Learning Animation in Adobe After Effects
Layers in Illustrator
|
In Adobe After Effects we illustrate by using different layers
Task 1: Create the face on the right using Adobe Illustrator. Save that as a layer called face 
|
|
|
Task: Create the nose and eyebrows on separate layers
4.) Save it as an illustrator file
|
|
Load the picture
|
1.) Open Adobe After Effects
2.) Import the illustrator file by clicking file --> Import 3.) When the prompt comes up select composition from the drop down menu. 4.) Double click on the composition on the left 
|
|
Animate the Eyebrows
Task: raise the left eyebrow
1.) Click the arrow next to left eyebrow and expand to transform. 2.) Click the stop watch next to position so that it becomes blue 
3.) Move forward in the timeline
4.) Change the position of the eyebrow by dragging it up Task: Rotate the right eyebrow
Try to figure out how to make the other eyebrow rotate inwards.
|
5.) Hit play to see it move up
6.) Repeat steps 3-4 to move it back down again. 
|
Trim, Enlarge and Render
|
Task: Trim your Animation
In order to trim your video to 2 seconds there are two methods Method 1: 1.) Click Composition --> Composition Settings 2.) Change the end time to 2 or 3 seconds Method 2: 1.) Move the top bar in to the selection you want 2.) Right click and click "Trim Comp to Work Area" 
|
|
Task: Enlarge your animation
select all the elements If you try and enlarge your image this will happen.
|
|
This is because your eyebrows and nose a positioned to the center of the screen and not the face
|
To fix this:
1.) Change the parent link for each element of the face (nose, eyebrows) to the face. 2.) Now try to enlarge the image. Enlarging it in Illustrator first will make it sharper and skip all of this |
|
Task: Render as an animated GIF
|
1.) Ensure your composition is clicked down the bottom
2.) Click File --> Export -- > Add to Adobe Media Encoder Queue 3.) Wait for a long time till it comes up 4.) Export the settings change the type to Animated Gif and choose where you want to export it to 5.) Hit the play button |
|
Move your body
Task: Make this in Illustrator, ensure the layers are there.
|
|
Import it into After Effects and link the body parts to the correct parents
Change the anchor points of the body points so that the rotation moves with the person e.g. for the head do the following:
Click the Camera pan button
|
Move the Anchor point to where the shape connects with the body
|
Now when you rotate the head it will rotate from the neck, as opposed to the centre of the head
|
Repeat for each body part!
Render it using these settings
