Is 30 Too Old to Learn Motion Graphics?

Thirty is definitely not too old to learn motion graphics. On the contrary, it could be argued that 30 is the perfect age to begin training for learning graphic design, animation, 3D modeling, and video editing for either starting a new career or improving a situation at a current job. Turning 30 has traditionally been the age when society determines that a person is “grown up,” whereas the 20s and earlier is considered a part of the period of growing up, learning a skill, and fitting into society. However, the process of learning and figuring out the world continues throughout a person’s life. The 30s is generally the age when people begin to reassess their direction in life and may consider taking another path.

Why Learn Motion Graphics at 30?

For people 30 and older, the idea of going back to school to learn new skills could be intimidating. While many people go through college and other methods of training in their late teens and 20s, some continue their education or return to learning for either adjusting skills or going in a completely new career direction when they’re older. Learning new skills after 30 usually involves balancing courses with real-life circumstances such as work or family obligations, which can make any new ambition challenging.

As people grow older and mature, they tend to settle in and begin to think about what they want out of life. Turning 30 and older is the time when many people start figuring out what is best for them and how to get where they want to be career wise. While some may decide to return to college for either a completely different four-year major or graduate school in a slightly different area than their previous choice, many choose a less complicated route for learning skills such as motion graphics to work in a new career related to graphic design through continuing education or online certificate programs or bootcamps. This would include enrolling in courses at local colleges or online education providers like Noble Desktop, which offers options like the Motion Graphics Certificate program, the After Effects Bootcamp, and the Premiere Pro Bootcamp that each provides immersive training for people looking to shift their careers in graphic design.

The reason a person who is 30 or older might want to learn motion graphics could be for adjusting skills they already have to other areas of graphic design. For example, a person with a background in commercial art might consider learning motion graphics-related software like After Effects or Illustrator for being able to use their skills for working on a wider range of projects involving digital media. In the same way that experience in business, math, and engineering can be applied to working in computer science like web development, software engineering, and artificial intelligence, experience with graphic design can be expanded to work in motion graphics and animation. Adding motion graphics skills can enhance anyone’s resume or portfolio for either finding a new job or improving opportunities at a current position.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment outlook with motion graphics-related professions such as Special Effects Artists or Animators projects to increase by eight percent between 2022 and 2032 for finding work at film studios, television stations, and marketing agencies. Motion graphics may provide an effective skill for helping make visual content stand out in today’s crowded digital landscape for attracting eyes on the Internet or social media. Skills with motion graphics can provide career opportunities for working in a variety of industries for helping businesses connect with audiences and potential customers through dynamic and engaging visual presentations. 

How Long Will It Take to Learn Motion Graphics?

A person’s time is valuable and can affect decisions about whether to go back to school for making a career change. Other students tend to look at training as an investment in their future when deciding on the types of courses required for learning motion graphics in areas like animation, visual effects, 3D modeling, and other procedures required for creating dynamic visual designs. Different options for training in motion graphics encompass a variety of graphic design skills for working on websites, film and television, digital media, and online marketing.

Anyone enrolling in motion graphics-related classes must consider how long a course may take to complete as well as how much time they will need to invest with learning. Training in classes to learn motion graphics not only helps with gaining skills for developing animation and visual effects, but advanced training like certificate programs to learn motion graphics applications like After Effects or Premiere Pro can also contribute to passing certification exams that authenticate expertise. Learning motion graphics can lead to working in web design, animation, special effects, and video editing in the film and television industries as well as digital marketing for becoming Motion Graphics Designers, Visual Designers, 3D Animators, and Video Editors.

The time required for learning skills related to motion graphics involves factors such as a person’s experience and interests, the time needed for practicing what’s been learned, and an individual’s ambitions. It can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to learn fundamental techniques in graphic design and animation or much longer for gaining expertise. For instance, a basic graphic design course to learn Photoshop might require only a few hours to learn basic design concepts while advanced training for learning about visual effects or video editing with After Effects or Premiere Pro respectively will likely require days or weeks of training for gaining operational-level skills. However, with any type of graphic design training, the time needed for learning different concepts and media will depend on the area that a student has chosen as well as the level of training. The time needed for training can range from a few hours of watching an online video tutorial to a few weeks or months enrolled in an online course, bootcamp, or certificate program.

Ways to Make Learning Motion Graphics Easier and Quicker

There are several paths for getting started quickly with learning skills in motion graphics. For people who are just starting out with training for their career, there are free resources available through online tutorials and video webinars from a variety of education providers such as LinkedIn Learning or video platforms like YouTube. These resources provide a fast method for learning about workflow, software, procedures, and tools for working in motion graphics to develop content such as 3D animation or creating visual effects used in TV shows, movies, and commercials as well as digital media. New learners might also choose to enroll in an introductory class related to motion graphics for attending in person locally or through an online education provider like Noble Desktop. However, experienced Graphic Designers interested in adding to their skill set by learning motion graphics might decide on training in a certificate program that can help with certification exams that authenticate expertise for impressing potential employers.

Free Online Resources for Learning Motion Graphics

Motion graphics involves working with a variety of design tools for help in attracting online users and potential customers to websites, products, and services with attractive visual presentation. For those who don’t feel quite ready to pay for a formal introductory course for learning motion graphics, there are several free learning options available from a variety of online education providers that offer free motion graphics courses on their platforms. These free on-demand courses provide students with self-paced training that can ease them into learning areas of motion graphics, including animation, visual effects, 3D modeling, and video editing. Anyone interested in learning motion graphics and related skills can take advantage of Udemy’s free Animation in After Effects course or its free Learn Adobe Premiere Pro tutorial.

Introductory Course for Learning Motion Graphics Easily and Quickly

People 30 and older who would like to learn new skills for changing careers can enroll in an introductory course for training in motion graphics as a quick and efficient way for learning the fundamentals. An introductory course in motion graphics can be taken in less than a day or spread out over a few days in short sessions. An introductory course can provide everything from a basic introduction with motion graphics to training through hands-on projects that will stick with students. Starter-level courses are a good way for quickly learning skills in motion graphics through education providers like Noble Desktop, which offers courses like After Effects in a Day that provides training with the popular digital effects application used in post-production for films, television shows, digital media, and websites. However, the drawback with introductory courses may be with them being introductory courses. If students decide they want to learn motion graphics beyond the fundamentals, they will need to spend more time learning procedures and operating other design applications either on their own or by enrolling in advanced courses.

Certificate Programs

For people 30 and older who are looking to train in motion graphics or would like to demonstrate a high level of skills for creating animation, developing visual effects, or editing videos, enrolling in a certificate program could help with achieving new career goals. Motion graphics is a form of animation that provides different ways for telling stories that help connect with audiences and potential customers more effectively than other marketing approaches. Motion graphics can vary from subtle animated accents to elaborate visual effects. Training in motion graphics could help upcoming Graphic Designers find careers in animation and special effects. Gaining certification related to motion graphics can lead to working in television, film, web design, digital marketing, or social media. It must be noted that certificate training and certification are not the same things. However, certification programs may not only help with gaining skills for landing work in motion graphics but can also help with passing related certification exams.

Learn Computer Science at Noble Desktop

If you are over 30 and thinking about learning new skills in motion graphics for either changing careers or advancing at a current position, you might consider enrolling at Noble Desktop to take advantage of courses, bootcamps, and certificate programs for skill with animation, visual effect, 3D modeling, and video editing. These courses include the Noble Desktop Cinema 4D in After Effects Bootcamp, which provides training in Maxon Cinema 4D Lite for integrating designs into Adobe After Effects for creating 3D models and motion graphics for assigning textures, creating animation, and using the Cineware effect for unified integration through lesson from hands-on training projects. You can also enroll in Noble Desktop’s Motion Graphics & Video Editing Portfolio Development program for training in motion graphics and video editing for learning editing principles, motion design, and good habits that result in compiling a demo reel that displays your work to potential employers. You may also decide to invest in the Noble Desktop Video Editing Certificate program for advanced training in video editing, graphic design, and audio editing that provides lessons with Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe Audition.