Animated Lettering in Adobe After Effects

Learn how to create a write-on style text or hand lettering animation using Adobe Illustrator and After Effects.

Lettering such an expressive form of art. Adding animation can really take your lettering to the next level. 

Animated lettering is not just for hand letterers. Animated text can be used in so many ways...

• explainer videos
• kinetic typography videos
• music lyric videos
• logos
• lower thirds
• title sequences
• digital greeting cards (gifs to text to your friends)
• websites
• make your hand lettering stand out on social media

Not only is animated lettering a super useful technique, but its a great way to learn animation in Adobe After Effects. This class is designed for total beginners. You don't even need to be a hand letterer!

You'll learn how to:

• use the pen tool to draw or trace a lettering design
• add a texture to your lettering
• prepare your lettering for animation
• animate your lettering using trim paths
• animate lettering with a texture using trim paths and masks
• animate letter connections and extensions for a more interesting animation
• quickly and efficiently animate your lettering out
• add multiple color layers to your lettering animation
• export (render) your lettering animation as a .mov, .mp4, and .gif so you can show off your work

Plus tons of time-saving tips!

If you've never used After Effects before, you may find it helpful to check out my free After Effects orientation video and guide first.

What you'll need:

• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Photoshop (if you want to add a texture to your design)
• Adobe After Effects
• Adobe Media Encoder (if you want to export a .mp4 or .gif)

Bonus video:

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• Welcome
• Inspiration
• Class project
• Getting started in Illustrator
• Tracing letters
• Adjusting the path of your letters
• Getting ready for animation
• Adding connectors and extensions
• Importing AI files into AE
• Trim paths
• Non-script lettering
• Easing
• Animating connectors and extensions
• Adding a texture
• Importing .psd file
• Animating textured lettering
• Masking
• Adding colors
• Animate out
• Exporting (rendering)
• Wrap-up