Minor in Motion Design

Program Requirements

Our Mission: 

The Motion Design minor will provide students the opportunity to combine graphic design principles with animation techniques to create visually compelling and dynamic graphics for a wide range of applications, such as television, film, advertising, and social media. Students in this minor will develop a unique and valuable skill set that can enhance their career prospects in the rapidly evolving digital media landscape.

Participating Departments:

Animation

Fashion

Fine Arts: Painting

Fine Arts: Photography

Fine Arts: Sculpture/New Genres

Game & Entertainment Design

Graphic Design

Illustration

Product Design

Toy Design

Program Learning Outcomes:

Students enrolled in the Motion Design minor will:

  • Articulate the relationship between their major and minor(s) and how these will help them achieve personal and professional goals.
  • Develop and apply interdisciplinary skills, experiences, and knowledge in fields outside of their majors.
  • Develop an art/design practice that is grounded in two or more disciplines.

Participating Departments

The Motion Design minor is open to all undergraduate majors.

Course Title

Course Number

Credits

Type for Illustrators

ILUS 220

3.00

Course Description: This course is designed for Sophomores to introduce and expand upon the fundamentals of typography and the study of letterforms, with the emphasis placed on exploring type as a tool integral to contemporary Illustrative practices.


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Motion Design Fundamentals

MOTN 230

3.00

Course Description: An introduction to basic design and motion design principles and techniques.


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Motion Design I

MOTN 330

3.00

Course Description: This course gives students a comprehensive overview of the motion graphic production process using industry standard applications. Emphasis will be placed on the fundamental concepts of digital media, motion design, editing techniques and art direction.


Pre-requisites: MOTN 230

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Motion Design Explorations

MOTN 325

3.00

Course Description: Typography, color, shape, light, and more help make for effective motion design. Learn the fundamental principles of each of these and work on combining them to create effective motion design pieces


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Motion Design Electives

MOTN 299

3.00

Course Description: A limited choice of LAS and Studio courses will count as Motion Design Minor Electives, as determined each semester by the Interdisciplinary Studies Director, Animation Chair, Game and Entertainment Design Chair and Graphic Design / Illustration Chair. Examples include: AHCS222 History of Graphic Design and Illustration, various courses in typography, social media, motion design, UX/UI and video editing.


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Electives

Adv Motion Design Elective

MOTN 490

Credits: 3.00

Course Description: These are timely and ever evolving electives designed to extend the students' expertise and experience in creating and producing outstanding motion design pieces and campaigns. Prerequisites: DGMD230 Motion Basics


Section Description: Students will use Cinema 4-D to create elements and 3-D animation for motion graphics, ranging from 3- D treatments and backgrounds to looping elements. Includes an introduction to C4D’s procedural animation system. Modeling, materials, and shader development, lighting, and multi pass rendering for compositing with After Effects will be addressed.


Pre-requisites: MOTN 230

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Cinema 4D Mograph

MOTN 490

Credits: 3.00

Course Description: These are timely and ever evolving electives designed to extend the students' expertise and experience in creating and producing outstanding motion design pieces and campaigns. Prerequisites: DGMD230 Motion Basics


Section Description: This class will focus on using Cinema 4D to create repeating, geometric 3D models and dynamic type animations. Mograph is used extensively to create elaborate environments for network sports graphics projects. Students will learn how to use cloners to iterate objects and effectors to make complex 3D animations. The class will also cover the use of soft bodies and colliders to simulate real-world interactions.


Pre-requisites: MOTN 230

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Typography I

GDES 220

Credits: 3.00

Course Description: Typography I introduces the mechanics (technique) and concepts (culture) of typographic applications. Throughout the semester’s coursework, the class will oscillate between learning basic typesetting techniques and reading about and discussing the cultural conversations that typography can be part of. The coursework evolves incrementally: beginning with single letterforms and sentences to paragraphs and complex typographic applications.


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Typography I

GDES 220

Credits: 3.00

Course Description: Typography I introduces the mechanics (technique) and concepts (culture) of typographic applications. Throughout the semester’s coursework, the class will oscillate between learning basic typesetting techniques and reading about and discussing the cultural conversations that typography can be part of. The coursework evolves incrementally: beginning with single letterforms and sentences to paragraphs and complex typographic applications.


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Typography III

GDES 320

Credits: 3.00

Course Description: Publication focuses on building content-driven typographic systems and structures, and understanding their relationship to content, concept, and narrative. Students will curate, design, and produce a typographic book. Heavy emphasis will be placed on typographic detailing and refinement (typographic craft), in addition to the advanced, systematic application of the modular grid. Students will also be expected expand their visual liter- acy with respect to both contemporary and historical publication typography through continued visual research. Prerequisite: GDES221 Typography II or approval by Chair


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Typography III

GDES 320

Credits: 3.00

Course Description: Publication focuses on building content-driven typographic systems and structures, and understanding their relationship to content, concept, and narrative. Students will curate, design, and produce a typographic book. Heavy emphasis will be placed on typographic detailing and refinement (typographic craft), in addition to the advanced, systematic application of the modular grid. Students will also be expected expand their visual liter- acy with respect to both contemporary and historical publication typography through continued visual research. Prerequisite: GDES221 Typography II or approval by Chair


Register for Classes

Type for Illustrators

ILUS 220

Credits: 3.00

Course Description: This course is designed for Sophomores to introduce and expand upon the fundamentals of typography and the study of letterforms, with the emphasis placed on exploring type as a tool integral to contemporary Illustrative practices.


Register for Classes

Type for Illustrators

ILUS 220

Credits: 3.00

Course Description: This course is designed for Sophomores to introduce and expand upon the fundamentals of typography and the study of letterforms, with the emphasis placed on exploring type as a tool integral to contemporary Illustrative practices.


Register for Classes

Type for Illustrators

ILUS 220

Credits: 3.00

Course Description: This course is designed for Sophomores to introduce and expand upon the fundamentals of typography and the study of letterforms, with the emphasis placed on exploring type as a tool integral to contemporary Illustrative practices.


Register for Classes

Type for Illustrators

ILUS 220

Credits: 3.00

Course Description: This course is designed for Sophomores to introduce and expand upon the fundamentals of typography and the study of letterforms, with the emphasis placed on exploring type as a tool integral to contemporary Illustrative practices.


Register for Classes

Creative Industry Internship

INTR 330

Credits: 3.00

Course Description: Upper division studio courses that facilitate student work across media, genres and disciplines, while also developing skills in interdisciplinary thinking in a supportive community. Topics vary each semester. Examples include: Design Lab, Interdisciplinary Practices, Interdisciplinary Career Pathways Fulfills studio electives.


Section Description: In this Blended Course, students will synthesize and analyze the connections between what they are learning in their major or minor and what actually happens in professional creative industry settings. Students will do so by participating in a 10 week internship assisting with a design firm, studio, cultural organization, or with an individual artist /designer of their choice. This field experience along with readings, videos and discussions provide the opportunity to expand and reflect on one’s place within the creative economy, all of which culminates in the development of a professional online portfolio and preparation for life after Otis. No Pre-requisites. Open studio elective to all majors/minors.


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*A limited choice of LAS and Studio courses will count as Motion Design Minor Electives, as determined each semester by the Interdisciplinary Studies Director, Animation Chair, Game and Entertainment Design Chair and Graphic Design / Illustration Chair. Examples include: AHCS222 History of Graphic Design and Illustration, various courses in typography, social media, motion design, and video editing.

**The pre-requisite for Motion Design Fundamentals (Storytelling for Digital Artists) will be waived for Motion Design minors.

See Animation, Game and Entertainment Design, Graphic Design, Illustration and Liberal Arts and Sciences for course descriptions.

Contact Us

For questions related to the advising and registration process (using Degree Works or Plan Ahead), CAIL, LAS or minors, please contact us.

Monday through Friday
10:00 a.m.–noon

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