Learn how to use basic expressions to speed up your workflow.
This mini-course consists of the first two modules of the course "Animating with Expressions in After Effects". If you want to integrate expressions into your workflow, this is a great starting point. And if you decide to continue with the full course, you'll get the money for this mini-course back.
The foundation: Understand how expressions work. Tips and tricks for writing clean code.
Get to know values, arrays and variables.
Create a simple progress bar.
Basic Expressions: We go through the most important basic expressions. You use basic expressions to create procedural animations. You use expression controls to manipulate values, create a random sequence with simple shapes, and so much more...
A 50+ page-long expressions cheat sheet accompanies you through the course.
WHY?
Expressions allow you to create animations that you can't set up with keyframes. This gives you an advantage over others. Expressions make you faster and much more efficient. And saving time means earning more money. Once set up, you can reuse and adjust expressions many times in other projects.
HOW? The course consists of video lessons, After Effects project files and an expressions cheat-sheet.
This course is self-paced. Go through the course at your own pace.
Ask questions, get feedback anytime!
SKILL LEVEL Beginner. You already know your way around After Effects.
IN-DEPTH 1.5+ hours of video instruction. After Effects Project Files. Assignments.
REQUIRED SOFTWARE After Effects 18+ No third-party plug-ins. (I use After Effects 23 in the videos)
COURSE LANGUAGE English (Videos: You can turn on auto-generated English subtitles)
COMMUNITY Meet your peers, show your work and connect. Get feedback on your assignments in a private space.
I've been using After Effects for almost 20 years. For many years I avoided expressions until I realized how incredibly helpful they are. Since then, they slowly but steadily found their way into my workflow. Now expressions allow me to create amazing stuff quickly. A lot of the animations wouldn't even be possible without expressions. And once set up, you can reuse these rigs lots of times. Looking back, I wish I had realized sooner how incredibly helpful expressions are. Creating unique designs and animations, starting with a black screen is magic for me. As a Motion Designer, I have transitioned between being employed and freelancing several times. I have worked on large-scale projects as an Art Director, and on small projects by myself. I never studied design or animation. Instead, I learned everything I know from online courses, YouTube, Google, and books. Online is the best place to quickly learn things you are interested in. Motion Design is changing so fast that traditional universities and schools often can't keep up.
Curriculum:
MODULE 1: The Foundation We start from zero with tips and tricks for writing clean code. Say hello to arrays, values, and variables. As well as settings and options that you should know. As a warm-up, we create a simple progress bar.
LESSON 1:
The first lesson is about arrays and values. And we go through some settings and options you need to know. Finally, I have some tips for you.
LESSON 2:
We link values to a slider control, use a text layer to display its value, and use the “Math.round” expression to round the numbers. We create a simple progress bar.
LESSON 3:
Introduction to variables. We link properties to each other and use variables to adjust and define values.
MODULE 2: Basic Expressions We go through a whole list of basic expressions like the "wiggle", "time”, “loop”, “linear” and the “random” expression. We use them right away, creating procedural animated backgrounds and textures.
We use the type tool in a creative way in combination with the "random" expression.
The "random" expression forms a sequence of shapes out of a list.
We animate several shapes with just one Slider Control and refine the progress bar from the beginning.
LESSON 4:
Introduction to the “wiggle” expression. We add it to one and two-dimensional properties and control its frequency with a Slider Control.
LESSON 5:
We use the “wiggle” expression and the 4-Color Gradient to create a procedural animated background. Then we use the Posterize, Turbulent Displace, and Mosaic effects to adjust the style of it.
LESSON 6:
Introduction to the “time” expression. We add it to one and two-dimensional properties using variables.
LESSON 7:
Introduction to the “posterizeTime” expression. We create a procedural animated texture using the “time” and “posterizeTime” expressions in combination with effects. We add scribbled text to it.
LESSON 8:
Introduction to the “random” expression. We explore different ways to use it.
LESSON 9:
We use a text layer and the "random" expression in a creative way.
LESSON 10:
Introduction to the ”gaussRandom” expression.
LESSON 11:
Introduction to the ”seedRandom” expression.
LESSON 12:
We create a list of four simple shapes and use the “random”, “posterizeTime” and “seedRandom” expressions and the “keys” expression to create an infinite sequence out of it. We define a color range to colorize the shapes. I show you a second method using time remapping.
LESSON 13:
Introduction to the “loop” expression, its types, and modifiers.
LESSON 14:
Introduction to the “linear” expression. We use one Slider Control to animate two shapes.
LESSON 15:
We use the “linear” expression to animate several shapes with one Slider Control. We use the “loop” expression to animate it.
LESSON 16:
In the final lesson of this module, we open the basic progress bar from the beginning again and take it to the next level using a lot of basic expressions.
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