The Illustration design that I chose to use for After Effects project was a Snowman because I thought that this design would work very well, as an Animation because it would be very different to other objects that I looked and considered to create for After Effect project. To create my Snowman I used quite a few tools like the circle tool to create the main body of the Snowman, the eyes and mouth and the stones that I had placed in the centre of the body. I also used the triangular tool for the nose of the snowman, the pen tool to create the hat and scarf that I placed on the snowman. Finally I used the pen tool to create the arms of the snowman that would be connected the middle part of the snowman.
In the first part of the process and production lesson we were given a few examples that a company had created using an animated style. The company that we looked at was called Animade, I found the example Sketchchycles that we were shown were very creative, as this animation was based on person that was made from shape that was walking on the page.
The other video that we watched was called Shoelaces, I thought that this example was very different from the first video that we watch, as this example showed us a story from the shoelaces perspective. I thought that the animation that had been created was very detail and professional. The sound effects where very relevant to the personality of the shoe laces and the perspective of them.
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After this I then, opened up the programme known as Adobe After Effects. After I had opened up this programmes I then need to import the file that I wanted to take into After Effects. To do this I had to follow the process file > import > file, after I had done this a menu popped open onto my screen, once this had popped open I was then able to find the file that I was looking for to use in After Effects. Before I selected the OK button I had to make sure that the import as option had been changed from the option called footage to composition - retain layer sizes. I did this because the animation would work better in this selection. Once I had made these changes to the option, I was then able to open the file in After Effects.
I noticed that when my file had imported into the After Effects document that some of my layers were completely black, this was because some of my layers were black and couldn't be seen on the background. To transfer the layers onto the timeline, I had to double click on the composition which would take my layers to the timeline. I was then able to select a tool displayed above the timeline known as Topple Transparency, this allowed me to change the background colour from black to white that would then allow me to see the all the elements of my snowman on the page.
The next step that I had to do was to access the composition settings by following the composition > composition settings. I had to then keep the settings the same as they were in order for the composition to be correct.
After I had done this I then had to set an anchor point onto all of the objects that I wanted to change for my animation. To do this I had to select the button called anchor point, which was the sixth button across on the menu at the top of the screen. Once I had selected this I was then able to drag the anchor point anywhere on the object that I wanted to change. I then was able to select the rotate tool, which was the fourth button on the menu at the top of the page. I was then able to rotate the different elements to see how they would move.
I then moved onto pair my layers with each other, this was known as the parenting layer, which is located on the timeline. I used this to help me connect the layers to each other, for example I connected my face and hat with the layer called Body one. This meant that I was able to all the selected elements together. I then selected a layer that I want to move to create animated piece, the layer that I decided to select was Body 2, I then used the arrows which then brought down a drop down menu with extra option that I hadn't seen before. On these options I was able to create keyframes that would allow me to rotate and move the elements of my Snowman. The first part I had to was to create select the stopwatch at the side of the rotation button, I then moved the red line every second, where I was then able to change the rotation of the element. I repeated this process until I got to 10 seconds.
We then watched another example called Catch me if you can, Main Title. I thought that this example was very creative, as the layout of the design was very professional. I also found that the graphics that had been created where very detailed and effective, I also thought that the story of the animation was very relevant to the title of the film, which I thought was very important.
Catch me if you can from Motion Graphic. on Vimeo.
After we had watched the example, we then set up a new composition for our final outcome. To do this I had to go to Composition > New, I was then able to name this file as Main Comp, which would then become my final document. Once I had created a new composition, I was then able to drag my character onto the timeline of my Main Comp. I then decided to change the scale of the face using the scale tool, where I used the same process as the rotation in my animation. To scale the size of my face of my Snowman, I selected Scale where I was able to change both the width and length when the keychain of the Scale was locked.
The next step that I had to do was created a background for my animation, using a solid colour. I had to do this by going to the option layer > new > solid. A menu then popped up on my screen where I was then able to choose the colour that I wanted to use a solid coloured background. The colour that I chose to use for my background was a light turquoise. Once I had selected the colour I was then able to send my layer behind the snowman, which gave the snowman a background.
We then watched another example called Lernz Bird by Animade, again I found this example creative because it was very inspirational and engaging. I thought that this example was very inspirational because the background of the video was visual and very different to the other video that I have looked at, I am defiantly going to take inspiration from this example for my own animation.
Animade Lernz - BIRD from Animade on Vimeo.
To create an effective background, I decided to find to different copyright free texture using the search engine 'Google'. Once I had chosen the textures that I wanted to use for my background textures, I was then able to import the on the document that my final animation was on, to import my textures on to the document I had to go to File > Import > File, I was then able to select the two texture to import on the document. After I had imported the textures on to the document, I then had to drag both textures onto the timeline, once I had done this I then had to make sure that the textures where behind the object of that I had animated, which was my Snowman. To change the mode option, I had to select the toggle switches to change the mode of the texture for both of the layers. For both of the textures I used the mode called Screen. I like this mode because it created an effective background for my animation, the colour of the background that I chose was very bright and vibrant, which is very engaging and eye-catching for the target audience that I am aiming towards.
The final part that I had to do for this was to save my final design. After this I then had to follow the process to render my design, file > export > render queue. I then had to select the render option at the bottom left of the page, which finalised my animation. Overall I am pleased with how my animation has been worked, I feel that my skills in After Effects has improved since the last lesson in after effects because I feel that my animation has improved since last time. I am going to keep improving on my skills as the lesson go along.
Snowman Animation from Rebecca Thorp on Vimeo.
