After Effects Guru: Advanced Photoshop Integration

Use Photoshop to repair and build assets for After Effects projects. Learn how to develop raw images, correct lens distortion, create 3D objects, build backdrops, and more.

Introduction

• What you’ll learn in this course
• Who this course is ideal for
• Exercise files

1. Preparing Photoshop Files for Transfer

• Layer naming strategies
• Aligning and distributing layers
• Organizing with groups and Smart Objects
• Color coding for future edits
• File format options for animation

2. Working with Raw Images

• Raw format overviews
• Converting to DNG files
• Developing with Adobe Camera Raw
• Managing sidecar files
• Embedding raw images inside Smart Objects

3. Advanced Typographic Controls

• Layout options with point vs. paragraph text
• Using advanced alignment controls
• Controlling line breaks with Every-line Composer options
• Choosing the right aliasing method
• Checking spelling in Photoshop

4. Designing with Layer Styles

• The role of layer styles
• Creating depth and perspective with layer styles
• Creating custom textures and overlays
• Exporting layer styles for animation in After Effects
• Saving style libraries

5. Correcting Lens Issues and Artifacts

• Fixing perspective and keystoning with Upright
• Removing lens distortion
• Removing wide-angle distortion
• Removing chromatic aberration
• Exporting corrected video

6. Creating Perspective with Vanishing Point Exchange

• Cloning with Vanishing Point
• Drawing perspective planes
• Exporting 3D objects
• Animating with Vanishing Point

7. Creating LUTs with Photoshop

• The role of LUTs
• Creating and saving a LUT in Photoshop
• Loading a LUT in After Effects

8. Creating Realistic Focus Effects for Backdrops and Keying

• Creating depth with the Camera Lens Blur effect
• Creating depth with the Blur Gallery
• Converting a blur effect to a depth matte
• Animating depth blurs in After Effects

9. Mastering Content-Aware Tools Photoshop

• Cleaning up a background plate
• Extending a background
• Reshaping an Image

Conclusion

• Goodbye