Last week, I attended one of the many Alkek One workshop offerings hosted by University Libraries this semester. In the Motion Graphics for Social Media workshop, I learned some neat tricks about creating a moving picture using Adobe After Effects. I want to share some highlights with you.
The program
Adobe After Effects is one of several creative apps that Adobe offers. This software helps you create digital visual effects right from your computer. You can find it on many computers in computer labs on the San Marcos and Round Rock campuses. Just use your TXST Mobile app to search for an available computer to create your very own videos or motion graphics!
Bobcats are getting hands-on with Adobe After Effects to create motion graphics! Harley Miller, University Libraries digital design specialist is showing them how to use the program in today's Alkek One workshop.⭐️#txst pic.twitter.com/WGxG2Oxx8I
— DOIT (@TXST_DoIT) March 3, 2021
Layers and more layers
We started the workshop by importing a Photoshop file of a woman holding a lantern and many orb-like lights floating around her. The goal was to make the image look 3D and make her appear to be moving.
This workshop taught me the importance layers offer to a project. Not only is setting up your layers the right way crucial to the creative process, but the manipulation of them also sets the motion graphic in action. In this workshop, we learned how changing the “Z-axis” on 3D layers creates the illusion for these awesome motion graphics.
Two-node camera
Motion is possible by adding a virtual camera to the file. A few that we learned about in the workshop were one-node and two-node cameras. They differ from each other in their points of view.
In one-node, the camera has a first-person view, and moves in the direction of the camera. A two-node camera focuses on a distant spot and pivots around it. In our case, we created our motion picture with the use of two-node cameras.
https://twitter.com/TXST_DoIT/status/1367211228473552900
The finished image
Check out our finished image below!
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Don’t miss your chance to learn some digital skills with Alkek One workshops! They are entirely online, with the chance to go in person as well, and have a variety of topics to fit your interests! Sign up today.
Gisele Coronado is a digital marketing coordinator student worker in the IT Marketing and Communications office.
