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After Effects Animation Basics

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After Effects Animation Basics

This playbook provides step-by-step instructions on the fundamentals of animation in Adobe After Effects. It covers the creation of keyframes and the utilization of motion paths to animate digital art.

Step 1: Setup Project

Launch Adobe After Effects and create a new project. Set up your composition by choosing the desired resolution, frame rate, and duration for your animation.

Step 2: Import Assets

Import the digital art files you want to animate into the Project Panel. You can do this by going to &#x27;File &gt; Import &gt; File...&#x27; or by dragging and dropping your files into the panel.

Step 3: Create Layers

Drag your imported assets onto the Timeline to create layers. Organize your layers according to how you want them to appear in the animation.

Step 4: Set Keyframes

Move the playhead to the point in time where you want the animation to start. Click the stopwatch icon next to a property (e.g., Position, Scale) to set the initial keyframe.

Step 5: Animate Motion

Move the playhead to another point in time. Change the property&#x27;s value to automatically create a new keyframe. After Effects will interpolate the motion between the keyframes.

Step 6: Refine Animation

Adjust the motion path directly in the Composition Panel, if needed. Smooth out animations by editing the keyframe velocities and using the Graph Editor for precise control.

Step 7: Preview

Press the spacebar to preview your animation. Revise your keyframes and motion paths as necessary to achieve the desired effect.

Step 8: Render

Once satisfied with your animation, render the project by going to &#x27;File &gt; Export &gt; Add to Render Queue&#x27;. Choose your output format and settings, then click &#x27;Render&#x27; to export your animated sequence.


General Notes

Keyframe Interpolation

Experiment with different types of interpolation, such as linear or bezier, to achieve varied motion effects between keyframes.

Shortcuts

Learn keyboard shortcuts to streamline your workflow. For example, pressing &#x27;P&#x27; brings up Position properties, and &#x27;S&#x27; brings up Scale.

Composition Settings

Double-check your composition settings before starting to ensure your animation works best for your intended output medium.