Article Focus:
Now that Shatter is included in the filter set of After Effects 5.5, many users are asking how to use this effect. In this tutorial, Ben Unguren demonstrates a very simple technique to help get you started with Shatter.
I still feel like an amateur when I use this effect, but I think the following tutorial might be helpful for beginners that want to acquaint themselves with Shatter.
here is a sample of what we are going to make (228 KB)
A key to making Shatter work the way you want is to use a gradient layer, or a separate layer that tells the Shattter effect how to behave (this will make more sense later on). You can make your gradient layer in Photoshop, Illustrator, or another graphic program, then import the file into After Effects. You can also make the layer in After Effects itself, which it what we will do:
Open After Effects
Make a new Composition (Composition New Composition...)
Name your new comp ramp, choose the Medium, 320x240 preset, and set your duration to about 10 seconds:
In your new ramp composition, create a new Solid (Layer New Solid...)
Name your Solid ramp and click Make Comp Size. Click OK.
Apply the Ramp filter to your Solid (Effect Render Ramp)
For now, leave all the effects settings as they are. Your gradient is complete:
MAKE YOUR LAYER TO BE SHATTERED
The Shatter effect, well, shatters a layer. Therefore, we are going to make something for it to shatter. For this tutorial (as the above movie shows) we are going to shatter text. We will make this in After Effects again, though again you can make this layer in another graphics program like Photoshop or Illustrator.
Make another new Composition (Composition New Composition...)
Name it text, choose the Medium 320x240 preset again, and click OK.
In your text composition, create a new Solid. (Layer New Solid...)
Name your Solid text and click Make Comp Size, just as before. Click OK
To your text Solid, apply the Basic Text effect (Effect Text Basic Text)
In the window that appears, type in a nice message and click OK:
Adjust the Basic Text Settings as desired (try to fill as much of the screen as possible for this exercise):
Creating an After Effects Sunrise Play Video Rob Mize shows how to create the effect of a sunrise using only After Effects and a background graphic. This project employs techniques using masks, solids, shapes and effects that can be useful for a variety of projects. Whether creating this effect or some other, After Effects is a great way to start the day.
What's new in After Effects CS6: Shapes from Vector Layers Play Video In this tutorial, Kevin P McAuliffe shows you how, using the great new "Create Shapes from Vector Layers" command in After Effects CS6, you can create 3D extruded client logos in minutes, as opposed to having to wait hours for a 3D application to render it out.
AE Basics 44: Shaping Text And Advanced Options Play Video AE Basics - A Creative COW series for new users of Adobe After Effects. Lesson 44: In this (more advanced) tutorial, Andrew Devis shows the options to change the way text moves through its range and explains how to change this from the default smooth animation to a much more 'digital' or abrupt instant change. Andrew then goes on to demonstrate more of the advanced options in the timeline to 'shape' your text so that it can have a more interesting or dramatic look allowing for the type of animation that would be very difficult to achieve otherwise.
Create a Rotating Counter TWO: Adding & Adjusting a Bounce Play Video In the second part of this 2 part tutorial, Andrew Devis shows how to animate the rotation of this group of layers as well as how use and adjust an expression that ships with After Effects to have the layers bounce in place as they stop which can give the sense of the counter having some real mechanical properties rather than just a linear of easy-ease keyframe approach.
Create a Rotating Counter ONE: Positioning 3D Layers Play Video In the first part of this 2 part tutorial, Andrew Devis shows how to create and place layers in 3d space such that they can be rotated as a single group to be used for a rotating counter. Andrew shows how to create and place the layers using both the math function of AE as well as a handy and simple expression that places layers a fixed distance or rotation from the previous layer. He then goes on the show how to create and use a controller for the multiple layers so that they act as a single group.
In the next tutorial, Andrew will show how to animate the rotation of this group of layers as well as how use and adjust an expression that ships with After Effects to have the layers bounce in place as they stop which can give the sense of the counter having some real mechanical properties rather than just a linear of easy-ease keyframe approach.
In the history of computing, including the extension to the notion of what actually falls under the guise of history - let's face it, smartphones are really just diminutive computers in a somewhat flimsy disguise - an often overlooked aspect of the entire discussion is something absolutely core to the idea of how these communications devices interface with us - the venerable keyboard.
Introducing After Effects CS6 - Extruded Text and Shapes Play Video In this introductory tutorial to the new 3D capabilities of After Effects CS6, Kevin P McAuliffe shows the basics of how to extrude text and shapes inside of After Effects CS6, and also shows how tight integration with Adobe's Illustrator will have you creating powerful client logos in minutes, instead of in separate 3D applications.
Adobe After Effects: Compositing Actors in Virtual 3D Sets Play Video Rob Mize follows up his Creating Virtual 3D Sets tutorial with this demonstration of how to composite real-life actors into these 3 dimensional environments. Learn how to create an effective sense of interaction between your actors and their virtual environment using only your green screened footage and AE's 3D capabilities.
Panning Large Scenes Using Target Layers in 3D Play Video In this follow-on tutorial to his short series on working in 3D space, Andrew Devis shows how to use this simple technique to quickly and accurately pan around large layers/compositions to zoom in to the exact point required each time. You'll use target layers to get the exact coordinates needed for accurate panning - simple but effective!
New Composition...)
Reply
Like
