Udemy
    •  
    •  
    •  
    •  
    •  
    •  
    •  
    •  
Turn what you know into an opportunity and reach millions around the world.
Learn More
Your cart is empty.
Keep shopping
Animate with Depth: Cameras, Lights and 3D Layers in AE
Rating: 4.6 out of 5(100 ratings)
706 students

Animate with Depth: Cameras, Lights and 3D Layers in AE

Learn to master 3D composition and animation in Adobe After Effects with this thorough, step-by-step guide
Created byRich Armstrong
Last updated 9/2019
English
English [Auto],

What you'll learn

  • Create 3D compositions, from Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop layers, inside Adobe After Effects
  • Add and animate cameras and lights inside compositions Create 3D animations productively and with greater understanding.
  • Set up your Photoshop and Illustrator documents for After Effects importing
  • Create 3D layers in After Effects.
  • Change and animate 3D layer properties.
  • Add and animate cameras.
  • Add and animate lights.
  • Understand the different types of lights and cameras.
  • Understand material options layers can have.
  • Work with Depth of field, camera blur, orientation, aperture and focus distance.
  • Easily navigate compositions with a lot of lights, shadows and layers.
  • Be productive and efficient when working with many layers.
  • Understand the concept of 2.5D.
  • Add multiple views to view your scene with.
  • Work with parenting and precomposition
  • Create different camera angles.
  • Preview your work quickly
  • Render and compress animations.

Course content

1 section • 22 lectures • 3h 9m total length

  • Introduction1:48

    Learn to animate with depth in After Effects by importing Illustrator or Photoshop artwork, then use cameras, lights, and 3D layers to create an animated 3D postcard.

  • The 2.5D Stage0:58

    This is a short lecture explaining the 3D space you will be working in.

  • Get Your Artwork into After Effects8:29

    This lecture shows you how to set up your documents for the best results, and easiest manipulation.

    If you're pressed for time, I've provided an Illustrator file containing many (and more) of the elements I used to create my animated postcard. Feel free to use it as a starting point – arrange, scale, rotate, change colors etc, before importing into and animating in After Effects.

  • Get Your Artwork into After Effects
  • Arranging Your Layers in 3D Space12:41
  • Arranging Your Layers in 3D Space
  • Adding Cameras10:38

    Add a camera in after effects to create perspective and depth with depth of field, then adjust position in 3d space, point of interest, zoom, and focus distance.

  • Adding Cameras
  • Parenting 3D Layers9:12
  • Parenting 3D Layers
  • Precomping 3D Layers9:41
  • Precomping 3D Layers
  • Animating Cameras and 3D layers25:30
  • Animating Cameras and 3D layers
  • Rendering4:05
  • Rendering
  • Project Time17:11
  • And There Was Light9:49

    Learn to add and control spotlights in After Effects, using light settings like intensity, cone angle, fall off, and shadows to shape mood and depth across layered compositions.

  • And there was light
  • More Lights9:23
  • More Lights
  • Material Options10:10
  • Material Options
  • Useful Camera Techniques7:58
  • Useful Camera Techniques
  • Rollercoaster Cameras and Auto orientation9:25

    Explore three camera setups in After Effects - two-node, one-node, and orienting along a path - to create roller-coaster style animations with auto orientation and points of interest.

  • Multiple Camera Angles11:53

    Master multiple camera angles in After Effects, switch between camera 1 and camera 2 with layer visibility, and coordinate 3D layers, lights, and compositions for smooth transitions.

  • Multiple Camera Angles
  • Make Better Stuff Faster7:00
  • Make Better Stuff Faster
  • The Flickering Layers Issue11:42
  • Your Project1:12

    Create your own animated 3-D city postcard by starting with a doodle sketch and static artwork, then arranging and animating in 3-D space, finally rendering and sharing to social platforms.

  • Conclusion1:02

    Experiment with animations in After Effects by testing techniques and rendering videos to discover what you like; share your city animations on social media for feedback.

  • Bonus! Layer-art in After Effects4:46
  • Bonus! Make a cube5:16

    Create a cube in After Effects by turning square shape layers into 3D faces, duplicating and rotating them into six positions, and using a camera to view the result.

Requirements

  • You need to have Adobe After Effects installed on your Mac or PC. The course is recorded using After Effects CC.
  • Some foreknowledge of After Effects will be beneficial, but you’ll be able to take the course if you’ve never opened After Effects before – especially if you’re comfortable with Illustrator or Photoshop.

Description

Take your animation skills to the next level by learning all about 3D layers, cameras, and lights in Adobe After Effects. In this class, you’ll learn how to bring your 2D artwork into the 3rd dimension with After Effects. Your flat artwork will become alive in space, giving it depth and energy.

You can watch this course in just over 3 hours, but to cement your knowledge I recommend creating your very own animated 3D postcard of your favourite city, which could take 5-30 hours, depending on your design, animation technique, and duration of animation.

The course is structured into 22 videos, each covering a specific topic. The videos build upon previous video as I show you how I go about creating a 3D animation, based off of some flat 2D Illustrator artwork.

You don’t have to get into big and fancy 3D applications to have fun with 3D. Use your current Photoshop and Illustrator skillset in combination with After Effects to bring your flat-designs to life – it’s not such a big jump to go from Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop to Adobe After Effects. They all play really nicely with each other.

Besides getting into 3D with Adobe After Effects, there are a bunch of tips and tricks you’ll pick up even if you’re an After Effects and 3D pro. That being said, this class is meant for beginner to intermediate students, who have a little bit of experience in Adobe After Effects.

Come have fun and create an awesome piece of motion graphics with me!

Here’s what we cover:

In this class we cover everything from importing correctly set up files to rendering awesome animations. There are in-depth videos about 3D layer properties, different types of cameras and camera settings, the kinds of lights you can add to your scene, precomposing and parenting layers, being productive in After Effects, adding multiple views, animating layers in a 3D space, and many more tips and tricks.

Who this course is for:

  • The target audience of this course is designers and animators who want to learn how to make use of their existing 2D skillset to create 3D scenes and animations.
  • A designer or illustrator who’d like to see their flat-artwork come to life through animation and 3D layout
  • An animator who wants to learn more about working with 3D in After Effects.
  • Don’t take this class if you’re comfortable working with 3D in After Effects and other 3D apps.

Report abuse