Tips&Tricks in Adobe illustrator: Tricks in Illustrator. Possibility of creating graphics in Illustrator (compared to Adobe Flash). Guide: how to create SVG animation using After Effects CC How to create animation in Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator and After Effects
Import and simple animation Hello. Today we're looking at simple animation in After Effects.

Resources: Adobe Illustrator CC
Adobe After Effects CC

Let's start learning by drawing in Illustrator.

Let's draw
1) Draw a yellow rectangle as the background

Figure 1 - Rectangle

2) Draw a Circle and fill it with a gradient
Let's work a little on the circle:
- delete the bottom point on the contour, we get an arc;
- draw a straight line, closing the bottom of the arc, we get a semicircle


Figure 2 - 1) draw circle; 2) gradient; 3) delete point

3) Draw a Rectangle and make a copy of it
- one gray rectangle;
- another rectangle is dark gray
4) Draw a Triangle from an asterisk by setting the number of rays to 3


Figure 3 - 1) rect light; 2) rect dark; 3) triangle

5) Draw a cat using Pen and simple shapes

Figure 4 - 1) head; 2) neck; 3) body; 4) leg; 5) tail

And now the most IMPORTANT moment
Let's distribute the pictures into layers (what will be animated is on a separate layer) like this:

Figure 5 - all pics (red mark important layers)

That's it, now let's save.
Let's look at the saving settings


Figure 6 - Save

And now the next stage. Close Adobe Illustrator and open After Effects.

Import into After Effects
File - Import - File - select our saved Illustrator file.
Let's choose to import layers from Illustrator; if we put in footage, we'll get a picture with merged layers, but we don't need that.

Figure 7 - Import As Composition

That's it, imported.
Now let's see what we have. Double click according to the composition, so that it opens and we see the layers (if everything is done correctly, there will be several layers). We get this, see figure


Figure 8 - Open Composition

And now what we are here for today is Animation.

Animation in After Effects
Set the rotation point at the top of the arrow using the Pan Behind Tool (shortcut - Y). We just take a point and move it where needed. As a result it will look like this..

Figure 9 - Pan tool and Layers

That's it, now let's move on to the layers for animation.
We will need an Arrow and Head_cat layer.
Let's start with arrow.
Let's expand the list, find it and click on the clock. So we set the first point at zero second. The animation will last 2 seconds in total.
So, these are the settings you need to make (we’ll put 3 points in total):

Second 0 1 2
+66 - 70 +66
This is what it will look like:


Figure 10 - Rotation arrow

Now let's animate the cat's head.
Let's expand head_cat and find Position .
There will be 4 dots here.
Only the last coordinate will be changed without affecting the others.

Second 0.1 0.17 1.12 2.0
Position 689.3 729.3 729.3 689.3
Let's look at the picture.


Figure 11 - Position head

So, the animation principle was like this. The arrow swings from side to side, as soon as it approaches the kitten, it pulls its head in, lingers in this position for a while, and then returns it to its place.

The final stage

Production
You need to create a finished product from your work.
Go to the menu - Add to Render Queue
The Render panel will open and in the Output Module (two clicks) select the output format. I took *.mov


Figure 12 - Render

Click on the RENDER button and get the result (just don’t forget to specify the path).
That's all.

Now let's complicate the task a little - let's create an animated Flash banner. Of course, there is no need to talk about full-fledged Flash animation in this case - there are specialized packages for this. But to create a simple, amateur video, you can also use Illustrator.

There are no special tools or interface features, such as a timeline, that are typical for animation development programs in Adobe Illustrator. But there is one subtlety - you can use layers as frames.

Create a banner with only text.

  • Group the symbols using the Object › Group command.
  • The next task is to make contour objects from the font symbols, otherwise the correct formation of layers will not work. To do this, select the group and select Type › Create outlines (Font › Trace).
  • After that, open the Layers palette menu by clicking on the arrow button on the palette (Fig. 8.11).

    • Rice. 8.11. Layers palette menu

    In this menu we are interested in the Release to Layer (Sequence) command, which converts each individual object to new layer. Please note that when applying the command, it is the Group group that must be selected, and not the Layer 1 layer.

    How the Layers palette should look after performing Release to Layer (Sequence) is shown in Fig. 8.12.


    Rice. 8.12. Layers palette after executing Release to Layer (Sequence)

    At this point the preparation is complete, you can save using Save for Web in SWF. SWF is the main graphics format based on Flash technologies. It would be more accurate to say that this is the Flash format (Fig. 8.13).

    Probably, today all users are already familiar with Flash to one degree or another. Currently, this is the most common animation format on the Internet, with the help of which the vast majority of multimedia Internet pages are built.

    Of course, Adobe Illustrator does not implement even a tenth of the capabilities of Flash, because that is not what the program is designed for. However, in it you can make either a static picture or a simple animation.


    Rice. 8.13. Optimization settings for SWF format

    The following settings are available.

    • Read Only. If you check this box, the file will be written in such a way that it can no longer be opened for editing in any program. This, on the one hand, reduces the file size, and on the other hand, protects your copyright.
    • The setting indicated by 1. The parameter that specifies the type of saving - image or animation.
    • If you select the AI ​​File to SWF File option SWF file), the image will be saved as a static image, completely replicating what you see on the screen when working in Illustrator.
    • Layers to SWF Frames allows you to create animations based on existing layers, which will be represented as frames. We need to choose this option.
    • Curve Quality. The accuracy of the curves repeating the curves file of the original image. Reducing this parameter significantly reduces quality, especially in the area of ​​small details, but also reduces the file size. For our case, the optimal value is “7”.
    • Frame Rate. Frame rate and, as a result, animation speed. For the effect to be correct, set it to no more than 4 frames per second.
    • Loop (Repeat). Play the animation repeatedly. Suitable for animation where a repeating loop is important. The banner belongs to this type.

    You have one or two icons that you'd like to bring to life with animation. Where would you start? Let's say you have SVG files, Illustrator CC and After Effects CC programs, but the solution eludes you.

    In this article, I'm going to demonstrate how you can easily animate an SVG file, including preparing the SVG file in Illustrator and importing it into After Effects CC. I'll also explain how you can convert it to Shape Layers and add movement. Finally, let's talk about exporting and rendering.

    The final result of the work.

    Now let's get to the fun part - learning how to bring images to life.

    Preparing an SVG File in Illustrator

    Let's start by opening your SVG file in Adobe Illustrator CC. I'll be animating a small car icon that is available for free on Week Of Icons.

    After opening the file, we need to ungroup and divide all objects into layers. You can do this manually or use Release to Layers (Sequence) to speed up the process. Before we import the file into After Effects, we need to save it as an Illustrator file format.


    We can ungroup objects using Release to Layers (Sequence) so as not to waste precious time. Import and organize a file in After Effects CC

    Now you're ready to import into After Effects CC. Let's use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+I (Windows) or Command+I (Mac) to load the Import File dialog box, or go to File > Import > File... From there, select the Illustrator CC file we prepared and click Import. A small dialog box should appear with the name of the selected file. Select Composition from the drop-down list called Import Kind.


    More quick way importing a file - double-click on the column location in the project panel.

    In the Timeline Panel we will see a new composition. Double click on it. We should now see the Illustrator CC layers with orange icons to the left of their names.

    Before we get started, we need to convert all these layers to Shape Layers. We need to select them all using Ctrl+A/Command+A, or manually using Shift + Left Mouse. After that click right click mouse over the layer and select Create > Create Shapes from Vector Layer .

    Now that the new layers are selected, drag them to the top of the panel above the Illustrator CC layers, and then delete the Illustrator CC layers so they are out of the way.


    Convert Illustrator CC Layers to Shape Layers in After Effects CC

    Although this is not necessary, it is important that we give each layer an appropriate name and/or color code it. This will allow us to work more efficiently as we focus on key personnel. In the example below, the colors of the labels more or less match the fill of their corresponding layers.


    Labeling Shape Layers with appropriate names, colors, text, and placement is very practical.

    To configure the parameters, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+K/Command+K or Composition > Composition Settings... From Composition Settings, we need to select Width, Height, Frame Rate, and Duration. For this project I chose 60 frames per second to keep the animation smooth.

    On this moment Everything seems ready to go, but there is one more thing that needs to be done. We need to group certain layers together so that their movements are in sync with the main layer, which we can control. This method is called Parenting.


    Use Pick Whip to assign a parent layer to multiple layers.

    In our example, I assigned less significant layers (child layers) such as the windshield, body parts, wood and ropes to the primary body layer (parent layer). This allowed me to control the position and rotation of the entire car (except the wheels) using the parent layer.

    Creating Animation

    I wanted the car to hit a rock and hang in the air for a bit. I also wanted the tree to move up and down and open the trunk. I started by creating a stone, a car and wheels. Then it's time to overcome the biggest hurdle - putting the action on the tree. Once that was done I moved on to the smaller parts like the rack and ropes.


    Sketch describing the animation

    The first step was to make a rock element or layer, but instead of going back to Illustrator CC to add another layer, I just used the Pen Tool in After Effects CC. This allowed me to quickly design a small stone.


    Oh, the mighty Pen Tool!

    The trunk was a relatively simple task. I mounted it to the back of the car and made an anchor point at the bottom left vertex. Using Pick Whip I assigned it to the parent body layer. The penultimate step was to give the effect of rotation, which in turn made the moment the car bounces more realistic. Bodymovin in combination with the Lottie mobile library.

    P.S. you can find my Illustrator CC and After Effects CC files.

    The icon set is available for download for free on .

    Today we have an unusual Adobe Illustrator lesson. Because this time we will not make a static picture, but a real animation. Imagine, it turns out that you can also draw cartoons using Adobe Illustrator :)

    And for this we need nothing at all. Proper organization of layers and export of the final work to swf format, where each layer is converted into an animation frame. In today's tutorial we will draw a countdown animation in the style of a retro movie. The output should be a flash video with this same countdown.

    The first thing you need to do is draw all the necessary elements for future animation. To do this, in a separate document, I made two positions of a film frame, a circle for reference, which is cut into separate sectors, a texture and a vertical scratch to add the effect of antiquity, as well as all the numbers and inscriptions.

    When all the parts of our cartoon are ready, we can start creating the animation itself. For convenience, it is better to do this in a new document. In this case, our layers will play the role of animation frames. And in the very first layer you just need to copy a frame of film. Place it in the middle of your work area.


    Now create a second layer and copy a frame of film into it, in which the holes along the edges are made with an offset. It also needs to be placed in the center.


    From these two layers you can already get animation of moving film. But later we will need many more layers. So select the first two layers, go to the panel options and make a copy of the layers.


    In a similar way, we need to accumulate 12 layers of film frames that define its movement.


    Now we have a whole bunch of layers and they are all visible. In the sense that the upper layers block the lower ones, which is not entirely convenient for work. Therefore, you can turn off some layers by clicking on the icon with an eye to the left of the layer name. To turn all layers off or on at once, hold down the Alt key while clicking on the eye icon. By turning layers on and off, you can see exactly what is located in a specific frame of our future animation. And now, in order for us to add slight jitter to the movement of the film, we need to move the resulting frames slightly in different directions. To do this, turn on only the layer you are going to work with at the moment, and then move the frame a couple of pixels in any direction.


    Once you've gone through all the layers and added a little shift, you can start creating the animation of the moving circle. To do this, copy the circle consisting of sectors from the document with the cartoon parts and place it on the first layer on top of the film frame.


    If you deselect the circle, it will look like a single whole. This is exactly what we need.


    But since it consists of individual sectors, you can create animation very quickly and easily by changing their color. To do this, copy this circle to the second layer and make the first sector lighter. You remember that our film shakes as it moves, so it is not at all necessary to place the circle exactly in the center of the frame. Position it by eye.


    In a similar way, you need to copy the circle into each next layer, while painting one sector more with a lighter color than the previous time. Together, these 12 layers form an animation of the film moving with a filling circle.


    Next we need to add texture to our layers. Turn on the first layer and copy the texture from the original file with spare parts there.


    Then turn on the next layers one by one and copy the same texture there. To make it look different in each frame, simply rotate it 90 degrees. As you may have guessed, we need to add texture to all 12 frames.


    If you are already quite tired of copying, then I can please you - there is very little left. The hardest part is over. All that's left is to add vertical scratches and that's almost it. To do this, we again copy the original scratch and place it in an arbitrary place in several layers. In my case, scratches appear in only two layers.


    Now that the main cycle with film animation is ready, all that remains is to add the numbers. Since our countdown goes from 3 to 1 plus the word Go!!!, we need even more layers. Not 12, but as many as 48. To do this, you need to make three more copies of ready-made layers with film animation.


    And then everything is simple. Turn on the very first layer and put the number three there.


    Then you need to copy this figure to the next layers until the circle animation ends. When you reach the next copy of the layers, where the circle will again be completely filled in, you need to put the number two. In the same way, copy the number one to the desired layers. And when you get to the final layers for the Go!!! inscription, simply delete the circle before copying the inscription to the desired layer.


    That's all for the animation. The main thing here is not to get confused. You can give the layers some convenient names, but I was kind of lazy :) And also, when you finish your work, be sure to turn all the layers back on by clicking on the eye icon.


    In the export settings window, be sure to set Export As: AI Layers to SWF Frames. It is this option that turns Illustrator layers into animation frames. Next, click the Advanced button.


    Will open additional settings. Here you need to set the Frame Rate. I have 12 frames per second. The Looping checkbox is responsible for the cyclical animation. Thanks to it, the video will be played in a circle. And the Layer Order: Bottom Up option reproduces illustrator layers from bottom to top in the panel. This is exactly how we built our animation.


    The output is a flash video with our animation.

    Now you see that making simple animation in Adobe Illustrator is not as difficult as it seems at first glance.

    But for creating long videos or interactive applications it is still better to use Adobe Flash or other flash editors. For example, I made this cat in an old Macromedia Flash, which I dug up at my work.

    Also, recently HTML5 and CSS3 are increasingly being used to create animation. This code is supported by modern browsers and does not require the use of a flash player.

    Roman aka dacascas especially for the blog Notes of a microstock illustrator


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    Recently, various kinds of animation of SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) graphics on websites and applications have become very popular. This is due to the fact that everything latest browsers already support this format. Here is information on browser support for SVG.

    This article discusses the simplest example of an SVG vector animation using the lightweight Jquery plugin Lazy Line Painter.

    Source

    To complete and fully understand this task, basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, Jquery is desirable, but not required if you just want to animate SVG) Let's get started!

    And these are the steps we need to follow:

  • Create the correct file structure
  • Download and connect the plugin
  • Draw a cool outline picture in Adobe Illustrator
  • Convert our image to Lazy Line Converter
  • Paste the resulting code into main.js
  • Add some CSS to taste

    • 1. Create the correct file structure
    The Initializr service will help us with this, where we need to select parameters as in the picture below.

    • Classic H5BP (HTML5 Boiler Plate)
    • No Template
    • Just HTML5 Shiv
    • Minified
    • IE Classes
    • Chrome Frame
    • Then click Download it!

    2. Download and connect the plugin

    Since initializr comes with the latest Jquery library, from the archive which we need to download from the Lazy Line Painter project repository, we only need to transfer 2 files to our project. The first is ‘jquery.lazylinepainter-1.1.min.js’ (the plugin version may differ) it is located in the root of the resulting folder. The second one is example/js/vendor/raphael-min.js.

    We place these 2 files in the js folder. And we connect them to our index.html before main.js as follows:

    3. Draw a cool outline picture in Adobe Illustrator

  • Draw our outline picture in Illustrator (the easiest way to do this is with the Pen Tool)
  • It is necessary that the contours of our drawing do not close because for our effect we need a beginning and an end
  • There should be no fills
  • Maximum file size – 1000×1000 px, 40kb
  • Let's make a crop to the boundaries of the object Object>Artboards>Fit To Artboards Bounds
  • Save in SVG format (standard saving settings are fine)

    • For example, you can use the icons in the attachment.

    4. Convert our image to Lazy Line Converter
    Just drag your icon into the window in the picture below.
    The thickness, color of the outline and animation speed can be changed in the code itself, which will appear after conversion!

    5. Paste the resulting code into main.js
    Now we simply paste the resulting code into an empty main.js file
    Options:
    strokeWidth — outline thickness
    strokeColor — outline color
    You can also change the drawing speed of each vector by changing the values ​​of the duration parameter (default 600)

    6. Add some CSS to taste
    Removing a paragraph from index.html

    Hello world! This is HTML5 Boilerplate.

    And instead of it we insert a block in which our animation will take place

    then we add some CSS to the main.css file to make it look nicer:

    Body ( background:#F3B71C; ) #icons ( position: fixed; top:50%; left:50%; margin: -300px 0 0 -400px; )

    save all files.
    Now just open index.html in a modern browser and enjoy the effect.

    P.S. When running on a local machine, the start of the animation may be delayed for several seconds.