After Effects Guru – Working with Photoshop Files

On July 26, 2018

Release date:2014, October 14

Duration:01 h 59 m

Author:Ian Robinson

Skill level:Intermediate

Language:English

Exercise files:Yes

Photoshop is well suited for creating initial concept boards, storyboarding, and preparing elements for animation in After Effects. By doing this prep work in Photoshop, you can save precious render time later in the animation process. In this course, After Effects guru Ian Robinson shows how use channels and masks to isolate selected elements from stills. He also creates storyboards in Photoshop and optimizes those documents to speed up the next step in the process: animation in After Effects. Plus, learn how to create depth mattes, correct lens distortion and sharpen video using Photoshop’s video editing capabilities, and use the data sets modular workflow to speed up creation of repetitive elements like lower thirds.

Topics include:

Isolating still images with channels and masks
Preparing layer groups for After Effects
Working with layer styles and vector shapes
Importing compositions in After Effects
Converting Photoshop type
Animating with layer styles and depth mattes
Fixing video issues in Photoshop
Creating data sets

Table of Contents

0. Introduction
Welcome 2m 3s
What you should know before watching this course 18s
Using the exercise files 1m 34s
1. Isolating Still Elements for Animation
Isolating elements with channels 10m 7s
Creating masks with selections and Refine Edge 8m 3s
Refining masks with Refine masks 7m 48s
2. Optimizing Photoshop Files for After Effects
Optimizing masks for use in After Effects 6m 21s
Preparing layer groups for After Effects 7m 35s
Working with layer styles and vector shapes 6m 51s
Creating depth mattes 6m 41s
3. Animating Photoshop Files in After Effects
Importing as compositions 3m 50s
Reorganizing layer groups and masks 8m
Generating graphics from shapes 5m 20s
Converting Photoshop type 4m 39s
Animating with layer styles 6m 37s
Animating with depth mattes 3m 37s
4. Using Photoshop to Fix Video
Using Smart Objects 5m 4s
Fixing lens distortion 4m 19s
Refining video with Smart Sharpen and blur reduction 6m 49s
5. Working Smarter with Data Sets
Understanding data sets 51s
Creating data sets 6m 44s
Animating lower thirds with data sets 5m 53s
Conclusion
Finishing up 31s