Moving Postcard

Animated Illustration Project.

Moving Postcard Design

Challenge: Create an animated postcard that captures San Francisco's character through vintage-inspired illustration and motion design. The goal was to evoke mid-century travel poster nostalgia while demonstrating motion graphics capabilities.

My Role: Illustrator & Motion Designer — Independent project, 2023–2024

Led concept development, illustration, and animation execution.

Approach:

Designed a stylized San Francisco landscape featuring iconic landmarks (Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, city hills)
Developed a warm, retro color palette with texture overlays to evoke vintage postcard aesthetics
Animated camera movement and layered reveals to create depth and visual interest
Applied After Effects techniques for smooth transitions and typographic integration

Results:

Produced a polished motion design piece demonstrating illustration and animation skills
Showcased proficiency in After Effects, visual storytelling, and retro design aesthetics
Created a complete animated sequence from concept through final execution

Animated illustration exploring vintage travel poster aesthetics

Illustrated Components

All visual elements were illustrated in Adobe Illustrator, with each component designed as modular assets to allow for smooth animation. The illustrated elements were then imported into After Effects, where motion was used to bring the postcard to life and guide the viewer through the scene.

Illustration to Motion

The final piece was animated in After Effects with a gradual pan that expands the view of the city. The restrained motion supports the illustration and allows the postcard to function as a seamless looping GIF.