- Getting started
- Importing footage using Adobe Bridge
- Creating a new composition
- Working with imported Illustrator layers
- Applying effects to a layer
- Applying an animation preset
- Precomposing layers for a new animation
- Previewing the effects
- Adding transparency
- Rendering the composition
- Review questions
- Review answers
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Working with imported Illustrator layers
The BlueCrabLogo graphic was created in Illustrator; your job in After Effects is to add text and animate it. To work with the layers of the Illustrator file independently of the background footage, you’ll open the BlueCrabLogo composition in its own Timeline and Composition panels.
Double-click the BlueCrabLogo composition in the Project panel.
The composition opens in its own Timeline and Composition panels.
Select the Horizontal Type tool (
) in the Tools panel, and click in the Composition panel.Type EXPLORE HAWAII, all capital letters, and then select all of the text you just entered. Notice that the generic Text 1 layer name in the Timeline panel changes to EXPLORE HAWAII, the text you typed.
In the Character panel, select a sans serif typeface such as Impact, and change the font size to 80 pixels. Click the eyedropper (
) in the Character panel, and click the outer border on the logo to select the yellow color. After Effects applies it to the text you typed. Leave all other options in the Character panel at their defaults.You’ll position the text you just typed using a guide.
Select the Selection tool (
) in the Tools panel.Choose View > Show Rulers, and then drag a guide from the top ruler into the Composition panel.
Right-click or Control-click the guide, click Edit Position, type 120 in the Edit Value dialog box, and click OK. The guide moves to the position you specified.
Drag the text so that it is centered over the image, snapping its bottom side to the guide.
Drag another guide from the top ruler, right-click or Control-click it, click Edit Position, type 150 in the Edit Value dialog box, and click OK.
In the Timeline panel, select the background layer, and then Shift-select the text layer to select all three logo layers. Align the top of the logo with the lower guide.
Choose View > Show Rulers, and then choose View > Show Guides, to hide the ruler and the guide.
Choose File > Save to save your work.
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