After Effects How-Tos
How To: Create a 3D watch animation in After Effects CS3
In the first part of this video tutorial on creating a 3D watch animation, Creative Cow member Eran Stern shows you how to use Photoshop CS3 Extended to create different images of a 3D watch. In part two you learn how to use After Effects CS3 to create animated hands for the 3D watch, then in part 3 you'll learn how to transition between the different 3D images, and to create a final animation project. Create a 3D watch animation in After Effects CS3 - Part 1 of 3.
How To: Blend and bend time in After Effects
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow contributing editor Eran Stern demonstrates how you can create the illusion of time bending with a special focus on the correct way of using the CC Time Blend FX in After Effects. Blend and bend time in After Effects.
How To: Use the echo effect in After Effects CS3
Creative Cow leader Aharon Rabinowitz shares some tips and tricks for working with the Echo effect and animated layers in After Effects. Use the echo effect in After Effects CS3.
How To: Create a digits man in After Effects
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow contributing editor Eran Stern will show you a cool technique for filling an image of a human head with animated numbers using After Effects CS3's Text tool. The second video will continue to finesse the design of the Digits Man promo. Learn how to create a subtle background using the Shape Tool and spice it further with additional effects and Text animations Create a digits man in After Effects - Part 1 of 2.
How To: Create a sci-fi hologram look in After Effects CS3
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow leader Aharon Rabinowitz returns to one of his earliest tutorials, "Creating TV Look," and shows how it can be used to create the look of a Hologram as seen in science fiction movies. Create a sci-fi hologram look in After Effects CS3.
How To: Create water droplets on the lens in After Effects CS3
This After Effects tutorial from Andrew Kramer shows you how to create water droplets on the lens with DOF (Depth of Field). Learn about settings for the MR Mercury filter as well. Create water droplets on the lens in After Effects CS3.
How To: Create healing effects in After Effects CS3
This After Effects tutorial shows you how to create a healing effect that happens over time as seen by many super heroes. It covers advanced motion tracking tips and compositing. Create healing effects in After Effects CS3.
How To: Create frosty breath in After Effects CS3
This After Effects tutorial shows you how to create the illusion of cold breath on a warm day, or really frosty breath on a really cold day! You will be using color correction to cool the mood of the scene and Trapcode's Particular plug-in for the frost particles. Create frosty breath in After Effects CS3.
How To: Create a fancy title plate in After Effects CS3
This After Effects tutorial from Andrew Kramer shows you how to create a 3D title plate with growing elements. You'll be using Evolution to enhance this simple design and control the growth effects. Create a fancy title plate in After Effects CS3.
How To: Create a motion map background in After Effects 7
This video shows you how to use motion maps as a background in After Effects 7. The tutorial is more of a demo of a finished project than a full tutorial.
How To: Combine 3 Videos Seamlessly in After Effects
Get past the intro and then you will get to the actual tutorial. This blending technique was used in the short film Tin Trio. This effect allows you to combine multiple videos shot with a locked off camera.
How To: Create a Time Ramp in After Effects
This is a basic tutorial teaching time re-mapping / ramping effects in Adobe After Effects.
How To: Color correct in After Effects
In this video tutorial, Jerzy Drozda Jr (aka Maltaannon) demonstrates how to change the look and feel of your footage easily with his new, useful CustomEffect for color correction in After Effects. His tool is a wrapper around Adobe Color Balance plugin and you can get it from the Creator site link. Color correct in After Effects.
How To: Create per-character 3D text in After Effects CS3
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow leader Aharon Rabinowitz introduces you to the Per-Character 3D Text animation feature in After Effects CS3. Previously, you could only animate characters individually in x and y, but with this new tool you can do it in z as well. Create per-character 3D text in After Effects CS3.
How To: Write with light in After Effects
In the first tutorial, Creative Cow leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to use After Effects to simulate the popular light writing effect seen in recent Sprint commercials. The second video shows you how to improve the look of the light writing effect by adding intense points of light and other improvement ideas. This is an advanced tutorial so you should be comfortable with After Effects before starting. The beginning of the video explains what you should know or review first. Write with ...
How To: Rotoscope in Mocha
In this two part tutorial, Aaron Zander takes an introductory look at Imagineer's Mocha and its toolset. Mocha is a rotoscoping software and is often used in conjunction with After Effects. Aaron demonstrates some basic rotoscoping to be applied into a Gatorade style look. Video two takes a look at linking splines to other tracks, adjusting tracks and keyframes, and rendering. Rotoscope in Mocha - Part 1 of 2.
How To: Generate snow using Particle Playground
Jerzy Drozda Jr (aka Maltaannon) demonstrates how to generate snow using Particle Playground in After Effects. He'll also shows how to make the snow stick to other layers in your composition. The tutorial concentrates on making snow stick to actors and things more than on being realistic looking snow. Generate snow using Particle Playground.
How To: Use Brainstorm in After Effects CS3
Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how get the most out of Brainstorm, a new feature in AE CS3 that lets you visualize randomized layer properties and effects. Use Brainstorm in After Effects CS3.
How To: Create an animation in one layer in After Effects
In this quick tip for after effects users, CreativeCOW contributing editor, Bob Thompson creates a complex looking animation using only a camera, 3d layer, null object, and some duplicated layers. In only minutes, you can get an animated look with only one layer to worry about to control the motion. It's a quick fix to let you spend more time on other facets of your project workflow. Create an animation in one layer in After Effects.
How To: Create smoking letters in After Effects
Creative Cow contributing editor Eran Stern demonstrates a quick, easy way to make a smoky title effect. Create smoking letters in After Effects.
How To: Turn a sunny day into a cloudy day using After Effects
In this three part After Effects tutorial, Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to change the weather from a sunny day at the beach to a very cloudy day, with a chance of showers. Part one goes over color correction and compositing, part two covers how to add rain to your shot, as well as drops of water on the camera, and part three shows how to add realistic lightning to the shot. Turn a sunny day into a cloudy day using After Effects - Part 1 of 3.
How To: Create cloning and levitation effects in After Effects
Have you ever wondered how there could be so many Agent Smiths appearing at the same time in the Matrix trilogy? Or do you want to wow your friends with a magic trick that you haven't even begun to learn? In this video tutorial you will learn how to create cool clone and levitation effects for your videos using Adobe After Effects.
How To: Lip-sync in After Effects
In this video tutorial, CreativeCOW leader Aharon Rabinowitz shares some animation techniques for character lip-syncing in Adobe After Effects. This is not just the simple method of using open- and closed-mouths -- rather, Aharon covers the more advanced use of phonemes, which are the different mouth shapes formed by a person when making various sounds in a spoken language. Lip-sync in After Effects.
How To: Combine fractal noise effects in After Effects
After a while, all effects start to seem the same, or maybe similar. See how to combine effects with fractal noise to add some variations and new twists to your projects in this After Effects tutorial. Combine fractal noise effects in After Effects.
How To: Use Photoshop & Illustrator text in After Effects
In this video tutorial, Aharon Rabinowitz shares tips on working with Photoshop and Illustrator Text, as well as a few other text-related hints in After Effects. These tips will keep you from having to go back to Photoshop to edit the text. Use Photoshop & Illustrator text in After Effects.
How To: Use expression controls in After Effects
If you know After Effects, you know how important expressions are to your workflow, but you may have forgotten about the expression controls. In this three part tutorial Aharon Rabinowitz introduces you to expression controls, a series of effects designed only for use with After Effects. The third video has the most advanced tools for experienced users. Use expression controls in After Effects - Part 1 of 3.
How To: Create a heart monitor in After Effects
Not a fan of the Dr.'s office? Well, next time you need an EKG done, create your own! In this After Effects tutorial, Creative Cow leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to build your own EKG Machine in the comfort of your own home (or office). (Flatline not included) Create a heart monitor in After Effects.
How To: Use null objects to control animation in After Effects
In this tutorial, Creative Cow leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how working with Null objects lets you get better control of your animation. He also shares a technique for using nulls to make 3D camera motion easier. Use null objects to control animation in After Effects.
How To: Simulate air flow over an object in After Effects
In this video tutorial, Creative Cow Leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to simulate airflow over an object by using the After Effects CS3 puppet tools with a particle system. Simulate air flow over an object in After Effects.
How To: Control layers in After Effects using motion math
Use motion math and layers in Adobe After Effects to establish a moving relationship between two objects. Control layers in After Effects using motion math.
How To: Work with the scribble effect in After Effects
Creative Cow Leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to create Scribble-like animation with shapes and text in After Effects. You will need Illustrator for some parts of the tutorial. Work with the scribble effect in After Effects - Part 1 of 2.
How To: Create "horror movie" text in After Effects
Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to make ''Horror Movie'' style text appear on a wall in part one of this After Effect tutorial. In part two you'll make it actually run down the wall and look like it's really on the wall, not just over it. Take this bloody text idea and get creative with your own rendition! Create "horror movie" text in After Effects - Part 1 of 2.
How To: Create a flock of birds in After Effects
In part 1 of this video tutorial, Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to build and animate a bird in After Effects 3D. In part 2, it will join a flock of birds. You'll use looping animation to do the effect. Create a flock of birds in After Effects - Part 1 of 2.
How To: Create a custom wave form in After Effects
In the first part of this After Effects tutorial, Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to create a customized, sound-reactive waveform using a stroke, a distortion effect and an expression. One reason you may want to do this is if you need a rounded wave (ie: a sine wave). Once you have your rounded wave, part two shows you how to improve the look of the customized waveform by changing it's amplitude Create a custom wave form in After Effects - Part 1 of 2.
How To: Animate a signature in After Effects
Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to animate a signature appearing on screen, and a few tricks to make it look more realistic. What a great way to liven up an online resume! You don't need to watch part 2 to finish your animated signature, but if you want to add in the pen, watch part two. Please note, part two utilizes After Effects 3D. Animate a signature in After Effects - Part 1 of 2.
How To: Deal with the keyframe boomerang effect in AE
Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to handle the annoying (and sometimes crippling) boomerang effect, in which a layer moves randomly between two spatial keyframes that are exactly the same. This is a two part tutorial on fixing moving keyframes (the trick is to manipulate the animation curves!) in After Effects. Deal with the keyframe boomerang effect in AE - Part 1 of 2.
How To: Nest and pre-composite in After Effects
Aharon Rabinowitz explains the basics of nesting and pre-composing compositions in After Effects. Part one of this video gives you some good conceptual ideas and basics that you can later apply to your own compositions. Part two goes over more examples of why and how you'd want to use them. Nest and pre-composite in After Effects - Part 1 of 2.
How To: Work with Adobe Clip Notes in After Effects
In this podcast tutorial, Creative Cow leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to export your video as Adobe Clip Notes. Part 1 will show you how to prepare and export your After Effects composition so your notes appear in a PDF document alongside the video. Part two shows you how to use them and export them back to After Effects. Work with Adobe Clip Notes in After Effects - Part 1 of 2.
How To: Create an odometer in After Effects
This After Effects podcast tutorial by Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to set up a basic odometer, ready for manual keyframed animation. If you've been wanting to create an odometer or slot machine display, this tutorial will get you on your way. The second part goes over automating the odometer with expressions and the third makes it more three-dimensional. Create an odometer in After Effects - Part 1 of 3.
How To: Use displacement maps in After Effects
In this 3-part series on Displacement Mapping, Creative Cow Leader Aharon Rabinowitz covers the basics of using this effect in both After Effects 6.5 and 7. This highly detailed tutorial will get you started on distorting your footage with displacement maps. Please note, you must have After Effects PRO to do these effects. Use displacement maps in After Effects - Part 1 of 3.