Ah, kinetic typography animation! Far from being the new kid on the block, this dynamic art form kicked off back in the '50s, dazzling the screens of film titles and gradually evolving into a staple of visual culture.
Fast-forward to today, and you'll spot its lively charm everywhere – from the rhythmic bounce in music videos to the dramatic flair of movie tributes. But it doesn't stop there. With the digital universe expanding at breakneck speed, motion typography has found its spot on websites, apps, advertisement boards, and more, lighting up screens of all sizes.
But here's the kicker: the leap in technology and software development hasn't just broadened the playground for kinetic typography; it's democratized it, making it a tool accessible to the masses. It has gotten so popular that it has been considered a trend for the past couple of years and still since in different ways.
What Is Kinetic Typography?
Kinetic typography is essentially a technique that animates text to make it dynamic and interactive. It goes beyond mere 'moving text'; it's about using motion to enhance and emphasize the message the text conveys. At its core, kinetic typography animation is its ability to tell a story or evoke specific emotions through animated text.
You might be wondering: How does kinetic typography work? It's far from being a mere aesthetic choice; designers get to use the dynamic movement of text—such as expansion, contraction, flying across the screen, changing colors, and more—to significantly enhance the message it conveys. This added motion aims to capture the audience's attention, making the message not only more engaging but also more memorable.
So, what does it look like?
Now that we know what it is, let’s look at some kinetic typography examples.
First, let's look into something you might be familiar with, lyric music videos. Unlike karaoke-style videos where words pop onto the screen, some artists experiment by using varied typefaces, placements, and sizes. The video below incorporates elements like flowers and paper to give it a unique edge.
And how about kinetic typography on websites? Take a peek at the Newpeace website. They wield kinetic typography to inject a dose of personality into an otherwise standard topic. The site is teeming with animated elements built with Lottie animations, which adds to its dynamic vibe.
Here's another standout piece of kinetic typography, this time crafted by the talented typography artist and animator, Mat Voyce. This particular creation, designed as a social media post for Adobe, cleverly communicates an "out of office" message. Voyce elevates the concept, imbuing it with deeper meaning through the clever use of imagery—like the sun and the coconut palm tree—to suggest a mid-year break in a visually engaging way without even reading the caption copy.
How to create or make your own animated typography?
If you're starting kinetic typography, start by looking into tutorials or online courses on typography and text animation. This can help you have a better understanding of some fundamental elements in it.
Now, when it comes to practicing, honestly, there's no better way than to just roll up your sleeves, get your hands dirty and play around with some software. But hey, if you're not ready to commit to downloading or purchasing software or other text animation makers and prefer to dip your toes in the water first, why not give Lottie Creator a whirl? It's a powerful web-based animation tool, so no downloads are necessary, and guess what? It comes with a kinetic typography plugin.
So, are you ready?
Whichever path you embark on in your journey toward mastering animated typography, be it learning from other designers or diving into tutorials, just explore and see what you can create. And remember to always consider your audience. If you're not quite ready to start from scratch, you can always find a wide range of typography Lottie animation in the LottieFiles library to experiment with.
Happy animating!
