The Background
German for “In a nutshell” Kurzgesagt is a YouTube channel and design studio with a unique perspective on design, colour, and storytelling.
With a broad range of topics, Kurzgesagt is best known for their distinctive animation videos; raising awareness for topics from the fields of science, space, technology, biology, history and philosophy.
First Impressions
It would be rude not to start this Stuff We Love post by mentioning how beautiful their designs are. Full of eye-catching, bright and vibrant colours, it’s impossible not to be drawn to their content.
Simplicity Is Key
It’s safe to say that Kurzgesagt has become one of the experts in creating ‘scenery’ that looks so detailed despite being made from pretty simple shapes. Their colour palette also contains such vibrant colours that could normally clash hideously, but it works so well.
Some of my favourite of their videos have amazing scenes of Space, with exploding stars against the night’s sky. I’d highly recommend watching them on a TV screen rather than a phone or laptop so that you can be fully immersed in the colours and contrast. It’s almost a cinema experience!
Stand By Your Brand
One of the most impressive aspects of their design is how consistent all of the style is throughout their videos. The videos have been going for about 7 years now, and they’re still hot on making sure that all their edges are rounded, all of the colours are correct, and the typeface is the same.
All of the videos compliment each other by using a similar palette, and it’s often a high-contrast bright orange and dark purple in the forefront – it’s beautiful, despite purple being my second-least-favourite colour.
Setting The Tone
The tone of voice in these animations is one of my absolute favourite things. Their self-branded ‘optimistic nihilism’ feels very-2020, but it’s actually so affable and friendly, it feels like you’re being taught by a wry physics professor who lets you bring snacks to class; complimenting you on your use of highlighters in your notes. Maybe just me then.
See For Yourself…
Conveying Tricky Information
Another success story is the very relatable tone that Kurzgesagt has created. They manage to describe complex topics in simple ways without being condescending, whilst covering some quite depressing information in a way that doesn’t feel clinical or like you regret learning this new piece of information.
How Could This Help You?
Needless to say, this is extremely useful within healthcare. The ability to clearly express information that can be quite confusing, dry, and unfortunately isn’t always the most pleasant to read.
