Niki Wakefield

Line Story

Type:

Website

Tools:

Figma,

Illustrator, After Effects

Role:

Designer

Artistic expression is an act of translation—turning thought into form through the movement of a hand grasping a tool that leaves a mark. This 30-second animation reflects on that process, exploring how meaning takes shape one stroke at a time, as ideas travel from mind to body to image, then into other minds.

Line Story demonstrates the transformation of a profound concept-the infinite possibilities we can create with a tool-into a brief and simple experience: wondering what scene will unfold from an undefinable scribble.

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storyboard

Crudely drawn landscape with sun and flower, as if drawn with chalk
Crudely drawn landscape with sun and flower, as if drawn with chalk
Crudely drawn landscape with sun and flower, as if drawn with chalk
Two lines in the shape of birds (two arches meeting at a point in the middle). Each "bird" is draw with different pen texture.
Two lines in the shape of birds (two arches meeting at a point in the middle). Each "bird" is draw with different pen texture.
Two lines in the shape of birds (two arches meeting at a point in the middle). Each "bird" is draw with different pen texture.

Style

Minimal. The goal is to convey the idea with the least amount of detail necessary. Retain a hand-drawn quality.

Style guide: color
Style guide: color
Style guide: color

Color

The background is primarily off-white, representing a blank canvas, while the line is near black to contrast. Upon completion of each form, the background will fill in with more detail, limited to the 4 remaining colors.

Collection of inspirational images, each an illustration created with the simplest of lines.
Collection of inspirational images, each an illustration created with the simplest of lines.
Collection of inspirational images, each an illustration created with the simplest of lines.

Inspiration

These represent the level of simplicity of the images created in the animation.

Reflection:

Motion thinking and product design

Motion thinking teaches orchestration- consideration of how elements align over time to build a cohesive experience. When an element is out of sync, the break in continuity is obvious. I apply this same concept to product design, designing systems that guide users where they need to go while respecting cognitive load. Like motion, effective product experiences are paced, intentional, and broken into digestible moments.

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