Nick Jacoy doesn’t just see pixels—he sees possibilities. Over the past decade, he’s carved out a path that blends structure with spontaneity, design with direction, and visuals with movement.

Whether leading UX/UI at SkySlope or shaping identities for startups through his studio Crazy Creative, Nick’s design philosophy is grounded in one idea: great design doesn’t just look good—it feels alive.

"I wanted them to move, to breathe."

Long before motion design became part of his daily workflow, Nick was deep in the world of vector shapes and gradients. He’d spend hours in Adobe Illustrator, perfecting the tiniest curve of a logo or experimenting with colour palettes until they struck the perfect harmony.

But over time, something shifted. The work, while beautiful, began to feel… still.

“Static images weren’t cutting it anymore — I wanted them to move, to breathe.”

It was this creative itch that nudged him into After Effects. At first, it was about adding a little bounce or a soft fade. But soon, subtle flourishes gave way to full storytelling sequences—and he was hooked.

Designing in layers: where structure meets motion

As Nick’s love for animation grew, so did his ability to see design differently. Layouts weren’t just about hierarchy anymore. Buttons weren’t just clickable—they were opportunities for delight. Each element on a page could reveal, interact, or guide.

“I see visuals as systems — and motion is the connective tissue that brings them to life.”

Motion, for Nick, became a mindset. It wasn’t something he tacked on at the end—it was there from the first sketch, the first brainstorm, the first spark. A good design, in his eyes, wasn’t complete until it could move with intention.

"That’s where the real magic happens."

If you ask Nick what keeps him up at night in the best way, it’s this: creating something that doesn’t just exist—but lives. He’s not just chasing polished interfaces; he’s chasing that moment when a scroll effect whispers a story or a tiny animation turns a user’s action into an experience.

“When I’m designing, I’m not just thinking about the static layout… Animation forces me to think in layers—not just composition and colour, but timing, rhythm, and flow.”

To him, motion isn’t decoration. It's a narrative. And it’s in those quiet micro-interactions—the hover, the reveal, the bounce—where the product begins to connect emotionally.

The LottieFiles effect

There was a time when motion design felt out of reach. Even with the skills, the tools just didn’t match the vision. Animation was stuck inside bulky video files or lost in translation between design and development.

But then came LottieFiles.

“LottieFiles gave me the toolset to make things come alive in a way I wouldn’t have been able to without the right tools. Before, animations were locked in video files — hard to implement, heavy to load, and disconnected from real interaction.

Now, I can take an idea from Illustrator to After Effects to live, interactive motion — all in a lightweight, scalable format. LottieFiles made that possible.

It’s completely changed how I showcase my work. Instead of showing static mockups or screen recordings, I can drop in real animations that respond to user interaction, that feel like they belong in the product.

That shift has helped me stand out — not just as someone who designs visuals, but as someone who builds experiences that move. Literally,” said Nick.

For Nick, it was a turning point. LottieFiles bridged the gap between design thinking and product building. What once lived in prototypes could now be handed over, implemented, and interacted with—just as he imagined it.

"With Lottie, if I can imagine it, I can build it."

Creative freedom, for a designer like Nick, isn’t just nice to have—it’s everything. And Lottie gave him exactly that. No more wondering if something could be implemented. No more compromises.

“Using Lottie has been a game-changer for my workflow. It saves me time, removes the usual friction with dev handoff, and opens up way more room for creativity.

Before Lottie, motion was a luxury—hard to implement, heavy to ship, and often lost in translation between design and development. Now, I can animate in After Effects, export through Bodymovin, and hand off a lightweight JSON file that devs can drop right into the product. No guesswork. No compromises.

It also lets me prototype faster. I can test animations live, see how they feel in context, and make quick tweaks without having to rebuild everything from scratch.

But the biggest benefit? Creative freedom. I’m no longer designing within the limits of what’s “realistic.” With Lottie, if I can imagine it, I can build it—and that’s a massive unlock for pushing ideas further,” said Nick.

He can now prototype quickly, test ideas live, and make real-time changes without redoing entire files. That freedom—to think big, move fast, and stay in flow—is what pushes his work further every time.

A process that thrives on chaos & clarity

There’s a beautiful tension in how Nick works. He collects ideas with instinct, then organizes them with precision. His inspiration comes from everywhere—Dribbble, Pinterest, or a cool button spotted in the wild. He screenshots first, analyses later.

“My primary source of inspiration is the internet—raw, unfiltered, chaotic,” he reveals.

From this digital chaos, he builds themed moodboards—or stylescapes—each exploring a distinct visual direction. Once the tone is locked, he dives into what he calls “Frankensteining”: the playful, boundary-pushing phase where the best ideas emerge.

His work often blends sharp typography with soft gradients, minimal layouts with bold transitions. Even when a design is static, Nick is already imagining how it could move.

"Start simple. Make it meaningful."

Looking back, Nick is honest about what he wishes he’d known earlier. You don’t need to wait until you’re an expert to start creating impactful motion. You just need to begin—with clarity and purpose.

“Even simple animations—one bounce, one fade, one loop—can add a ton of value when done with intention.”

He’s a believer in building systems, not just one-off moments. Reusable assets, timing presets, and design expressions—these small efficiencies save hours and keep creativity flowing.

“Motion isn’t just about making things look cool. It’s about clarity… If it’s not doing one of those, it’s just decoration,” he recalls.

And his final advice to the community? “Stay curious and ask a lot of stupid questions.”

Follow Nick

Are you pushing motion forward, too?

If you are crafting motion that tells stories, inspires teams, or changes how we experience design—we want to hear from you. Submit your work and get a chance to be featured in front of our global LottieFiles community.