Best Motion Graphics Animation Trends in 2024

Keeping up with the constant developments in video marketing is not easy, especially when it comes to something as versatile as motion graphics videos. I want to give you a hand and help you make wonderful videos, so now on Yum Yum Videos, I want to show you ten motion graphics animation trends observed by some of the best motion graphics animation companies around, along with some cool examples for you to watch.

By familiarizing yourself with the techniques that are making a big splash in the video marketing world, you’ll be able to discover what it is that your viewers want to see and what you should focus on producing for your explainer videos, saving you a lot of time and resources.

Now, let’s get started!

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Motion Graphics AI: The New 2024 Motion Graphics Trend!

As you can imagine, generative AI being one of the latest motion graphics trends comes as no surprise. While the current tools still have a long way to go to be able to create natural-looking, “authentic” videos from beginning to end, you can still leverage them to streamline your artistic endeavors.

 

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Perhaps the best way generative AI can help your animation process is to use it to create the icons, shapes, text boxes, textures, and other features you’ll need for your video, which you can then manually animate —this will greatly reduce the time you spend making a video since you won’t need to spend endless hours browsing stock libraries and creating your own assets. I highly recommend Adobe’s Firefly tool, which is already integrated into Photoshop Beta!

If even Disney uses AI to assist them with crafting the opening sequence for one of their new shows, then why can’t we use it, too? It’s just a matter of knowing what tools will make the process easier and faster, depending on your specific needs.

1. Retro + Restricted Color Palette

Did you notice that the most popular motion graphics examples limit their color palette to just a few, key colors? (And they all remind me of 80s windbreaker jackets! 😄)

This idea is usually combined with a ton of flying shapes and icons, which gives the video a dynamic feel while also making the viewer reminisce about the fashion and design trends of the past few decades.

Although it can be difficult to choose a limited palette, you can start by choosing the color that dominates your logo and brand image, and work from there: opt for its complementary hues, or go for darker and lighter versions of your main color. That way, you’re not only abiding by the latest motion graphics trends but also reinforcing your brand identity!

2. Gradients

As you probably already know, gradients are simply color transitions. This trend has gained popularity among large companies and startups in the tech and finance industries because it gives the piece a vibrant and sophisticated look.

Think about the Instagram logo, for example, and how sleek and modern it looks. Well, the same effect can be achieved in motion graphics animation! The key to this trend, however, is to avoid overdoing it. Don’t just make everything gradient, but rather focus on specific elements you’d like to bring attention to and keep the rest a neutral color.

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3. Combining 2D and 3D

Merging 2D and 3D elements in motion graphics animation has been an upward trend for many, many years now So, why include it in this list? Because it only keeps on growing, and it isn’t showing any signs of slowing down any time soon. 

One of the reasons for its popularity is that it gives animators plenty of design options and a lot of room for creativity, resulting in a unique and visually compelling piece. Other than that, it’s a highly versatile style that any kind of industry can leverage regardless of its marketing goals.

You’ve probably seen many motion graphics examples following this trend before without realizing what it was because this style boasts highly realistic 3D visuals that blur the line between digital and physical elements.

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4. Isometric Design

“Isometric design” sounds like a really fancy name for something futuristic, but it’s actually just representing 3D elements in a 2D background. This motion graphics animation trend is quite popular in the healthcare, construction, and tech industries, where it’s important to show a high level of detail. 

The design is all about the accurate yet simple representation of an object to add extra depth and perspective. With this technique, animators can bring attention to specific objects and introduce a 3D feel into their 2D animations.

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5. Grain

The next motion graphics trend involves adding “noise” or “imperfections,” such as grain effects and texture, to the different elements in a video. Be it the characters, the objects, or the background (or all of them!); this technique gives the piece a certain roughness that’s reminiscent of camera-like quality imagery.

As opposed to still pictures, grain can help inject life into dull animated visuals, giving a more natural look to different kinds of surfaces and textures that make them look raw and authentic.

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6. Thin Lines

Lines are one of the most basic elements in any type of animation. They give direction, define shapes, and so much more, so one would think they would be given a prominent place in a motion graphics video. 

Well, believe it or not, the latest motion graphics animation trends actually show a preference for extra-thin lines! It might sound strange, but this technique can help create unique visuals and give a video an unmistakable hand-drawn look.

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7. Animated Collage

One of the coolest-looking motion graphics trends I’ve ever seen, the animated collage involves the careful curation of different mediums, such as illustrations, photos, animations, and digital footage, to tell a story. The sky is the limit with this technique, as you can layer swirling colors and shapes, live-action video clips, textures, and everything you can think of.

The resulting effect is a chaotically attractive motion graphics video that keeps the viewer glued to the screen.

8. Liquid Animation

Liquid animation is by far one of my favorite motion graphics animation trends. Instead of your usual clean transition, you get splashy shifts that look like a liquid is morphing into a new shape. Motion graphics videos that incorporate this technique are pretty mesmerizing to watch!

These motion graphics animations often have a slow, flowy movement that makes the elements look like they’re rippling or flowing. They can be tricky to work with, as it’s essential that they look realistic. For that reason, many people choose to use liquid animation as an effect or in just a few parts of the video rather than animating an entire piece with this technique.

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9. Kinetic Typography

An awesome and ever-growing motion graphics trend is to make text and typography the star of your show. Instead of thinking of text as a boring, static, last-minute addition to your video, try to make it as fun and visually engaging as other traditional motion graphics elements!

Kinetic typography makes your words and pieces of text more dynamic, giving them movement and vibrancy by making them “dance” on the screen, just like you would with shapes or simple graphics. This reinforces the idea the voiceover is conveying through audio, so you know your message is bound to stay in the minds of your audience for a while!

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10. Animated Logos

For my last example of motion graphics trends, I want to share with you one of my all-time faves: animated logos.

Logos are an integral part of any business, and as such, they should play an important role in all your marketing assets: be it your website, video content, social media posts, you name it. That’s where an animated logo can be inserted instead of a traditional static one, making your branded resources look more interesting and alluring than those of the competition.

I love animated logos the most when they’re used as the ending frame for a video: accompanied by a compelling CTA, it can really do wonders to attract new clients to your business!

And finally, if you’d like to watch a bit of everything and see for yourself which are the best examples of the year, I suggest you play this video we made about it:

How Much Does It Cost to Make a Great Video?

You’ll won’t be happy with me for saying this, but animation costs are not set in stone. There are several different factors that play a part in determining how much the final piece will be!

Whether you hire a freelance artist or a professional explainer video company, how fast you need to get it done, whether the animation will be 2D or 3D, and how many voiceover actors you need are all elements that’ll make your video cheaper or more expensive. A simple, 90-second 2D animation can set you back around $9,000, while a more detailed and longer live-action or 3D piece can cost anywhere between $15,000 and $30,000.

In case you want to learn a bit more about what goes into budgeting a video, here’s a little piece we made that goes in-depth into the subject:

How Yum Yum Videos Can Take Your Video Marketing Strategy to the Next Level

Allow me to toot our own horn for a second!

Here at Yum Yum Videos, no two pieces are the same. We go to painstaking lengths to ensure all our videos are perfectly tailored to suit our clients’ needs, brand voice, message, and marketing goals.

We have years of experience to back us up, and our team is made up of high-level professionals only. We strive to create effective, engaging videos that our clients love! These are some of the qualities that separate our company from the rest:

• A smooth process. Over the years, we’ve fine-tuned our video production process to make it as smooth and efficient as possible. You’ll always know which stage we’re at, and you can always ask how things are going!

• No hidden fees. We start the process with an interview to know exactly what you’re looking for and what animation style can best accomplish your goals. That’s why we can set a price at the very beginning of our journey together, and we’ll stick to it no matter what.

• Full customization. We take the time to learn about your brand, your values, and what marketing goals you’re looking to achieve, so we can then craft a video 100% tailored to your business. We do everything from scratch; you won’t find one of your animated characters being reused for another company’s video!

• Multiple quality checks. As we take pride in being a detail-oriented team, we check our projects several times during the production process, ensuring the final result is of the highest standard.

If it sounds like Yum Yum Videos would be the perfect marketing partner for your brand, then don’t hesitate to contact us! We’ll be happy to hear from you.

Wrapping Up

And those are some of my favorite motion graphics trends this year! I don’t know about you, but I can’t decide which one I like the most since each one of them brings something unique to the table. This style is definitely one of the most eye-catching out there, so I can’t recommend it enough.

One thing’s for sure, whichever trend you choose to follow will lead to memorable masterpieces that will make an impact on your audience. You can even combine more than once and start your own trend! So, start experimenting and producing awesome motion graphics animation videos!