Projection Mapping for Beginners

Learn hardware essentials for projection mapping, including 1080p short-throw projectors, video playback options like Micah player or Roku, audio solutions, and enclosure options from Digital Press Works or Lucido systems.

For projection mapping, choose a short throw projector with about 4000 lumens and 1080p (1920x1080) resolution to balance brightness and detail within your budget.

Compare brightness and resolution across four projectors from 1024x768 to 1920x1080, noting lumens from about 3400 to 4000 for a strong projection mapping show.

Compare regular and short throw projectors to cover a house, learn how distance affects coverage and brightness, and use simple rules of thumb or calculators for precise mapping.

demystifies projection mapping basics and outlines essentials like aspect ratio, resolution, ansi lumens, keystone, short-throw tilt, and lamp hours with native 1080p compatibility.

Protect your projector with weatherproof enclosures, using off shelf options or DIY patterns from Digital Press Works. Ensure airflow to prevent overheating; glass or plexiglass can affect the beam.

Assess your house color, textures, and ambient light to forecast projection mapping quality, then position the projector high enough to maximize coverage and minimize shadows.

Map your house for projection by tracing the outline in mapping software with crosshairs, undo with ctrl z, and save the result as an image.

Explore an alternative projection mapping workflow using After Effects: create a bright solid, draw and duplicate masks to map house features, and align with a projector via extended displays.

Speed up After Effects workflows for projection mapping with the free FX Console plugin from Video Copilot. Use Ctrl+Space to open search bar, quickly find and apply effects, including invert.

Explore the course project folder with an After Effects project file, an example show video, an assets folder of pictures and videos, a house map, and a helpful notepad.

Explore the essential areas of After Effects for projection mapping, including the project pane, layers, timeline, and rendering to mp4.

Learn to build a polar castle facade using projection mapping in After Effects, layering textures and pictures, and adjusting opacity and perspective to fit the wall.

Learn how to use masks to confine projected imagery to specific wall areas, including drawing shapes with the pen tool, adjusting opacity, and using subtract masks for windows.

Learn how to build a master masking template in After Effects, copy and paste masks to new layers, and apply masks using alpha matte for faster multi-scene work.

Apply color correction in After Effects, using tint and hue/saturation to adjust colors, brightness, and contrast, then copy effects across bricks while considering perspective.

Add three-dimensional objects to layered projection space, mask them, and use the axes to bring items to foreground. Resize and align with garage and door lights, duplicating with control d.

Learn two methods to adjust perspective in projection mapping: convert layers to three-dimensional objects or use corner pin for precision, with precomposition for organization.

Learn to tile textures for projection mapping by applying shingles, adjusting hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast, and extending tiles using reptile and unfold for seamless large surfaces.

Import window and door images, mask to isolate them, and place them as 3D, perspective-aware elements on a facade; adjust brightness and hue for a cohesive look.

Master practical mask handling in After Effects by learning how to move, edit points, add points with G, and copy masks across layers using matching transforms and resolutions.

Apply drop shadows in After Effects to objects like windows and sconces to create real three-dimensional depth, adjusting opacity, distance, and softness, and organizing layers with precomps and masks.

Add videos and animation to a projection mapping scene by sourcing clips, placing them in window frames, looping fire effects, and masking for transparency and blending.

You have the skills to create amazing projection mapping shows with your toolbox, and short videos will cover specific effects and feedback to help you craft a holiday show.

Learn to handle non-transparent videos by using pre-keyed assets or blending modes (screen) to remove backgrounds, adjust scale, and mask spill for seamless projection mapping in sconces.

Explore practical techniques to remove backgrounds using key light, green screen, and blue screen in After Effects, including color key, change to color, and hue, lightness, and saturation adjustments.

Add a snow layer by drawing a rough mask on a solid color layer above the roof, then soften edges with feathering and adjust opacity and expansion for varied texture.

Apply Lumetri across the entire projection mapping project by pre-composing layers, then use creative looks to unify color and mood.

Apply lighting to a 3D house scene to add depth, realism, and variation, using 3D and virtual lights, cone angles, feathering, and Lumetri color coordination to highlight windows and garage.

Manipulate video timing by speeding up or slowing down playback, freezing frames, and reversing time. Learn to stack layers, time stretch, and trim with shortcuts to control start and duration.

Master keyframing to animate properties over time in projection mapping, including moving objects across the screen, scaling, rotating, and fading for smooth scene transitions.

Explore the basics of expressions in After Effects by turning keyframes into a looping rock for a bell, using loop out with ping pong and the expression editor.

Learn to animate a garage opening with keyframes, masking, and separate door and frame layers in a projection mapping workflow, using 3D transform and pre-composition to stay within the arch.

Apply projection mapping techniques to open doors on hinges by adjusting the anchor point, animating the Y rotation with keyframes, and refining the Z rotation for accurate alignment.

Apply a rotate expression with time times 100 to make a snowball roll across the scene, and use -100 to reverse the direction for the rolling effect.

Use the puppet pin tool to animate a static image by placing pins on the snowman’s hand and elbow to create a wave, with masks for static motion.

Learn how the glow effect adds warmth to images or video by adjusting intensity, radius, and threshold, and apply it to Christmas lights, sconces, windows, or translucent ghosts for pop.

Learn to apply the built-in shatter effect in After Effects to a facade, using frost buildup, transparency techniques, and a freeze-frame workflow to reveal glass shatter with adjustable piece physics.

Explore where to source assets for projection mapping, including images, videos, and effects. Learn about free and paid options, transparent backgrounds, and easy background removal with Canva, Photoshop, and Productioncrate.

Render your projection mapping final as an MP4 with Adobe Media Encoder, save the project, queue in Adobe Media Encoder, then start the render.

Explore using third-party plugins and ready-made resources to expand After Effects capabilities for projection mapping, including the saber effect from Video Copilot and templates from Envato Elements.

Learn to craft smooth scene transitions by placing each scene in a pre-composition and using opacity keyframes and masks, with Atmos effects to fade, reveal, or move between scenes.

Learn to use music and sound effects to evoke emotion and align audio with visuals in projection mapping, illustrated by a Christmas show example.

Learn to prep images for projection mapping, map them onto a house layout, apply masking, color and perspective effects, shadows, lighting, and doors and garage animations.