After Effects Lesson 6

Creating the Composition

1. Click Composition > New Composition.

2. Choose the Preset as HDTV 24.
3. Ensure the px rate is set at 1920 x 1080.
4. Set duration to five seconds.

Create a Text Layer

This Fractal Noise Layer will act as the main shockwave effect for the animation.

1. Select the Type Tool

2. Click in your Composition window to begin typing and write your name.
3. Adjust the font size so that it takes up at least half the composition.
4. Adjust the font so that you have an interesting typography.
5. Select your name layer in the timeline and Pre-Compose it into its own
composition by going Layer>Pre-Compose (CTRL/CMD+SHIFT+C).
6. Name it Paint.

Applying Paint

Next we will need to paint over our text.

1. Select your brush tool.

2. Right/CTRL click on your Paint composition in the timeline and choose Open
Layer.
3. Make sure you have a solid brush tip selected from the brush options.

4. Begin to paint over your letters. You must do this in continuous strokes for each
letter or part of the letter. Every time you use the brush a new brush effect is
applied.

Adjusting the Paint Effects

1. In the timeline search bar type end. This will bring up the end effects for the
paint animation.
2. Use CTRL to select all brush end properties, ensure you are at the beginning of
the timeline and activate keyframing.
3. Set the End value to 0%.
4. Now adjust each brush layer by dragging it right so as to create the effect
that the text is being written on the composition.
5. Finally select all these keyframes and apply Easy Ease (right-click>Keyframe
Assistant>Easy Ease)

Applying the Write-On effect

1. Duplicate the Paint Layer and name the duplicate Font ensuring it now sits
above the Paint layer.
2. Select the font layer and delete the Paint effect (you can do this by
highlighting the paint effect in your effect controls window and pressing
delete).
3. Ensure that you have switches toggled on (shortcut is F4).

4. Change the TrkMat (Track Matte) value on the Paint composition layer to
Alpha Matte Font.
 5. Finally in the Paint options in the Effects Panel select the Paint on Transparent
option.

You now have created a write-on effect.

Adjusting your text

Now that we have a basic write on effect we can make all the adjustments we
want. Try out some of the following

Change the colour

1. Select the Paint layer and choose Effect>Generate>Fill to change the colour
of the text.

Making it Look More Like Handwriting

1. Select the Paint or Font layer and choose Effect>Stylise>Roughen Edges and
adjust the values to your writing.

Adjust Your Timings

1. Pre-compose the Font and Paint Layers into their own composition.
2. Right/Ctrl Click the new composition in the timeline layer and select
Time>Time remapping.
3. Activate a keyframe at the end of the animation and drag it to a new time to
either rspeed up or slow down your write-on effect.

Expand or Shrink the Text

1. Apply a simple choker effect to your Paint layer Effects>Matte>Simple Choker

and place it above the Roughen Edges effect.