We recently connected with Justin Humbert and have shared our conversation below.

Justin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

My path to becoming a motion designer has been very squiggly. When I was young, I started experimenting with short videos, which opened my eyes to how fun the craft of filmmaking can be. After years of editing short films, making music videos with friends, and diving into live-action video-related jobs, I eventually found After Effects. I quickly discovered that I really enjoyed creating things in this way. I learned a lot by experimenting with new ideas and poking around the internet for tips and tricks.

In recent years, I’ve taken many courses from the School of Motion, an online school packed with creative courses. I’ve learned a lot about designing stronger compositions, new animation techniques, and a bunch of ways to animate more purposefully. They even have a cool online space where all the former students can communicate and keep in touch long after classes are complete. I highly recommend checking out their stuff.

I was lucky to work with some really talented 3D artists at one of my previous jobs so that I could learn and develop many of my 3D skills in a welcoming and encouraging environment. Learning new things is one of my favorite hobbies, so diving into the third dimension has been a blast.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Howdy there, my name is Justin. I’m a motion designer living in Arizona. I create motion graphics, 2D animations, and design funky things in 3D. I have been experimenting with video production, cinematography, and doodling since I was young, and I recently started exploring the world of designing small tabletop games.

My main focus is as a freelance motion designer, working with creative teams and studios on video and animation projects. Whether it be a 2D explainer video for a video game or a more robust advertisement created in 3D, I get to explore new ways to approach and solve animation challenges. Nudging keyframes, finessing animation curves, and exploring the wonderful world of animation all put me in a happy place. I really like the collaborative nature of animation projects and enjoy it when I get to work with super-talented people.

My newest hobby is creating small tabletop games. I recently released my first game, where I developed the game mechanics, sketched and created the 3D characters, designed the game’s cards and box art, and created a bunch of fun promotional materials, like 3D renderings and how-to-play videos. I’ve found that I can utilize a lot of my skills from the motion design and filmmaking realms to approach tabletop game-making in a new way. It has been a really fun creative endeavor that I highly recommend giving a go if you’ve ever been curious about making a game. I’m excited to continue to make more in the future!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The ability to express an idea and then make something from it is very exciting and fulfilling. Whether it’s an animation, doodle, or song, I enjoy the feeling I get when actively making something. Time slips away, my energy levels stay aloft, and I want to be in that headspace for as long as possible. Eventually, the responsibilities of life come calling, and all the fun must come to a pause. But when I can find that special place where my brain is turned up to eleven, it’s such a lovely feeling that keeps me coming back.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

This is something I sort of struggle with, to be honest, but I’m curious if others may sometimes feel the same way. I’ve always had difficulty looking too far ahead into the goals driving my creative journey. I do what feels fun and right in the moment and try to go with the flow. I haven’t yet discovered my desired end goal—that elusive North Star. I enjoy making things in different ways, so finding the path I want to carve deeply to guide my future sometimes feels challenging.

So far, I’ve decided to embrace my curiosity about many things and not quite settle on one direction to focus my energy entirely. I like to explore the world of animation, filmmaking, design, games, music, and all that fun stuff, so I’ve been creating projects in those zones and keeping my eyes open for anything that may reveal a shiny new interest. I just hope to make stuff I am excited about and be happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.justinhumbert.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justinkredible/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-humbert/
• Other: https://justinkredible.itch.io/