Motion Graphics for Video Editors: Creating Animated Logos

Discover ways to get and prep logos and use Photoshop or Illustrator to convert your files into layered images ready to animate. Get practical design ideas and animation tips too.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Exercise files

1. File Format Essentials

• Acquiring logo files
• Scanning logo files
• Supported logo file formats
• Supported 3D file formats
• Working with Creative Cloud Market templates

2. Prepping a Vector Logo

• Size a vector logo in Adobe Illustrator
• Creating a layered file for animation in Adobe Illustrator
• Size a vector logo in Photoshop
• Save a logo with transparency
• Importing a static logo to a nonlinear editor (NLE) with transparency

3. Animating a Vector Logo

• Import a logo with layers into After Effects
• Animating logo layers in After Effects
• Refining the logo animation in After Effects
• Alternative logo animation techniques in After Effects, design 1
• Alternative logo animation techniques in After Effects, design 2
• Creating shape layers in After Effects
• Extruding a logo in 3D
• Using an environment layer for reflections
• Rendering a logo animation
• Importing an animated logo to an NLE with transparency: Straight vs. premultiplied alpha channels
• Saving the logo with the Essential Graphics panel

4. Design Ideas for Logo Files

• Creating cast reflections
• Adding a cast shadow
• Filling a logo with a pattern
• Distressed logos
• Adding rays and glows
• Creating a glass logo bug

Conclusion

• Wrapping up