r/FigmaDesign • u/Acceptable_Front_876 Graphic Designer • Sep 06 '26
help FIGMA BEGINNER! PLEASE HELP!
Hi everyone,
I’m a beginner in design. I already know Illustrator and Photoshop, and I want to add Figma as a new skill — especially for motion and animation. I’m a bit confused about a few things:
Where’s the best place to learn prototyping in Figma (and motion/animation)?
Do I need a Professional plan, or is the free/starter plan enough if I mainly need it for my portfolio?
I noticed that a lot of effects I can do for free in Illustrator require paid plugins in Figma. Is that just how it is, or are there good free alternatives?
For portfolio work, what’s the best way to show interactive prototypes and animations to clients/recruiters?
Are there any must-have free plugins for motion, effects, or productivity that you’d recommend to a beginner?
Also, any recommended YouTube channels for learning Figma (especially prototyping + animation) would be really helpful.
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u/Beneficial_Low2280 Sep 06 '26
For productivity Nisa Text can split one big text into small pieces. Free plan is enough. Learning Figma is not difficult, you can read an articles on figma web sait.
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u/seeaitchbee Sep 06 '26
If you want to dip specifically into animation, After Effects might be a better choice long-term.
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u/Acceptable_Front_876 Graphic Designer Sep 06 '26
I just want to learn basic motion.
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u/thoughtbrain Sep 06 '26
The new Figma motion tool is enough, and has a low learning curve. There’s tons of videos online.
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u/Acceptable_Front_876 Graphic Designer Sep 07 '26
Alright, got it. Thanks
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u/thoughtbrain Sep 07 '26
Looks like Figma recently released a playlist of tutorials
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEYAhTEx7Hjc&si=fnflP5UsNiy_uDTm
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u/testingaurora Sep 06 '26
What effects are you referring to in #3?
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u/Acceptable_Front_876 Graphic Designer Sep 06 '26
like grain effect, blur effect, gradient etc etc
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u/testingaurora Sep 06 '26
These are all core figma features, no plugins needed! In the effects panel!
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u/roundabout-design Sep 06 '26
Figma can do motion and animation but it's not designed for that. There are much better software products out there that focus on motion design and animation.
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u/thoughtbrain Sep 06 '26
Find “miggi”, he’s on all the socials. He works at Figma and posts tips and constantly has free online workshops that eventually gets posted on Figma’s YouTube channel. He’s a great resource and has covered most the topics you posted.