Decay

Year

2023

Timeline

4 Weeks

Category

Motion

Illustration

Role

Tools

After Effects

Illustrator

"Decay" is a 30-second animated piece that reframes the concept of decay as part of life's essential cycle. Through three interconnected scenes—a dead tree falling, a decomposing fox surrounded by flies, and the emergence of new life through worms and mushrooms—the animation reveals how these elements of decay combine to spell out the word itself. The piece challenges viewers to see beauty in breakdown, emphasizing decay's role in nurturing new life through deliberately slow pacing and atmospheric sound design.

Strategy

Rather than portraying decay as solely destructive, my approach focused on revealing its vital role in nature's cycle. The strategy centered on creating a contemplative atmosphere through careful pacing and layered sound design. By breaking the concept into three distinct yet connected scenes, each moment builds upon the last to shift viewer perception from death to regeneration. The final reveal of these elements forming the word "decay" ties the narrative together, reinforcing the interconnectedness of these natural processes.

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Design

I began by creating detailed illustrations in Adobe Illustrator, focusing on texture and weathering to convey deterioration. The color palette deliberately uses muted, cool tones with touches of muddy orange for the fox, enhancing the somber atmosphere. In After Effects, I carefully animated each scene, emphasizing stillness punctuated by subtle movements. The sound design became crucial in these quiet moments—layered audio effects bring each scene to life, from the creaking of the falling tree to the buzz of circling flies. This attention to sonic detail helps create a fully immersive experience that draws viewers into the slow, inevitable process of decay.

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Results

The finished piece successfully creates a contemplative space for viewers to reconsider the role of decay in the natural world. The project pushed my illustration abilities while deepening my understanding of how textures, pacing, and sound can reinforce narrative themes. Audience feedback highlighted the piece's ability to convey its intended atmosphere, suggesting that the piece achieved its goal of reframing decay as an essential part of life's cycle rather than merely its end.

Credits

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