Maria Cruz | 2D Motion, Art Direction, Experiments, Music & Motion, Cavalry, UI Animation

Today I'm speaking with Maria Cruz, an artist, animator & motion designer.

Maria’s worked with big companies like Google, Netflix, Apple, Sony… as well as top studios like Hornet, Odd Fellows, Buck, and now Hook.

We spoke about many things:

• Early creativity and childhood ways of seeing
• Art direction, connection, inspiration, curiosity, and breaking out of the mold
• The art and role of a motion designer to read, subvert, and invent between the frames
• Her style, references, music & motion, her early work in Cavalry, experiments, tools, flow, and much more.

Maria is just deeply creative. And I love having conversations like this one — where you really get a sense of where that creativity comes from, and how they think about it.

As always if you want to support the show, share it with a friend or leave a rating wherever you're listening.

Summary & Chapters (AI Generated)

In this conversation, Maria Cruz shares her journey as a motion designer, reflecting on her childhood imagination and creativity, the challenges of balancing artistic expression with commercial demands, and the importance of experimentation in her work. She discusses her artistic evolution, the role of collaboration in creative projects, and how she finds inspiration in everyday life. Maria emphasizes the significance of embracing happy accidents and procedural creativity, highlighting her experiences with tools like Cavalry to enhance her artistic process. In this conversation, Maria Cruz shares her insights on motion design, focusing on her experiences with Cavalry, the evolution of design tools, and the importance of curiosity in creativity. She discusses the shift towards Figma in UI design, the role of AI as a creative collaborator, and the interplay between music and animation. Maria emphasizes the significance of seizing opportunities in her creative journey and reflects on her experiences working in different studio environments.

Chapters

00:00 The Journey of Creativity

04:46 Childhood Imagination and Early Inspirations

10:49 The Intersection of Language and Art

16:42 Navigating the World of Animation

22:38 Client Collaboration and Creative Freedom

28:42 Finding Inspiration in Everyday Life

36:37 The Influence of David Bowie on Artistic Expression

42:26 Navigating the Transition from Style Frames to Motion

43:34 The Subjectivity of Animation and Personal Style

45:39 Finding Inspiration and Overcoming Creative Blocks

47:12 The Role of References in Shaping Style

49:56 The Evolution of Personal Style in Motion Design

53:09 Distillation: Reducing Complexity in Design

54:52 Embracing Happy Accidents in Creative Processes

58:13 The Importance of Curiosity in Learning New Tools

01:01:50 Exploring Cavalry: A New Approach to Motion Design

01:05:48 The Shift from Obligation to Curiosity in Creativity

01:09:22 The Future of Motion Design and Tool Evolution

01:17:03 The Balance of Plugins and Native Tools in Motion Design

01:18:06 Essential Tools for Motion Design

01:20:49 The Shift to Figma in UI Design

01:24:10 Exploring Rive and JSON in Animation

01:27:07 The Future of Motion Design and Interactivity

01:30:27 AI as a Creative Collaborator

01:33:54 The Dynamics of Working in Different Studio Sizes

01:37:59 Dream Projects and Creative Aspirations

01:40:20 The Interplay of Music and Motion Design

01:49:09 Navigating Opportunities in a Creative Career

01:54:46 New Chapter