After Effects: Basic 2D Animation

Moving Objects:

Firstly, a new composition was created after opening After Effects. The composition must be 5 seconds long and have a white only background. The layer will be solid and pixels @ 200x200 and a colour of your own choice chosen. Once this is done, double click the layer in the timeline, select the elipse mask tool and proceed to create a mask. While drawing it, one can also move it by simply pressing the spacebar.

Afterwards, close down the layer. It now opens up in the composition area but can be closed using the X in the top area of the screen. Then select solid layer and use CTRL+D to duplicate. Also, select Layer>solid settings and you can change the colour. Proceed by placing the solids one at the top left, the other at the bottom right. Using keyframes these can be moved over time:

Select the top right solid, then open the transform properties. This is done by turning the twirly tool OR pressing "p" to open the position properties. Now, press the position stopwatch to create a keyframe on the timeline in after effects. Pull the solid off the screen to the left. This can be done by either scrubbing the x position number or dragging the solid on screen. Put the timeline indicator to the end of the timeline and drag the solid over to the right of the screen. This creates a new keyframe with new position properties, causing the solid to move over the duration.

Create 2 more keyframes along the timeline and change the ‘y’ parameters this time to make a wave shaped motion.

Select the first and last keyframes on the timeline and go to animation>keyframe assistant>ease ease. It helps ease the motion, creating motion blur. Go to Layer>New>Adjustment layer

Add the tint effect by dragging from the effects panel onto the layer.Map the black to a colour of your choice. Select ‘s’ or ‘scale’ on the adjustment layer and unlink the parameters by clicking the link icon. Alter the scale on the ‘x’ parameter and shrink it until it is a bar down the screen. Duplicate these layers , change the tint colour on each and animate them left and right across the screen using the position ‘x’ parameters, creating keyframes.

Now that you're able to create objects and move them about in after effects this means you can move onto simple character animation using the techniques you've just learned.

PHOTOSHOP FILE OF SKELETON CHARACTER ANIMATION

Import the photoshop character created last week. Then go Use File>Import and select psd file

Assure it is imported as composition – retain layer sizes.This will bring in the object cropping the outsides of the layers instead of creating composition sized layers for each segment. Double click the new composition in the project window and we will link it together and move it about. On each layer open up the anchor point (‘a’) or use the ‘pan behind’ tool, move the anchor point to where the layer should pivot – eg: upper arm should pivot at the shoulder.

Repeat for each layer.

Now link the layers that need to move together by parenting them, on the timeline. Eg: Lower arm needs to be parented to the upper arm meaning that when the upper arm is moved anywhere the lower arm will be attached and move with it. Once this is done you can move the elements using the rotation parameter, select the stopwatch to create keyframes and change the values over time. Once this is done, return to the original composition and drag the ‘character composition’ from the project window, onto the timeline. Scale and position as desired.

Now if you want to change the movement on the character you need only open up the character composition and alter it – all changes will appear in the first composition.