WINDOWS
PHONE

Summary

Microsoft’s visual identity is defined by the use of flat color, but flat color doesn’t have to feel flat. The challenge was to create a sense of depth  and dimensionality without gradients, drop shadows, or other effects. That’s where motion came into play.

Dimensional animations like flips, folds, turnstiles, and page turns are  all achieved directly in PowerPoint, software that doesn’t traditionally  allow for 3D motion. This is achieved using flat masking elements, which rotate to transform the silhouette of an underlying block of color, creating diagonal lines which give the illusion of a vanishing point, perspective, and therefore three-dimensional depth.

This meant that content and color could be edited directly in PowerPoint, without having to re-bake and import footage from animation software such as After Effects—saving time without sacrificing visual impact.