When Motion Meets Traditional Design

I’ve been called a “traditional designer” for nearly eighteen years now.

::quietly wonders how it’s been that long::

After high school, I thought I was headed toward forensics. Turns out, forensics (and formaldehyde, for that matter) weren’t my thing. I shifted into design, and despite what my younger self might’ve thought, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

Design, for me, has always been about storytelling. My goal has never changed: take complexity and make it digestible, then wrap it in visuals that are memorable, meaningful, and yes, that just look awesome. Whether I’m designing a flyer, a full brand identity, or a digital campaign, that’s the standard I set for myself every day as a designer.

And now, motion is a part of that standard in a way it never used to be.

For years, motion felt like a “specialty”—something for animators, video people, or designers who had carved out a niche in motion graphics. Not something expected of someone in traditional print, packaging, signage. But as I look over job postings as we’re nearly through 2025, “motion design” shows up more and more often, not as an optional plus, but as part of the basic requirements for the job. It feels like there’s no longer a solid line between “graphic designer” and “motion designer.” Every piece of design, static or physical, has the potential to move: through digital versions, animated screens, dynamic signage, even motion embedded in online displays that echo what you do in print or packaging.

Motion design for me looks more like creating a playbook.

Questions I find myself asking: What part of this layout would benefit from subtle animation?

Can transitions between slides, between parts of a brochure, or between printed and digital touchpoints strengthen the storytelling? How does it all hold together in a campaign if some pieces are stationary and others animate?

I find myself thinking in new ways lately, expanding and researching toolsets, learning what works (and what doesn’t) in terms of pacing, easing, transitions, and animation styles that feel like they belong—not tacked on. I’m asking myself how to keep the soul of traditional design while embracing what motion unlocks.

If you identify as a traditional designer, I’m curious: how often are you using motion in your work now? Have you always included it, or are you growing into it? Have you built your motion skills deliberately, or is it more trial‑and‑error?

Looking back, going for design was one of the best detours I ever made. And with each new project, I feel like I’m just getting started.