Use Consistent Animation Styles in eLearning
I review a LOT of ID portfolios as a mentor and community manager for TPLD, and I’ve noticed a pattern in the feedback I provide on Storyline samples.
If you are using animations or illustrations in your eLearning, keep it visually consistent. Your audience will subconsciously find it more polished if the graphics all appear similar.
The same could be said of photos, don’t use one black and white photo followed by a bright and colorful picture. If you look at my blog feed, all of the images have a similar vibe.
For each eLearning project, I tend to source graphics from the same artist so everything looks the same. I even import the vector files to Adobe Illustrator to recolor certain elements so they have the same palette.
Here are some different art styles I’ve seen all on the same slide in eLearning:
🎨 Corporate Memphis Style: This is a flat, geometric looking cartoon with disproportionately small torsos and elongated limbs.
🎨 Claymorphism: This fun art style consists of rounded 3D figures with shadows. It mimics the appearance of Claymation.
🎨 Hand-Drawn/Sketch: Animation done by hand looks more unique and less generic. Each artist has their own style.
🎨 Business Flat: This art style is similar to Corporate Memphis in that it is not realistic, but it does have more visual details in its 2D composition.
In a nutshell, pick a lane and stick to it! Contrasting animation styles is a dead giveaway for a newbie’s work. Avoid this mistake and your eLearning will appear refined and professional.
