Motion design is a rapidly evolving field constantly introducing new techniques, styles, and technologies. Motion graphics are highly sought after in the design world, therefore it’s important to keep on top of the current trends.
From multidimensional motion graphics to stop motion and claymation, we’ve compiled a detailed list of the hottest motion graphics trends that need to be on your radar.
So without further ado, let’s jump in! Here are the top motion graphics trends for 2023.
1. Multidimensional Motion Graphics
Customers are looking to use motion design to bring movement to their work. We’ve seen an increase in demand for 2D objects being brought to life in 3D and animated scenes. This a great technique that allows designers to introduce fantastic elements to everyday activities and helps them become core visual aids for branding.
Collage animation forms part of this trend –it’s all about crafty photographs and illustrations used in the same video. Think brushstrokes, ripped paper edges, scrawled fonts, and cutout collages.
“In 2023, many motion designers are mixing media and integrating 2D animation with live action or 3D environments,” says Carmen Angelillo, Creative Director, and Co-Founder at Niceshit. “This trend was big a couple of years back, but now we see a blend between real products and animated elements.”
This Apple commercial incorporates a mixed-media approach packed with colorful and quirky detail. It’s a multidimensional multimedia journey that instantly captures the audience’s attention.
For customers looking to add multidimensional layers to their designs, this Urban Ripped Paper Opener by Fox-Design will help create a collage inspired-look. The mixed media After Effects template is packed with dynamically animated paper scraps and brush strokes for a graffiti-meets-grunge feel.
2. Levitating Objects
This trend certainly defies gravity! Levitating objects have attracted a lot of attention over the past few years in the photography world and have now made an exciting comeback in motion design.
This trend adds playfulness to any project and is perfect for producing creative, eye-catching shots that make products pop.
Customers looking to create an immersive, interactive experience in a corporate setting are searching for animated explainer videos or website presentation toolkits like this one by MotionMediaGroup, which swaps static slides for smooth animation.
For customers looking for ways to create their content quickly, floating object product mockups are a great way to display products in suspended motion easily, and affordably. For inspiration, check out our roundup of the top floating product mockups here.
3. Hyper-Realism
Computer-generated animation has brought us an increasing amount of ultra-realistic motion graphics based on live-action footage. Modern design makes almost anything seem lifelike, which makes it ideal for promotional videos and product design.
Hyper-realism is a trend that’s here to stay as it creates a stronger emotional connection with the viewer as when we see animated objects or things that appear real, we can relate to them.
This animated video by Mc_Little is an excellent example of how dynamic materials and tactile textures combine to create visuals that the viewer feels they could reach out and touch. These twisting and turning ropes and stripes revolve and wind around one another in a highly realistic way as well as these floating colorful blobs that bounce across the screen.
There has been a rise in hyper-realism in digital marketing as customers try to create the most immersive user experience. This WordPress Plugin by liviu_cerchez brings to life panorama photographs by manipulating original photography to create a near ‘real life’ experience.
4. 3D Motion Graphics
The 3D design trend is everywhere, from marketing and social media to design and typography, adding depth, drama, and dynamism to any project.
“Regarding 3D motion graphics, I can see that a lot of the trends are being determined by the emerging tools and software,” says Carmen. “We’re now able to create incredible results in far less time than even a few years ago.”
This 3D rendering of a modern apartment by anontae2522 is the perfect example of what customers are looking for as it allows the viewer to feel like they’re walking through a real-life room. While this abstract sci-fi tunnel, brought to life by 3D animation adds a sense of escapism to any design.
One Author making waves in this space is Stockermam123, they create a variety of retro 3D virtual reality animations to help customers create captivating timeless videos.
5. Claymation & Stop Motion
This trend is an animation style that’s as old as time. You may recognize it in the famous Wallace and Gromit films, which were shot using the stop-motion animation technique as well as the feature-length film, Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio—both are the only stop-motion animated films to win an Oscar.
Nowadays this form of animation has been given a motion graphics makeover to provide a quicker, cheaper alternative, while achieving almost identical results. The return of stop motion is part of a broader retro design trend incorporating traditional art forms to nurture a sense of nostalgia.
“Claymation is set to take off in 2023,” says Alex Safavinia, Creative Director at Kasra Design. “Claymation is a type of animation that looks very similar to stop motion but is made using 3D software. Since this technique potentially costs less and can be completed sooner than a real stop motion, the interest to use it for commercials (where appropriate) will grow.”
These 3D plasticine figures by PixelSquid360 are a great example of how customers can achieve the claymation look by using 3D software.
Customers looking to embrace the frame-by-frame effect in their work are looking for items like this scrunched-up paper ball – a stop motion-inspired motion graphic by ACTION14, perfect for video transitions.
While this After Effects template by Fixik is a one-stop resource for stop-motion statements, offering words spelled out in buttons, coins, gemstones, or fruit.
6. Advanced Animation
This next trend looks at advanced animation techniques, like procedural animation, which relies on mathematics to generate animation automatically in real time. Speeding up the animation process, the scalability and flexibility of procedural animation mean it’s easy to create eye-catching visuals that can be adapted to different contexts and scenarios.
“In recent years, there has been a growing interest towards data-driven and procedural animations,” says Arianna Cristiano, Art Director at IlloTv. “These involve algorithms and rules to generate motion rather than relying on keyframes. This trend reflects a more conscious and experimental approach to using algorithms and automation to improve digital products’ efficiency, flexibility, and interactivity and explore their immense creative potential.”
Isometric animation is another advanced animation technique – often referred to as 2.5D animation – that involves building 3D structures on a 2D surface. This Isometric Phone Display by mways33 will help customers add quirkiness to their work. The easy-to-use template is very diverse as it’s great for product identities, promo videos, and corporate presentations.
7. Maximalist Outlines
Used to create elaborate scenes and highly detailed compositions that celebrate excess, abundance, and vibrant energy, heavy-stroke and maximalist outlines are a simple design element that’s being used to stunning effect.
“In the last few years, we’ve witnessed a comeback in using maximalist outlines,” says Adrianna. “Maximalist outlines create a rich, layered effect that adds depth to the illustrations. These bold designs manage to reach new peaks of surrealism through their complexity, pushing the boundaries of this style and creating a dynamic, eye-catching effect that commands attention. A design element so simple yet powerful can create rich, dynamic, and visually stunning effects that are sure to make an impact.”
This bold motion graphics trend is reaching new peaks of surrealism – but it has its stylistic roots in larger-than-large cartoon characters, like the dysfunctional cast of the animated sitcom Family Guy.
We see this trend in video Author, Nicartoon’s work—from a sheep trying to get to sleep to someone stuck in a scorching desert, these dynamic scenes instantly draw in the viewer. While this colorful testimonial template by MotionMediaGroup will help customers add depth to their work, adding a vibrant, eye-catching effect.
8. Animated Brand Identities
Brands are increasingly leveraging the power of animation and motion graphics to enhance their identity, amplify their voice, and add visual interest to their marketing campaigns.
“In the last few years, we’ve seen a growing trend of businesses incorporating animation and motion graphics into their branding strategies,” says Adrianna. “This trend is driven by the need to create more dynamic and engaging content for different devices and screen sizes that can resonate with the audience in a world where attention spans are shrinking and competition is fierce. Whether it’s a logo animation, a product showcase, or a social media campaign, animation, and motion graphics can add an extra layer of visual interest and engagement to a brand’s marketing efforts – adding motion toolkits to its communication assets.”
Customers looking to jump on this trend are searching for animated logos like this morphing logo reveal, which incorporates digital distortion and glitch elements to help make a statement. It’s easy to customize, so they can decide how their design should move.
This dynamic logo by InspireMotion will allow brands to showcase their personality with just a few moving elements, while this minimal logo by shoeeb allows customers to experiment with motion with ease.
One Envato Author making waves in this space is MarcoHD, they create a variety of customizable video templates from logo reveals, logo intros, and glitch logos to help customers think outside of the box when creating a brand identity.
We hope you enjoyed reading about our motion graphics design trend predictions. Remember to keep these trends in mind when creating your work for Elements. For more inspiration, check out our 2023 Branding Trends.
