[Introduction]
For this project, the goal was to create a short animation in Adobe After Effects that brought a set of custom-designed sports icons to life, concluding with an animated logo for the Sport Noord Cup. The challenge was to balance clarity and energy while applying core motion design principles to highlight the dynamics of each sport.
[Description]
My Approach
Starting from a storyboard, I designed and animated three distinct sport icons. Each animation sequence reflects the qualities of the specific sport—rhythm, speed, and flow—before transitioning smoothly to the next. The sequence concludes with my version of the Sport Noord Cup logo animation, tying the elements together in a consistent and recognizable brand style.
The piece was built in a 1:1 square format (1080x1080) and runs for 10 seconds, looping seamlessly. All assets were created as shape layers to avoid pixelation and maintain crisp visual quality. The animation makes extensive use of After Effects’ Graph Editor, allowing me to fine-tune easing, acceleration, and timing to bring natural movement to each element.
The project emphasizes motion design principles such as anticipation, timing, exaggeration, and follow-through. For each sport icon, I translated its unique movement qualities into motion—for example, speed and impact in fast transitions, versus smoother curves for fluid sports.
Transitions between icons were designed to be quick but readable, ensuring the sequence feels dynamic without becoming chaotic. The logo animation at the end acts as a unifying element, closing the loop and reinforcing the identity of the Sport Noord Cup.
