Adobe After Effects for Character Animation
A course by Facundo LópezEntertainer
A course by Facundo López, Entertainer
Learn how to animate realistic and expressive characters from scratch
Animating is much more than drawings or shapes with motion: it’s the ability to breathe life into your creations. Learn how to use Adobe After Effects, the leading software for animating characters. Discover the software alongside Facundo López, an Argentine animation artist who has worked with major clients like IBM and Cartoon Network.
Start your learning experience by opening After Effects for the first time, getting to know its interface and main features. Carry out some simple exercises to get familiar with the software, and discover how the pen tool works.
Learn the difference between compositions and precompositions, see how to use masks, mattes, fusion modes, and start using keyframes to animate simple objects.
See the importance of planning when animating. Learn how to manage timing, with the twelve animation fundamentals, and the use of animation curves and shape layers to start animating characters.
Start animating your character, by following an effective workflow while adding movement and acting concepts, so turn your character’s head, and give depth to your 2D space.
In the final course, see how to make your character walk and run, by studying movement fundamentals for feet and arms to create loop animations. Finish the course by exporting the entire animation, and upload your GIF to your social media accounts.
Technical requirements
⦁ A computer with Windows 7 (or higher) or macOS 10.11 El Capitán (o higher). ⦁ 8 GB RAM or more ⦁ Adobe After Effects CC o higher. You can download the free 7-day trial version on the Adobe website. ⦁ It is recommended to have basic drawing, illustration, or traditional animation skills.
Recommended software & tools for this course
Reviews
- 2 months ago
Muy interesante, gracias!
- 11 months ago
Отличный курс, мне нравится
- 1 year ago
ame el cursooo
- 1 year ago
es un curso increible, me encantó!
- 1 year ago
Excelnete aprendi mucho
He has collaborated with both local and international studios, including 2Veinte, Rudo Company, Le Cube, Brand New School, and Mighty, working for clients such as Disney, Google, Cartoon Network, Nike, Facebook, and IBM. One of the projects he participated in, The Treasure of Barracuda, was nominated for Best Animated Film at the Goya Awards.
Since 2021, he has also been sharing his experience as a teacher at Domestika, where he teaches character animation courses with After Effects.
Content
- U1
Presentation
- Presentation
- U1
Introduction
- Introduction
- U2
Opening After Effects
- Opening After Effects
- U2
Compositions and precompositions
- Compositions and precompositions
- U3
Project panel and composition options
- Project panel and composition options
- U4
Composition window
- Composition window 1
- Layout window 2
- U5
Working with layers
- Working with layers 1
- Working with layers 2
- U6
Tool panel
- Tool panel
- U7
After Effects top panels
- After Effects top panels
- U8
PRACTICE: Drawing a character in After Effects
- PRACTICE: Drawing a character in After Effects 1
- PRACTICE: Drawing a character in After Effects 2
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners with no prior experience in animation or After Effects, guiding you step-by-step from the basics to more advanced techniques.
No prior knowledge is required, though having some basic drawing and traditional animation skills will help you get the most out of the course.
You’ll need a computer with at least 4 GB of RAM and have After Effects, Photoshop, and Illustrator installed to complete the course exercises.
You’ll learn how to create 2D character animations using keyframes, animation curves, masks, blending modes, and the parallax effect. You’ll also master exporting your work for social media.
The course teaches you how to animate 2D characters in After Effects, covering everything from the fundamentals to techniques like looping walks, curve handling, and professional visual effects.
Keyframes mark the start and end points of movements; animation curves help smooth and control the speed and natural flow of your character’s motions.
The course shows you how to plan and animate walk cycles using keyframes and precompositions to create smooth, believable loops.