Today, we sat down for a short, fun QnA session with Eden Raymond, Israeli Animator, and Interactive Designer. He has been very active on the Lottie Marketplace, and his Lottie animations packs have caught our attention for being unique and super cool. So we decided to find out what inspires him and his work. Here's his story for you all.
Tell us about your role and the kind of design work it involves.
I work in a large development company in Israel as a UI/UX designer, illustrator, and animator.
What is your primary source of inspiration, and what is your creative process in creating these awesome animations?
My source of inspiration for animation comes from animated movies and TV programs. Even as an adult, I enjoy watching quality animation of iconic characters such as Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry, etc. I also take inspiration from different books in the realm of animation to strengthen my abilities by learning from the best.
To create good animation, it's not enough that it looks good. One has to know where it fits.
As a UI/UX designer, I've had to animate an Icon or illustration for a specific interface many times. In addition, it's essential that these icons or illustrations that we create come as a common design identity set. This strengthens the work and gives users a wider variety of options.
During your process, what kind of software and design tools do you end up using? Do you have a particular favorite, and why?
I always start a project by planning the complexity - if the project involves complicated animations that include illustrations or lots of movement animation. Firstly, I sketch on my iPad using a program called Procreate then continue the rest on the computer.
The applications I use are Adobe Illustrator and Adobe After Effects. It's important to note that I never start a project in After Effects, as it's important to me that the illustration and design process be correct.
Although I love working with After Effects, Illustrator is my favorite application as I think that’s where the true magic and design occurs.
How do you break down your complex animation by keyframes? Do you like animating from the start or from the end of the timeline?
A handy method I use for complicated animation is a division of composition. I consider that each composition needs to end in the same state as the following composition begins.
At LottieFiles, we are looking for some of the most unique and impressive animations that take particular skill and attention to detail. When we found yours, it caught our eyes! Could you walk us through this project? What design principles and techniques did you use? For example, The Ultimate Loading Pack has so many fun, unique loading effects. How did you come up with each, and how long did it take you on average to create one?
The "Ultimate Loading Pack" is definitely one of my favorite packs. Once I had to design a "Loader" animation for a specific interface, I knew that there are many interfaces that don’t have a unique loading animation and thought it might be nice to solve this particular problem for them.
Once I realized that an animation pack like this is the way to go, I started thinking of a design concept, colors, and the movement I want to design. I researched similar animations and started building the base in Illustrator. In packs with many animations, it's vital to maintain order in one's work so as not to make a mistake. That’s why each animation is designed separately, getting my full attention.
Most of my designs for Lottie are loop animations that repeat themselves. Loop animations are always challenging as aside from the standard animating process, you have to pay attention that the movement always starting and ending at the same spot.
Working with After Effects makes those types of animations easier. The challenging part is the planning. Usually, the first 5 animations are easy to plan, the following 5 are a little more complex, and the main challenge is creativity.
On the Minimalistic Set, even though you only used 2 colors, you managed to add some 3D effect on some icons. How did you achieve that?
The method is called "fake 3D". Once you take 2 identical shapes and move one slightly to the right and the other slightly to the left, it creates a 3D-like effect. Modifying the scale and adding a "pen tool" connection in the relevant areas creates a nearly perfect 3D effect.
Do you use any extra extensions or plugins?
The two plugins I use in After Effects are Bodymovin and LottieFiles.
Can you share any fun tips and tricks you have learned?
In the Animated Avatars pack, I gave some of the animated characters a sideways look. In this animation, there are no 3D tricks! The method is to move the back of the animated head, in this case, the hair, to one side and the rest of the facial features (eyes, nose, mouth, etc.) to the other side.
What advice would you give to other designers & animators in the LottieFiles community?
I think that experience and passion for the profession are the things that make the difference between good animators and excellent animators. Never compromise on the result you are trying to achieve, and always remember that there's always more to learn. As far as inspiration, take inspiration from the best and research the illustration universe (not just the animation world) – it will help your works become breathtaking.
How can people find you and get connected?
These days, I am working on original material for a new YouTube channel about interfaces, animations, and illustrations. Check out Visual Project. It will be exciting and worth subscribing!
In addition, I can also be connected through my LottieFiles Account.
One last question, if you were to pick your most favorite animation you saw on lottiefiles.com, what would it be?
It would definitely be this animation:
