Vectorial Animation Frame by Frame Style with After Effects

Did you ever think it possible to get amazing results by animating without plugins? Pablo Cuello is a graphic designer specialized in character animation and After Effects is his go-to tool for creating animations with tons of personality. He was part of the Dutch production company MediaMonks, working on projects for brands such as Google, Amazon, and Red Bull when he discovered and perfected a technique to create animations in a handcrafted style without plugins.

In this course, Pablo teaches you to animate using vector layers in After Effects, with a process similar to that of frame-by-frame animation. Learn the notions of timing as well as how to animate a character expressively without software limitations.

Start by getting to know Pablo Cuello and more about his professional background, from how he got into animation to where he currently works and the kinds of jobs he does. Then, take a look at some of his main influences including various animations, anime series, artists, and movies.

Discover what’s involved in using After Effects to animate in a frame-by-frame style. Review the After Effects interface, looking at keyframes and different FPS, then explore the basic principles of animation: timing and spacing.

Now get moving on your animation project! Look for a simple yet challenging idea and transform it into a storyboard, defining the characteristics of your scenes and shots. Design an original character, create a sketch, define the style, and work with the shots in Adobe Photoshop to develop a range of poses.

Once you have everything set, arrange all the layouts you made in the After Effects timeline to create an animatic and get an initial idea of how long the animation is going to be.