Liquid Logo Animation in After Effects - After Effects Tutorial - No Third Party Plugins

Avnish Parker
18 Jul 201714:12
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this After Effects tutorial, the focus is on creating a dynamic and visually appealing 'liquid logo animation'. The process begins with setting up a new composition and creating a solid layer named 'liquid lines'. Using the pen tool, a path is drawn for the lines to follow, which is then animated using the 'CC Particle System' effect to simulate a flowing line. Adjustments are made to the particle settings to achieve a desired look, and the path is copied and pasted into the position parameter for animation. The animation is further refined with the addition of the 'Simple Choker' effect to create a solid line appearance and by tweaking various settings for a more attractive result. The tutorial also covers creating a 'Splash ring' effect and animating it to burst outward. The logo is then added and animated using the 'Zoom Wobbling' preset for a synchronized entrance with the bursts. Throughout the tutorial, the emphasis is on customizing the animation to match one's logo colors and design preferences, concluding with tips on adjusting the animation timing and adding a background to complete the project.

Takeaways
  • 🎬 Start by opening After Effects and creating a new composition named 'liquid logo animation' with a resolution of 1920x1080 at 30 frames per second.
  • πŸ–ŒοΈ Create a new solid layer, rename it to 'liquid lines', and use a black color with the same size as the composition for the background.
  • πŸ“ Use the pen tool to draw a path for the animation, ensuring the lines follow the desired animation path.
  • πŸ”„ Apply the 'cc particle system' effect to create particles that will follow the mask path, adjusting settings to resemble a line.
  • πŸŒ€ Change the particle system's physics settings, such as velocity and animation type, to achieve a circular motion.
  • 🎨 Customize the particle appearance by adjusting the particle type, size variation, opacity, and colors to match the logo's theme.
  • πŸ“‰ Use the 'simple choker' effect to create a solid line appearance from the particle system.
  • βœ‚οΈ Duplicate and modify layers to introduce additional details and variations to the animation.
  • πŸ”„ Flip and transform duplicated layers for a more dynamic scene, adjusting settings like choke mat and velocity for differentiation.
  • πŸ’§ Animate a 'splash ring' using the ellipse tool and shape animations to create a burst effect when the line glides.
  • 🌟 Apply the 'roughen edges' effect to the burst animation for a more natural, smoke-like reaction.
  • πŸ“ Add and animate a logo layer using the 'Zoom wobbling' preset to synchronize with the burst animations.
  • πŸ–ΌοΈ Compose the final animation with the logo, bursts, and any chosen background to complete the liquid logo animation.
Q & A
  • What is the name of the new composition created in After Effects?

    -The new composition is named 'liquid logo animation'.

  • What is the resolution and frame rate used for the composition?

    -The resolution used is 1920x1080 and the frame rate is 30 frames per second.

  • How do you create the 'liquid lines' layer?

    -Create a new solid, rename it to 'liquid lines', set it to the composition size, and use a black color for it.

  • What tool is used to draw the path for the lines?

    -The pen tool is used to draw the path for the lines.

  • How is the mask path used to animate the line?

    -The mask path is copied (Ctrl+C) and pasted (Ctrl+V) into the position property of the CC Particle System effect to animate the line.

  • What settings are adjusted in the CC Particle System to make it look like a line?

    -The birth rate is changed to 50, longevity to 0.6, velocity to zero, animation type to vortex, and gravity to zero.

  • How do you change the particle type to create a tail effect?

    -Change the particle type to 'The Faded Sphere', death size to zero, size variation to 100%, and opacity map to constant with max opacity at 100%.

  • What effect is used to make the line appear as a single entity without particles?

    -The 'Simple Choker' effect is applied to achieve this.

  • How do you adjust the animation timing for the line to disappear?

    -Add a keyframe to the birth rate, move forward about 10 frames, change the birth rate value to zero, and then align the keyframes with the animation.

  • What is the process to create a dynamic scene with multiple lines?

    -Duplicate the layers, flip them horizontally and vertically, and adjust settings like choke mat and velocity to make each line look distinct.

  • How do you create a splash ring animation?

    -Use the ellipse tool to create a stroke circle, animate the scale and stroke width, and apply the 'Roughen Edges' effect for a smoke-like reaction.

  • How do you synchronize the logo animation with the bursts?

    -Place the logo on top of all layers, precompose it, and apply the 'Zoom Wobbling' preset to start the animation at the same time as the bursts.

Outlines
00:00
🎨 Creating a Liquid Logo Animation in After Effects

This paragraph introduces an After Effects tutorial focusing on creating a liquid logo animation. The process involves opening After Effects, setting up a new composition with a specified resolution and frame rate, and creating a solid layer named 'liquid lines'. The user is instructed to use the pen tool to draw a path for the lines to follow and adjust the curves for a smoother animation. The mask path is then utilized to animate the line using the built-in 'cc particle system' effect. Settings are adjusted to achieve the desired line appearance, including birth rate, longevity, physics properties like velocity and gravity, and animation type. The mask path is copied and pasted into the position property of the effect to animate the particles along the path. Keyframes are used to control the animation's timing and the graph editor is employed to fine-tune the speed of the animation. The particle type is changed to 'The Faded Sphere', and various settings are modified to create a tail effect and adjust the particle appearance. The colors are customized to match a logo's color scheme.

05:00
🌟 Adding Details and Disappearing Effects to the Animation

The second paragraph describes the process of refining the animation by using the 'simple choke' effect to create a single, solid line appearance from the particle system. Keyframing techniques are used to make the line disappear at a specific point in the animation. The user is shown how to adjust the birth rate and align keyframes for synchronization. A duplicate of the line is made for additional details, with changes to the color and choke mat value to create variation. The layers are replicated and transformed using horizontal and vertical flips to add dynamism. Further customization is done by adjusting the velocity and inherit velocity for each line to achieve a unique look. The paragraph concludes with the creation of a 'Splash ring' effect, using the shape and stroke tools to draw a circle that will serve as the ring. The animation of the ring is initiated by keyframing the scale and stroke width properties.

10:01
πŸ”΅ Animate and Integrate the Logo with the Liquid Effect

The final paragraph details the steps to animate a ring named 'burst' and to add the user's logo into the composition. The 'burst' animation is refined by adjusting the scale and stroke width keyframes for a smoother transition. The 'roughen edges' effect is applied to the ring to give it a more natural, smoke-like appearance. A duplicate of the 'burst' is created, renamed 'burst blue', and adjusted to follow the first burst animation with a matching color scheme. The logo is then added on top of all layers, precomposed, and scaled to the desired size. An animation effect called 'Zoom wobbling' is applied to the logo to synchronize its movement with the bursts. The animation timing is fine-tuned using keyframes and the graph editor. The tutorial concludes with the suggestion to add a background of choice to complete the project.

Mindmap
Keywords
πŸ’‘After Effects
After Effects is a digital visual effects, motion graphics, and compositing application developed by Adobe Systems. In the video, it is the primary software used to create the liquid logo animation, showcasing its capabilities for motion graphics and visual effects.
πŸ’‘Composition
In After Effects, a composition is a collection of layers that together form a single animation or video sequence. The script mentions creating a new composition called 'liquid logo animation', which is the workspace where the entire project is assembled.
πŸ’‘Solid
A solid in After Effects is a layer that serves as a background or a base for other visual elements. The script describes creating a new solid layer and renaming it to 'liquid lines', which will later be used to draw a path for the animation.
πŸ’‘Pen Tool
The Pen Tool in After Effects is used to create and manipulate vector shapes and paths. The video script instructs on using the Pen Tool to draw a path for the 'liquid lines', which the particles will follow in the animation.
πŸ’‘CC Particle System
CC Particle System is an inbuilt plugin in After Effects that creates particle effects. The script details applying this effect to the solid layer to generate a line of particles that move along the path created with the Pen Tool.
πŸ’‘Mask Path
A mask path in After Effects defines the outline or shape that can be used to hide or reveal parts of a layer. The video uses the mask path to animate the line by copying it to the position property of the CC Particle System.
πŸ’‘Ease
Easing in After Effects refers to the adjustment of the speed curve of an animation to make it appear smoother. The script describes using the Ease function to adjust the keyframes of the particle animation to stop quickly compared to the start.
πŸ’‘Particle Type
In the context of the CC Particle System, the particle type determines the appearance of the individual particles. The video script changes the particle type to 'The Faded Sphere' to create a specific visual effect for the animation.
πŸ’‘Choker
Choker is an effect in After Effects that can be used to create a secondary animation effect on the particles, making them appear as if they are being 'choked' or constricted. The script uses the Choker effect to turn the particle line into a single, solid line.
πŸ’‘Flip Horizontal/Vertical
These are transformations in After Effects that allow the user to mirror an element along the horizontal or vertical axis. The script describes using 'Flip Horizontal' and 'Flip Vertical' to create a dynamic scene with mirrored layers.
πŸ’‘Ellipse Tool
The Ellipse Tool in After Effects is used to create ellipses or circles. In the video, it is used to draw a stroke circle for the 'Splash ring' animation, which is later animated to create a burst effect.
πŸ’‘Zoom Wobbling
Zoom Wobbling is a preset effect that can be applied to layers to create an animated zooming and wobbling effect. The script mentions adding this preset to the logo layer to synchronize its animation with the burst effects.
Highlights

The tutorial begins by opening After Effects and creating a new composition named 'liquid logo animation' with a resolution of 1920x1080 at 30 frames per second.

A new solid layer is created and renamed to 'liquid lines', using the same size as the composition and a black color.

The pen tool is used to draw a custom path for the lines to follow, with the option to adjust the curves of the paths for smoother animations.

The mask path is utilized to animate the lines using the 'cc particle system' effect, which is an inbuilt plugin in After Effects.

Settings are adjusted for the 'cc particle system' to create a line effect, including birth rate, longevity, velocity, and animation type.

The mask path is copied and pasted onto the position parameter of the 'cc particle system' to animate the particles along the path.

Keyframes are used to adjust the particle movement, and the graph editor is employed to fine-tune the animation's speed and stop.

Particle type is changed to 'The Faded Sphere', and various settings like death size, size variation, and opacity map are modified for visual effects.

The color of the particles is customized to match the logo color, with birth color and max opacity adjustments.

The 'simple choker' effect is applied to create a single line appearance with a flat look, and the choke mat value is increased for a more defined line.

Keyframes are manipulated to control the timing of the line's disappearance, ensuring it matches the overall animation sequence.

Duplicate layers are created for added detail, with adjustments to color and choke mat value for visual variety.

The layers are flipped horizontally and vertically to add dynamism to the scene and differentiate between them.

Settings such as choker, velocity, and inherit velocity are tweaked for each line to achieve a unique look and motion.

A 'Splash ring' is created using the ellipse tool with a solid color stroke and no fill, sized at 50 pixels for a prominent effect.

The 'burst' animation is achieved by animating the scale and stroke width of the ring, with keyframes set for a dynamic expansion and disappearance.

The 'roughen edges' effect is applied to the burst to give it a more organic and smoke-like reaction.

Duplicate bursts are created with different colors and timings to complement the logo animation.

The logo is added and precomposed with all attributes moved into a new composition for easier animation control.

The 'Zoom wobbling' preset is used to animate the logo, with keyframe adjustments for timing to synchronize with the bursts.

The final step involves adding a background of choice and completing the animation, with a reminder that users can customize paths and colors to suit their needs.

Transcripts
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