Welcome to WebSensePro! In this tutorial, we will walk you through the basics of creating animations in Adobe After Effects. You may have seen many of our Shopify and WordPress-related videos, but we also specialize in animations and 2D graphic design services. Check out the link in the description to view our portfolio showcasing the cool animations we’ve created for clients worldwide. We’ve started this playlist to help aspiring animators like you build your own portfolios using After Effects. Let’s dive in!
Getting Started with After Effects
Step 1: Opening After Effects
⦁ Launch After Effects: Open the application on your computer.
⦁ Create a New Composition: Select New Composition from the main screen.
⦁ A new window will appear with various settings.
Step 2: Setting Up Your Composition
⦁ Rename Your Composition: Change the default name to something descriptive like “Animation”
⦁ Select Preset: Choose a preset that fits your project requirements. You can also manually set the dimensions.
⦁ Set Frame Rate: We will use 25 frames per second (fps).
⦁ Set Duration: Define the duration of your animation. For this tutorial, we’ll use 05 seconds (0:05).
⦁ Select Background Color: Choose a background color for visibility, such as white.
Step 3: Importing Assets
⦁ Import a PNG Image: Double-click on the Project panel to import a PNG image from your computer. Select the image and click Import.
⦁ Add Image to Composition: Drag the imported image to your main screen or directly to the timeline.
Step 4: Adjusting Image Position and Size
⦁ Positioning the Image: Drag the image to your desired position on the canvas.
⦁ Transforming the Image: Open the Transform options by clicking the dropdown arrow next to your layer.
Step 5: Using Transform Options
Scale:
⦁ Select Scale and click the stopwatch icon to set a keyframe.
⦁ Set the scale to 50 for the initial keyframe.
⦁ Move the Playhead forward and set another keyframe to 150%.
Rotation:
⦁ Add a rotation keyframe by clicking the stopwatch next to Rotation.
⦁ Set the initial rotation to 0 degrees.
⦁ Move the Playhead forward and set the rotation to 360 degrees to complete one cycle.
Opacity:
⦁ Add an opacity keyframe by clicking the stopwatch next to Opacity.
⦁ Set the initial opacity to 0%.
⦁ Move the Playhead forward and set the opacity to 100%.
Position:
⦁ Add a position keyframe by clicking the stopwatch next to Position.
⦁ Move the image from the top of the canvas to the center and the bottom, creating a smooth transition.
Step 6: Refining Animation
Easy Ease: Select all keyframes, right-click, and choose Keyframe Assistant > Easy Ease (or press F9). This will smooth out the animation transitions.
Previewing Your Animation: Press Space to preview your animation and make any necessary adjustments.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve created a basic animation in After Effects. Experiment with these tools and techniques to create more complex animations. Stay tuned for more tutorials on After Effects and other graphic design topics.
