Light and Movement

Workshop Description

"Light is the first element of design; movement is the second"

This immersive workshop challenges you to step away from the screen and rediscover the foundations of motion through the lens of optical physics. By capturing the raw, ephemeral beauty of light in our tangible world, you will learn to build digital animations that feel authentic, organic, and rhythmically sophisticated.

The focus is on the physics of light, and rhythm of movement–enabling the student designers to ground their digital work in physical-world observation. Best suited for motion designers and visual communicators, we’ll temporarily step away from our screens to explore the analog world, experimenting with light painting, long exposures, and the hypnotic physics of refraction. These physical experiments aren’t just exercises—they are your raw assets for motion-based outcomes.

Students will then use these physical captures as the foundation for digital animation. By bridging the gap between tangible experiments and digital synthesis, students will move beyond generic presets to create high-fidelity motion pieces that feel unique.
Students will produce a 15–30 second high-definition motion piece that demonstrates a clear evolution from a physical light experiment to a refined digital animation.

Educational Goal

• Analyze physical light phenomena such as caustics, chromatic aberration, and the Inverse Square Law

• Master temporal rhythm & pacing via the 12 principles of animation (specifically timing, spacing, and squash-and-stretch) to light-based elements

• Bridge analog and digital toolsets by utilizing physical footage (light streaks, bokeh, or lens flares) as displacement maps, mattes, or textures within motion design software.

• Synthesize audio-visual relationships by developing 15–30 second motion outcome where light intensity and movement are choreographed to a soundscape.

• Articulate design decisions using both the language of visual communication (composition, contrast, color theory) and the technical terminology of motion design and physics.

Requirements

• If you have: A DSLR or mirrorless camera capable of manual settings (shutter speed control is essential for long-exposure light painting) or a high-end smartphone with a manual camera app

• Analog light sources such as flashlights, LED wands, or phone screens. Prisms, glass bottles, or crystals (to create refraction and caustics). Colored gels or translucent plastics.

• Working knowledge of Adobe After Effects

• Alternatively, if results lean toward 3D, students may use Cinema 4D or Blender to project their captured light textures onto geometry.

• Sketchbook for the "step away from the screen" phase—planning the rhythm and movement before touching the software.

Where is it located?
H 1.16