Designers starting out face varied challenges, from technical ones like the right laptops to buy, what RAM size works best, or mastery of software like Photoshop. There’s also the non-techie aspect, such as battling anxiety as a graphic designer, building authenticity in a crowd, or managing money wisely.
Today, our spotlight shifts from the seasoned designers with gray hairs in the industry to a fresh designer just starting out, diving into the challenges experienced by designers, particularly those in the rare field of motion.
Here are 10 questions with a budding UI designer
What got you interested in design? What’s your background?
I’ve always wanted to go into design but had no idea what it was about or what it entailed, so I did my research on design opportunities in tech and taught myself everything I know about UI/UX.
Why UI/UX at first and motion later?
I guess it was just due to a desire for more knowledge and also to learn an extra skill. Besides, I have always loved animated content and wanted to know how it was done, which is why I decided to make the transition to Motion Graphics.
What’s your day-to-day like now?
I take more tutorials to sharpen my skills in Motion Graphics, practice what I learn, and work on templates for new projects.
What was your experience working as a UI/UX designer?
I was not given the opportunity to develop my skills in my previous workplace. It was a situation where I was doing several things that were far from my core skills for which I was employed, and that weakened my abilities more than I could imagine.
What unique challenges do you experience with this new skill?
I guess I’d just say trying to understand the software for now, which I believe is just a tiny bump, and I’m sure I will overcome it very soon.
Do you still intend to learn other design skills, and why?
Definitely, because why not? There is never a limit to learning and developing, and I definitely want to explore every area of design.
What’s it like working in an agency?
To be very honest, it’s everything I imagined and more. It feels good to work in the same space as other creatives, sharing ideas and turning visions into reality. There’s enough space to grow and sharpen your skills even more with real-time projects.
Do you think motion design pays better than UI/UX, or are all skills valid?
Though I feel all skills are valid, I personally believe the law of supply and demand plays a key factor here. UI/UX is a highly saturated field with more designers than the demand for the service itself. Motion design, on the other hand, is a technical and sensitive field that is not as easy to learn; hence, designers in this field are fewer, allowing them to enjoy a sort of monopoly.
As a fresh designer, do you feel inadequate? How do you cope?
I see it as a phase or curve and an opportunity to pick up the pace and start contributing at a much higher capacity.
What would you like the future to be like three years from now?
I see myself as an integral motion graphics designer, trusted with more challenging jobs and able to take on more motion graphics projects.
Motion makes the world go round!
The exciting field of motion is focused on moving things around, but the designers behind the scenes face unique challenges. For instance, the industry tools require a steep learning curve compared to others.
But NGD understands and has you covered with resources such as design tools for this genre to make your work smarter and more efficient. We also cover this aspect with an experienced designer for a look into what an Idan in the field goes through.
If you’ve read Adebobola’s story, you’ll want to check out Basit, the legendary motion designer of the NGD community. He’s right here.