Can You Learn Motion Design Without Going to School?

Can You Learn Motion Design Without Going to School?

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Are you interested in learning motion design but wondering whether or not you need to go to college–or if you can just learn it on your own–well, you’re not alone.  This is a common question among aspiring creatives.  The short answer is no, you don’t need to go to school to become a motion designer.  Thankfully with the internet, and all of the infinite resources it contains, it’s never been easier to learn the skills you need through online courses, tutorials, and hands-on practice.

Let’s dive into this a little more.

Why Real-World Skills Matter More Than a Degree

Many agencies and clients in the motion design world only care if you’re able to create awesome work and get the job done.  Sure, getting a degree might help you learn in a more structured manner but it’s not a requirement to get started, or even to get hired.  Many successful motion designers, such as myself, are self-taught or have learned through non-traditional ways.  You need to decide if you’re able to invest the time and effort it’s going to take to learn everything you need to know.  

Here’s how I did it:

1. Learn from Online Courses

Thankfully online education has come a very long way.  It doesn’t matter if you’re a total beginner or if you’re a professional looking to hone your skills, there are countless platforms and resources where you can learn everything you need to know to become a great motion designer.  The best thing about this is, you can learn at your own pace! 

Here are some platforms you can use to get started:

Youtube

It’s free, diverse, and constantly updated. All you need to do is search what you need, and you'll find tutorials on everything from kinetic typography to 3D motion graphics.  You can create playlists of the tutorials you are interested in learning from and essentially create your own curriculum.

Skillshare

This is great for project-based learning, especially for After Effects, animation basics, and style development.

Udemy

This is a more budget-friendly and beginner-friendly option. They offer a wide variety of motion design courses with lifetime access and it’s often priced under $20 during sales events.

School of Motion

This is a more intensive, structured approach and is often used like a college degree. They have weekly guided classes with professional feedback, shorter self-paced courses, or more hyper-focused workshops where you can explore how the pros made something awesome.


Pro-Tip: Start with the basics. 

  • Learn After Effects (this is the industry standard software)
  • Learn the principles behind good design (ex: color theory, hierarchy, and negative space)
  • Learn the fundamentals of animation (ex: squash and stretch, anticipation, and ease in/out). 

Once you get those under your belt, you can move on to more advanced skills.

2. Get Hands-On with Real Projects

Watching tutorials is great and all, but you learn by doing and that’s especially true in motion design.  Just because you’ve watched how someone has created something, doesn’t mean you’ll know how to do it when it comes time for you to make it.  You’ll learn faster and retain more by applying what you’ve learned through projects.

Here’s a few ideas on how create some projects to get you started.

Create personal projects

    • You can animate your favorite quote, make a lyric video, or design a fake ad. 
    • You can collect a piece of inspiration and try to learn how to replicate it on your own.  
    • Create a separate instagram account where you can post the things you are working on and learning. This is a great way to get feedback and encouragement on your projects.

Join creative challenges or set personal ones. 

    • Platforms like Motionographer and The Futur often host creative prompts that push you to experiment.  This is a great way to use your creativity to problem-solve
    • You can challenge yourself to create at least 1 animation a week and post it to that instagram account I mentioned previously.

Freelance or collaborate. 

    • Even small gigs will help you build real-world experience and a stronger portfolio.

You don’t have to wait until you’re “good enough” to start creating, you just need to start.  It doesn’t have to be perfect!

3. Build a Portfolio, Not a Resume

In motion design, your work speaks louder than your credentials.  You might be asked to provide a resume every once in a while, but you will more than likely always be asked for your portfolio.  It’s a visual industry after all, so you need a visual resume.  Focus on building a strong demo reel and a portfolio that highlights your range, creativity, and technical skills.  

Here are a few places where you can host your work.

Your own website – Professional and personal—ideal for attracting freelance clients or agencies.

Vimeo or YouTube – Ideal for sharing and embedding your showreel.

Behance or Dribbble – Great for sharing individual projects, breakdowns, and process shots.

Instagram – Again, this is great for getting more eyes on your work and it also attracts freelance clients.

Final Thoughts

So, do you need to go to school for motion design?

Not at all. You can absolutely learn motion design on your own through online courses and hands-on practice. What matters most is your commitment to learning, experimenting, and growing. With consistency and creativity, you can build a killer portfolio—and a career you love—without ever setting foot in a classroom.

If you’re ready to take your skills to the next level with structured, pro-level training, check out School of Motion—it’s like design school, minus the student debt.

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