Graphic design has a lot to offer in terms of its namesake and what it can do to enhance the experience for a wide range of audience. This is especially true when it’s done in a medium such as animation, where moving pictures and drawing poses a thousand times is the key component to making it look good. What many people don’t ever bring up, however, is how social media plays as a major inspiration to many of these factors. Playing off of the quote “Art imitates life”, the events on social media and even the different forms of art that is shared on social media, helps in giving more interesting ideas and even resources to make animations look good and making the experience much better in the long run.
This is associated with branding as it all involves making your brand known to the public. What most people will notice right away while doing so is that there are plenty of other people doing the same thing, whether it’s with their own brand or just simply putting themselves out there for others to see. And with other people’s work comes both new clients to make connections with and artwork to draw inspiration from. In the case of Graphic Design, you get to see how others try make their own artwork and be unique with them, partially because of their creative intake but also because of something that inspired them to make these in the first place. Same goes for animation as far back as the first animation ever done. Many of the most popular and famous animations, such as ones made by Disney, were inspired by real-world events and cultures that have a certain amount of significance. From the old European castles, to the Arabian Nights stories, to underwater exploration, to family lineage, there was always something that inspires someone to make something into a work of art, and animations involve moving drawings of aspects of the real world. This idea is then accentuated with social media where world events and discourse are at an all time high. Both graphic design and animation have a place in social media because of this new wave of information.
With social media also comes exposure and reaction from a wide audience, which also comes with advertising and showing work. Many people will have the opportunity to see what you/your brand is all about and what they can expect. They give their reactions to it however way they know how and even give feedback on what they think, giving the opportunity to improve in your craft from people who like your work, both people from inside or outside the graphic design/animation industry. This one quote from the article, “The Relationship Between Graphic Design and Social Media”, explains this connection through first impressions, “Social media is a real time, instant access place, which means that first impressions are incredibly important. Profiles, cover images, avatars, and icons are often the only thing people see about you before they keep scrolling. Graphic design sets your profile and brand apart in a sea of competition, especially on huge platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.” All this to say that feedback comes easy with exposure and experience. You see where people think your work can improve on, and use that as a motivator to make the next thing you do a lot better, whether improving in visibility or user experience.
In the end, the impact social media has on graphic design and animation is staggering to say the least. Many designers and animators have a good place for resources, exposure, and feedback while the audience gets a great product in return. In being advertised, your work gets more advertisement in the long run, and social media is arbiter of that.
