Meet Sabrina Guyton | Motion Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sabrina Guyton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sabrina, why did you pursue a creative career?
I actually did not think of pursuing a creative career until I was a junior in high school. I had grown up with an appreciation for art, but what made me choose to pursue a creative career was the result of attending an open house at SCAD one spring day in Atlanta. That day, I went to workshops for graphic design, visual effects, animation, and film and television, but none sparked my full interest – they were all professions that I enjoyed facets of but none felt like the right fit when in consideration for my career. It was towards the end of the day when I came upon a room labeled “Motion Media Design” and found the answer for how I could do everything I love all at once. I knew then that I had to go and learn more about my newfound career. I find Motion Graphics to be so compelling because it is limitless in possibilities and simultaneously detail-oriented in conception and production. I also love that this career path allows me to collaborate with others. I love learning from others and working in a team setting or dynamic to create an even greater product by using combined forces.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I want to say that I make art with intention, but who doesn’t? I guess that digresses into the debate of “are you an artist or designer,” but I believe both innately operate from a mindset of intentions. The work that I make is in direct correlation to feelings or sentiments that I experience or witness around me. I tend to be an introspective individual who loves words, so a lot of the pieces I make tend to be based in typography or on meaningful quotes. I also enjoy 2D minimalist, clean, and geometric graphic design so that is also reflected in my work. I gravitate towards using saturated colors because I enjoy their vibrance and powerful energy that reinforce the sentiment I’m expressing at the time. What I am most proud of about my work is how I’ve been able to elevate my level and competency of design as I progress in my methods and practices. Learning how to use different programs like After Effects or Cinema 4D was difficult for me and often I felt like I was learning a new language, but as I continued to work in them and comprehend, things got much easier. Something in that process that was beneficial for me was creating mini explorations or tests – and that is something that I’ve continued to do and post on my Instagram as a way to maintain my skills and share current explorations. These experiments led me to learn how to create a fluid motion with keyframes or how to draw the viewer’s eye to what I wanted them to focus on or see. Also, grasping the importance of proportion and scale and having assets in a variety of sizes on a screen can make a difference in your overall production – it’s the little details that can quickly elevate a piece.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
So, this is a funny question because I was born and raised in Atlanta, but for the last 4 years, I attended school in Savannah, so lately I’ve been rediscovering my hometown city. Ponce City Market is always a cute time. I think “Atlanta Musts” are a visit to the Georgia Aquarium and The Varsity for a quick, casual lunch or dinner. The World of Coca-Cola is right across from the Aquarium, but if you don’t go there, promise me you won’t drink Pepsi while you’re here in the birthplace of Coca-Cola. Another thing that would be fun would be enjoying a show at the Fox Theatre. I grew up attending the Fernbank Museum of Natural History and the High Museum of Art. If you want to get outdoors, the Beltline, Centennial Olympic Park, and Piedmont Park are great options. Visit Krog Street Tunnel to view all the spray paint art inside the tunnel and murals nearby. You could walk around Little Five Points and explore vintage record and clothing stores and finish with a meal at Savage Pizza. The weekly staple pizza in my house is Mellow Mushroom Pizza; it was established here in the 70s and each location is uniquely themed and wonderfully decorated. Their specialty pizzas are my favorite (‘Kosmic Karma’ might be my ultimate favorite). You have to eat at Flying Biscuit for brunch at least once before you leave. I love the Salmon Scramble there. Spend a day in the Sweet Auburn district eating at The Municipal Market or learning at Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park. Attend a Braves game at Truist Park or see the Falcons or Atlanta United play at Mercedes Benz Stadium. There are so many other things to do in this great city. And notice how I didn’t suggest doing them in a specific order? That’s also the beauty of this city – you can be quite flexible in your schedule, as long as you’re not in rush hour traffic.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Is it too cliché to say my parents? They have always, always supported my dreams and goals. They were all-in for my attendance at an art school, although I had never taken one art class in high school, and they were unfamiliar with the profession of motion designer. I am very fortunate to have supportive parents who offer their confidence in me and my abilities. Even if I tried something that didn’t work out, they were right there to encourage and remind me of all that I had gained and learned in the process. They have instilled a wanderlust in me and a desire to learn from perspectives outside of my own, which in turn, I feel, has made me more aware and appreciative of others through our similarities and differences. I am so thankful for my relationship with my parents and their efforts, support, mentorship, love, and cheering on that they so steadfastly give.

Website: sabrinaguyton.com

Instagram: @sabrinaguyton

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/sabrinaguyton

Other: vimeo.com/sabrinaguyton

Image Credits
‘The Home Edit Rebrand’ title sequence – was made in collaboration with Anna (Hsin-Hua) Yang ‘The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas’ title sequence – was made in collaboration with Alaijah Hampton