Motion Graphics Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Motion Graphics facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is a 'monochromatic' color scheme? → Using variations in lightness and saturation of a single hue
2. What does AE's 'Composition' serve as in a project? → A container for layers and timeline
3. What keyboard shortcut opens the Render Queue in After Effects? → Ctrl+M
4. Which AE effect is used to simulate depth of field blur? → Camera Lens Blur
5. What does 'aspect ratio' mean in video and motion graphics? → The proportional relationship between a video's width and height
6. What is an 'x-height' in typography? → The height of lowercase letters, measured by the letter 'x'
7. What is the price of the app "Motion"? → $50
8. Motion graphics can be enhanced using video. → True
9. Which output module setting controls file format in the Render Queue? → Output Module
10. What is the purpose of a 'text animator' in After Effects? → To apply keyframeable properties to individual characters, words, or lines
11. What is a 'bug' or 'station bug' in broadcast design? → A small persistent logo or graphic placed in the corner of a broadcast frame
12. What is the difference between 'Straight-Ahead' and 'Pose-to-Pose' animation methods? → Drawing frame-by-frame vs. setting key poses then filling in between
13. What does the 'weight' of a moving object communicate to the viewer? → Its mass and physicality through timing and squash/stretch
14. What role does 'contrast' play in motion graphics design? → It creates visual hierarchy by differentiating elements in size, color, or motion
15. What is a 'normal map' used for in 3D motion graphics? → Faking surface detail and bumps without adding geometry, using encoded surface angle data
16. What is the purpose of a 'color palette' in a motion graphics project? → To define the limited set of colors used consistently throughout the project
17. What is a 'LUT' used for in motion graphics color work? → Look-Up Table that maps input color values to output values for color grading
18. What is the 'Anchor Point' in After Effects? → The reference point for rotation and scale transformations
19. What signals that a preview has been made entirely while previewing a composition? → A green bar across the top of the Time graph/Graph Editor area
20. What is 'color temperature' in motion graphics? → The perceived warmth or coolness of a color — warm (reds/yellows) vs. cool (blues/greens)
21. What does enabling 'Motion Blur' on a layer in After Effects do? → Simulates the blur caused by fast-moving objects
22. Which font classification is typically used for modern, clean digital interfaces? → Sans-serif
23. In Adobe After Effects, there is an application that allows you to explore, preview, and insert media into your projects. This program is known as → Adobe Bridge
24. What is a 'polygon mesh' in 3D graphics? → A 3D object made of connected vertices, edges, and faces (polygons)
25. What does 'tracking animation' in AE's text animator allow you to do? → Animate the letter-spacing of text over time
26. Which AE feature allows you to link a layer's properties to expressions? → Expressions
27. What does 'procedural animation' mean in motion graphics? → Animation generated by algorithms and rules rather than manually set keyframes
28. What exactly is a layer? → Any item added to the canvas
29. In motion graphics, what does 'staggering' text animation mean? → Offsetting the start time of each character or word animation slightly
30. What is 'contrast' in typography? → The difference in stroke width within a letterform or between text elements