type.
→ Don’t aim for perfect, just try things out, and iterate.
If you’re new to the TextAnimator, this short tutorial is a great place to start:
Text Animators for Beginners - After Effects Type Tutorial ~ Nick Greenwalt
👀 Loop a shape in 3 seconds
⏰ 45 minutes
Choose one shape. Make it move, loop, transform. Keep it abstract. Test by changing its size if its a circle. Or its path maybe?
→ Keep the file simple. One comp. One color.
✳️ Reinterpret a symbol with motion
⏰ 60 minutes
Take a simple icon you know well (a heart, a checkmark, a wifi symbol) and animate it as if it had a personality.
→ What would a “shy” checkmark look like?
→ What if the heart bounced in like it was late?
No pressure to finish anything polished, just sketch an idea.
🛠️ You can take any of these exercises and do them your way.
You don’t need permission. You don’t need a plan.
You just need one hour and the decision to start.
If you try one of these, feel free to reply or tag me. Would love to see what comes out.