Born in Milan, Motta started his career at just 14 years old, collaborating with some children magazines published by Edizioni Alpe.
[1][2] He made his debut as a cartoonist on the magazine Chicchirichì, realizing stories of the title character as well as series created by himself.
[1][2] Starting from 1957 Motta started collaborating, both as an artist and more often as a writer, with the major characters of Edizioni Alpe, notably Tiramolla, Cucciolo, Geppo, Nonna Abelarda, Provolino and the Italian-produced comic versions of Popeye ("Braccio di Ferro"), Felix and Tom and Jerry.
[2] In the 1980s he wrote stories for the Walt Disney magazine Topolino and collaborated with the publishing house Epierre.
[1][2] He retired from comics in 1992, to work as an art director in an advertising agency.