Design Kickstart
Master Design Fundamentals in 8 Weeks
In Design Kickstart, you’ll take on industry-inspired projects while learning key design concepts that will elevate your design work right away. By the end of this course, you’ll have all of the foundational design knowledge necessary to start crafting storyboards that are motion ready.
Class Start Date:
August 7, 2023
July 10, 2023
July 10, 2023
Course Length:
Session Duration:
8 Weeks
3 Payments of
Instant Access! Start learning immediately.
100% Free! Start learning immediately.
This Course Bundle Includes:
8 Weeks
of video lessons,
guides, and access to our 24/7 motion community
podcasts, guides, and support
from our amazing team!
guides, and access to our
24/7 motion community!
podcasts, guides, and access to
our 24/7 motion community!
podcasts, guides, community
and critique from pros!
WEEK 1
Learn to see like a designer
Grab a bucket, because we’re turning on the fountain of knowledge! You’ll get a brief overview of all the important design principles to be covered in the weeks ahead. As a project, you’ll try your hand at designing a style frame, exploring different shapes within the composition.
Contrast & Type
This week you’ll be introduced to the critical role of contrast in composition through the use of positive and negative space. We’ll cover figure ground, hierarchy, transition moments, rhythm and implied movement, and emphasis.
Color Theory, Grids & Movement
It’s time to dive deep into creating compositions that work as a series meant to be put into motion. You’ll utilize grids, guides, and ratios, and learn how to use them in your compositions. We’ll further explore Contrast and Emphasis, create movement in your still designs, and discover how adding color and value to your composition changes everything.
The life of a designer
This week is a "focus week," a chance to catch up on course work and material. Listen to our interview with Nathaniel Howe about building a career as a Designer, and get ready for the big project around the corner.
Making the complex simple
You’ll continue to refine your typesetting skills with a complex typographical challenge. You’ll get a lesson in simplicity by using basic shapes to communicate complex ideas, as well as a more challenging multi-frame design meant to test your knowledge. By the end of this week, you’ll understand tracking, leading, kerning, and other fundamentals in good type design.
Advanced Storyboarding
It’s time to put your new design skills to the test by working on your final project. We’ve got a client that needs your design expertise, and you’ll have to pull on every bit of knowledge to impress them. You’ll get to take a full set of boards from concept to finish, while picking up some helpful tips and tricks along the way.
Extended Critique Period
The final 2 weeks of class are Extended Critique. You can use this time to catch up, complete your final project, then turn it in for critique.
Learn the secrets of high-end work
Better than in-person training
School of Motion instant-access courses are unlike anything you've ever experienced. Along with world-class training, you'll also get access to tons of professional project files and a 24/7 network of likeminded artists, and more support than you'll know what to do with.
Over 20,000 artists have taken School of Motion courses, find out what all the hype is about.
School of Motion courses are unlike anything you've ever experienced. Along with world-class training, you'll also get 1-on-1 feedback from an industry pro, a 24/7 network of likeminded artists, and more support than you'll know what to do with.
Over 17,000 artists have taken School of Motion courses, find out what all the hype is about.
This instant-access course features
Exercises and project files for every lesson
Each course comes packed with free project files, assets, and additional material to keep you learning and growing long after the course ends. Our exercises are designed from real world briefs, so you’re learning the skills you need to excel on your next project or venture.
Permanent access to course materials
We all need a refresher now and again, which is why you’ll keep access to your course—and all the assets and project files—for the rest of your life. Come back to listen to exclusive interviews, review old lessons, and try out new techniques using your old assets.
Support from the School of Motion team
Reach out to our incredible support team at any time to answer questions about the material, or to help you find the best way to achieve your career goals. We are here to help.
This instant-access course features
Exercises and project files for every lesson
Each course comes packed with free project files, assets, and additional material to keep you learning and growing long after the course ends. Our exercises are designed from real world briefs, so you’re learning the skills you need to excel on your next project or venture.
Real-world examples and video training
We go above and beyond when producing our courses, making sure that the curriculum is presented in the right order, with the right examples, and using the best practices currently used in the industry. In short, you're learning to do things the way they're done in the real world.
Permanent access to course materials
We all need a refresher now and again, which is why you’ll keep access to your course—and all the assets and project files—for the rest of your life. Come back to listen to exclusive interviews, review old lessons, and try out new techniques using your old assets.
A world-wide artist community
You’ll gain instant access to our 24/7 motion design community, The Square. Here you can network with professional artists at every stage of their career. You’ll get to meet new friends, ask for help, and build your network.
This instant-access course features
Exercises and project files for every lesson
Each course comes packed with free project files, assets, and additional material to keep you learning and growing long after the course ends. Our exercises are designed from real world briefs, so you’re learning the skills you need to excel on your next project or venture.
Real-world examples and video training
We go above and beyond when producing our courses, making sure that the curriculum is presented in the right order, with the right examples, and using the best practices currently used in the industry. In short, you're learning to do things the way they're done in the real world.
Permanent access to course materials
We all need a refresher now and again, which is why you’ll keep access to your course—and all the assets and project files—for the rest of your life. Come back to listen to exclusive interviews, review old lessons, and try out new techniques using your old assets.
A world-wide artist community
You’ll gain instant access to our 24/7 motion design community, The Square. Here you can network with professional artists at every stage of their career. You’ll get to meet new friends, ask for help, and build your network.
What makes us different?
Cohort-Based Learning
Join artists from around the world on our custom learning platform. Never learn alone, as you’ll have immediate access to a forum of fellow students to share work, ask questions, and improve together.
Exercises and project files for every lesson
Each course comes packed with free project files, assets, and additional material to keep you learning and growing long after the course ends. Our exercises are designed from real world briefs, so you’re learning the skills you need to excel on your next project or venture.
Technical and creative support along the way
You’ll be assigned a Teaching Assistant with years of experience in your chosen course. They’ll provide technical and creative feedback to guide you through new skills, improve your techniques, and provide encouragement along your journey.
Verified credential upon course completion
Completing a course isn’t just about bragging rights. Once you’ve completed at least 70% of your work in a given course, you’ll earn a verified credential that can show current and future employers exactly what you’ve accomplished.
Permanent access to course materials
We all need a refresher now and again, which is why you’ll keep access to your course—and all the assets and project files—for the rest of your life. Come back to listen to exclusive interviews, review old lessons, and try out new techniques using your old assets.
A world-wide alumni community
You’ll gain instant access to our alumni platform, The Square. Here you can network with professional artists at every stage of their career. You’ll get access to new job opportunities and exclusive alumni events, such as meetups, virtual hangouts and reel reviews.
Meet your instructor
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Mike Frederick
Creative Director, Designer & Educator
Your fearless leader on this journey is Mike Frederick, Emmy-Award winning Designer & Art Director who has been working in the field of Motion Design for over 20 years. His roster of advertising and broadcast clients is massive.
School of Motion alumni work at
companies like these
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Our no-risk money back policy
We want to make sure you have a positive learning experience with us, so for any session based course you're enrolled in, you can request a refund any time within 30 days of purchase.
We want to make sure you have a positive learning experience with us, so for any session based course you're enrolled in, you can request a refund up until the end of Week 3 of the course
Registration Opens
June 24, 2023
Class Start Date:
August 7, 2023
July 10, 2023
July 10, 2023
Course Length:
Session Duration:
8 Weeks
3 Payments of
Instant-Access! Start learning immediately.
100% Free! Start learning immediately.
Join over 20,000 alumni around the globe
Frequently Asked Questions
Design Kickstart is for the true design beginner. You do not need to know anything about design to take this course. By the end of this course students will have strong knowledge of the most essential Design Principles for Motion Design and be ready for more advanced courses.
Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 (20.0.0 or Higher)
Design Kickstart is an 8-week course. You'll have the flexibility to watch the course content and complete your course work on your schedule. However, you can expect to commit at least 15 - 20 hours per week on course material. The video lesson are 1-2 hours in length. There are 8 assignments total. Assignments are typically assigned on Mondays and Thursdays with soft deadlines the next day. We have designated catch-up weeks built into the schedule so students have extra time to complete their assignments if needed. There is also an extended critique add-on for those that want more time with a Teaching Assistant after the 8-week course or need more time to complete assignments towards earning a credential.
Yes! Once you complete Design Kickstart, you’ll have lifetime access to all the course lessons and materials, so you can revisit them whenever you like. Also, if we make any changes to Design Kickstart following your session, you’ll automatically receive access to the latest version.
Please note: Video critiques change each session, so you’ll only have access to the video critiques during the session you're enrolled in. The written critiques you receive in your homework locker as well as the classroom content will also remain available to you forever!
Students taking this course must have a solid understanding of how to use Adobe Photoshop for creating artwork. Knowledge of Adobe Illustrator is a plus and may be useful to students taking this course. It is strongly recommended that students take Photoshop and Illustrator Unleashed before this course, or have equivalent knowledge. Students do not need to know anything about Design or After Effects to take this course. If they are new to Motion Design it is highly recommended that they complete The Path to MoGraph for industry context before taking this course.
Design Kickstart is an 8-week course. Lessons become available at a specific time each week but you can watch them and do your work whenever it is convenient for you. The lessons include pre-recorded videos, podcasts, PDFs and assignments with working files.
All student work is critiqued by our highly trained Teaching Assistants. School of Motion TA's are professional Designers with real life experience in the industry.
During the course you will be invited to a private classroom that contains all of the students and Teaching Assistants in your session. This is a great tool for connecting, asking or answering questions, sharing thoughts or insights, and winning cool contests!
Yes, if you complete, submit, and have 70% of your course assignments approved by your Teaching Assistant you will be eligible for a Course Credential through Credly. With your Credly Course Credential, you can share your accomplishments across your social networks, the blockchain, or to print out yourself.
You will not recognize your work when class is over.
Our courses have been meticulously designed to simulate real-world situations so that you're learning best-practices from day one. You'll be challenged, supported, and celebrated by your fellow artists as you level-up in real-time.
Are you ready to take the next step in your career?
Registration Opens
June 24, 2023
Class Start Date:
August 7, 2023
July 10, 2023
July 10, 2023
Course Length:
Session Duration:
8 Weeks
3 Payments of
Instant-Access! Start learning immediately.
100% Free! Start learning immediately.