We recently connected with Claire Lin and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Claire, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I am currently pursuing an M.F.A. degree at Savannah College of Art and Design, where I learned to master my skills in the motion design field. I don’t think there is such a thing as actually speeding up the learning process but persistently practicing what you’re passionate about in motion graphics could help you become a better motion designer. The most essential thing to me is to trust the process, keep practicing until you’re satisfied (which might not ever happen, but that’s what keeps us going), and don’t be shy to show your work on social media or to your peers. One thing I wished myself to do earlier is to break the fear of showing my work to others. Since you might gain some different perspectives and something you might not ever think of before after you shared with someone else, and sometimes, different perspectives could be a helpful tool for you to make better work.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Claire Lin, I am a 2D motion designer. I mostly created 2D illustrative motion and 2D graphics motion. I enjoy vintage looks and minimalism style, so I usually will add moving texture in the background or apply texture onto the objects I animated, or just simply play around with gradients and simple graphics. Although I made more 2D motion pieces, I am also trying out different media, like 2.5 D, 3D or tactile motion.
I majored in English Literature in my undergrad studies, so I am also very into conceptual storytelling style by portraying how I feel about certain topics visually, and have the audience look at my perspective without directly telling them what the meanings are behind.
I got into the motion design industry by exploring film editing. I started video editing because I was very curious about how editing works, and I got so into it right after I started. Back in my freshman year, I had an assignment of filming a part of the story of ‘Jane Eyre’, I was very excited to direct, edit and script the whole short film. My professor at the time looked at my work and encouraged me to pursue a film major. As I explore more of film editing, I found passion in motion graphics.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, I think the most rewarding thing is that I got to look at my surroundings from a different perspective. I usually enjoy observing tiny little things happening in life, like the patterns on the leaves, and the colors of a butterfly, and I sometimes also enjoy people-watching. Observing different kinds of things from small to big helps me gain more inspiration for my motion pieces, and I slowly learn to live in the moment.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Finding a community that is also doing the same thing as you is important. There will be a ton of opportunities to exchange ideas, inspire one another, or just be each other’s support system. Instead of making a motion piece for many hours and ending up keeping it on your laptop, try to share it with others, too. I get to learn more by accepting feedback from my peers and get to learn different points of view by sharing my motion works.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theclairelin.com
- Instagram: @cl_motion1997
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yun-hsuan-claire-lin-897658128/