Lemon Zest

Stressed, Depressed, Lemon Zest! A Lesson in Animation and Motion Graphics

This was a fun project for learning motion graphics and animation.

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The Challenge

I wanted to teach myself motion graphics and animation. So I came up with an old-timey idea for a stressed lemon.

MY ROLE

Graphic Designer & Illustrator

TOOLS

PIllustrator, After Effects

PROJECT SCOPE

Animation

Motion Graphics

Logo Design

Illustration & Logo Design

I first used Illustrator to create my lemon character.

A colorful circular sticker featuring a distressed lemon character with expressive eyes, a worried expression, and giving a thumbs up. The background is purple with the words "Distressed, Depressed Lemon Zest" written around the lemon.

Animation & Motion Graphics

I then imported the Illustrator files into After Effect and applied motion graphics to create an animation.

A digital illustration of a lemon with a sad facial expression, inside a purple circle with white text reading "STRESSED: DEPRESSED, LEMON." The lemon character has large eyes, raised eyebrows, and a frown, with a small lemon wedge beside it.

Reflection: Takeaways & Next Steps

Mastering the Basics of Motion and Timing in Animation

This experience taught me the basics of timing, movement, and how to create smooth transitions between frames to convey a sense of motion. I also learned key animation principles like easing, anticipation, and squash-and-stretch to make animations feel natural and engaging, as well as explored software tools and techniques to design and manipulate visual elements effectively.