Information Design - Project 2
Ruchira Nowreen || 0347111
Major: Bachelor of Software Engineering || Minor: Creative Media Design
|| Taylor's University
Information Design GCD 60504 || Section 2
Week 4 || 27/02/24 - 08/03/24
Project 2: Animated Infographic (20%)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Project 2: Animated Infographic
INSTRUCTIONS
Figure 1: Module information booklet
LECTURE
In the first week of our module, our lecturers presented us with a
comprehensive lecture and provided detailed briefings on all the tasks we
will be undertaking throughout the course. They outlined the objectives,
expectations, and timelines for each task, ensuring that we have a clear
understanding of the requirements and how to approach them. This initial
briefing was crucial in setting the foundation for our learning journey,
helping us to organize our time effectively and prepare for the upcoming
challenges.
Figure 2: Lecture Slide - Exercise & Assignment brief
PROJECT 2: ANIMATED INFOGRAPHIC (20%)
Overview
Overview
For project 2, we were instructed to create a 60-second motion graphic
utilizing assets from Project 1's Instructable Infographic poster. The goal
was to encapsulate the aesthetics and narrative of the poster through
movements, sound effects, and music. The final output should be a 720p video
(1920x1080 pixels, H.264/mp4 format) with a maximum duration of 60 seconds,
to be published on YouTube with privacy settings set to Unlisted.
Key objectives included transmitting a set of instructions for the recipe,
educating the audience about the Grandma's dish, using motion graphic.
Pasta Grannies YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/pastagrannies/videos?authuser=0
Research
For project 2, we were instructed to create the 60-second motion graphic
using assets from Project 1's chosen recipe from Pasta Grannies. My chosen
recipe title was "94 yr old Maria makes tagliatelle with tomato sauce." To
begin, I revisited Pasta Grannies videos on YouTube, once again, to immerse
myself in the grannies' vibes and review the steps of the recipe. Attached
below is the YouTube video for reference:
Figure 3: YouTube Video From Pasta Grannies
Recipe Breakdown
Dough
Ingredients:
- 400g 00 flour
- 4 duck eggs
- Scramble the eggs with fingers and draw in the flour to form a dough
- Knead the dough
- Pull the dough into pieces before making it whole again to make the dough softer
- Press the dough into a flat pasta sheet
- The finished pasta sheet should be about a millimeter thick and left to dry a little
- When the sheet is dry enough, dust some flour over the pasta sheet and then double roll it, folding one side over the other
- Slice the pasta sheet into ribbons and fluff them so they won’t stick
- Add salt to the pasta water
- Add Tagliatelle/pasta to the water and leave for 1 minute to cook
Tomato sauce
Ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 400ml passata or 1kg fresh tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 carrot
- Handful of basil leaves
- 2 celery sticks
- Salt
- Soften the garlic and the onion into plenty of extra virgin olive oil
- Add blended ripen tomatoes or passata
- Add uncut celery and carrot with plenty of basil leaves (remove before serving)
- Add salt after a while
Final step:
- Mix the sauce and the pasta in the serving dish
- Grate some Parmesan cheese as the final touch
Visual References
To gather design inspiration and motion graphic ideas, I explored cooking instruction motion graphics provided to us by the lecturer as a reference. These videos served as valuable references for understanding various techniques and styles in presenting cooking instructions through motion graphics.
Below, I'll showcase the reference videos:
Figure 4: Reference 1
Figure 5: Reference 2
For this task, I began by separating the graphics for each step and organizing them into separate Illustrator files. Each element was placed on its own layer to facilitate part-by-part animations. Below, I will display the different illustrations I created.
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Figure 6: Illustration for Step 1 |
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Figure 7: Illustration for Step 2 |
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Figure 8: Illustration for Step 3 |
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Figure 9: Illustration for Step 5 |
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Figure 10: Illustration for Step 6 |
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Figure 11: Illustration for Step 7 |
After separating the illustration files, I attempted to proceed with
After Effects. However, my PC experienced significant lag, preventing me
from continuing the animation process. Additionally, I encountered
issues with exporting the file due to the absence of the H.264 format,
leading to further rendering complications and resulting in
unsatisfactory animation quality. Faced with these challenges, I sought
alternative options and discovered Adobe Animate, a lighter and smoother
software. Consequently, I decided to continue my part-by-part animations
using Adobe Animate. Below, I will showcase the animation layout
for each step.
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| Figure 12: Step 1 Layout on Adobe Animate |
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Figure 13: Step 2 Layout on Adobe Animate |
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| Figure 14: Step 3 Layout on Adobe Animate |
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Figure 15: Step 5 Layout on Adobe Animate |
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Figure 16: Step 6 Layout on Adobe Animate |
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Figure 17: Step 7 Layout on Adobe Animate |
I found Adobe Animate to be user-friendly and enjoyable for animation,
and I quickly grasped its features. Moreover, unlike After Effects, my
PC did not experience any lag while using it. Exporting was also smooth
and fast; I exported each animation as a GIF with a transparent
background.
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| Figure 18: Exporting animation from Adobe Animate as GIF with transparent background |
Despite the positive aspects of Adobe Animate, such as its
user-friendliness and smooth animation capabilities, I encountered a
limitation when attempting to create smooth slideshows. Unlike After
Effects, which offers robust slideshow functionalities, I couldn't
find a straightforward method to achieve similar results in Adobe
Animate.
Realizing the need for a tool to compile the animations into a
cohesive slideshow, I explored external options. After considering
various software alternatives, I opted for Canva. Canva provided the
functionality I required to combine the animations seamlessly into a
slideshow format. Its intuitive interface and diverse range of
features made it well-suited for this task. With Canva, I could easily
arrange and synchronize the animations to create a polished and
professional-looking slideshow presentation.
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| Figure 19: Slide compilation using Canva |
After deciding to create a landscape video on Canva using the
size 1920x1080 (16:9 aspect ratio), I compiled the individual
slides into a cohesive 1-minute video. Following this, I
presented my slides to Mr. Fauzi and requested his feedback.
He suggested making the fonts bolder for improved visibility.
Taking his advice into account, I made the necessary
adjustments to ensure clarity before proceeding to the next
step of adding sound.
With the video compilation complete, I focused on enhancing it
with sound effects. While Canva allows the addition of one
music track, I aimed to incorporate additional sound effects
alongside the music to enrich the audio experience. To
accomplish this, I turned to another user-friendly web
application called Clipchamp. Clipchamp offers a wide range of video editing options and
supports multiple layers of sounds, making it an ideal choice
for my needs. With Clipchamp, I was able to seamlessly integrate
various sound effects into the video, enhancing its overall
impact and engagement.
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Figure 20: Adding sound effects using Clipchamp |
Final Outcome
Figure 21: Final Animated Infographic (YouTube)
In the infographic animation video, I couldn't include all the
measurements for every ingredient because not all measurements were
provided in the Pasta Grannies' YouTube video. However, I included all
the necessary steps and ingredients that were mentioned.
After presenting my final video to Mr. Fauzi and seeking feedback, he
expressed genuine appreciation for the work. He encouraged me to maintain
the impressive quality of work and recommended that I utilize this idea and
composition software / tools in my future projects.
FEEDBACK
- Either vertical (1080x1920) or landscape (1920x1080).
- Use separate layers for easy rendering (PSD files for each step).
- Implement step-by-step animation.
- Skip motion board.
- Keep each step animation 3-5 seconds.
- Recommended apps: Premiere Pro or After Effects.
- Infographic design elements or steps can differ from Project 1.
- Combine steps if needed to fit time limit.
- Final video looks great and can be submitted.
- Encouraged to use the video's style and approach in future projects.
REFLECTIONS
Undertaking project 2 was a multifaceted experience that involved both
technical challenges and creative exploration. From the outset, selecting
the appropriate software for animation proved to be a critical decision, and
encountering obstacles with After Effects led to the discovery of Adobe
Animate as a viable alternative. Despite initial concerns about its
capabilities, I found Adobe Animate to be user-friendly and efficient,
enabling smooth animation creation without the system lag experienced with
After Effects. This shift in software not only enhanced the animation
process but also instilled confidence in my ability to adapt to new tools
and technologies.
Throughout the project, I observed the intricate balance between technical
proficiency and creative storytelling inherent in motion graphic design. The
meticulous process of creating animation layouts for each step required
attention to detail and a systematic approach to organizing graphics. As I
navigated the complexities of animation software and sound editing tools, I
gained insights into the importance of workflow optimization and resource
management. Additionally, collaborating with various platforms for sourcing
copyright-free sound effects highlighted the significance of legal
compliance and ethical considerations in multimedia production.
Key findings from the project underscored the value of adaptability,
creativity, and attention to detail in conveying information effectively
through motion graphics. Experimentation with different software and
techniques revealed the importance of flexibility and resourcefulness in
overcoming challenges and achieving desired outcomes. Moreover, the
integration of sound effects and music added depth and engagement to the
final output, emphasizing the potential for multimedia elements to enhance
storytelling and audience engagement. Overall, the project served as a
valuable learning experience, providing insights into motion graphic design
principles and reinforcing the importance of continuous learning and
experimentation in multimedia production.
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