Digital-Tutors - Ray-tracing with Typography in After Effects

In this series of After Effects tutorials, we will learn how to use the new Ray-tracing feature in CS6 to create 3D animated typography and shapes.
We begin this tutorial in Illustrator, where we lay the ground work for our image. This creation step contains vital information for how the Illustrator file must be set up for it to work once it has been imported to After Effects. We use a few scripts that speed up our process tremendously for some of the more repetitive and tedious parts of the project.
Once we bring our illustrator project into After Effects, this is where the magic starts to happen. We learn some valuable time saving tips when working with Ray-tracing as well as lighting and rendering workflows to get the best possible render in the end.

This training offers a really unique approach to creating a beautiful typography animation as well as tricks that will stick with the rest of your workflow when you work on your own projects that deal with the same issues and goals.

By the end of the tutorial, you will have firsthand knowledge on interfacing between Illustrator and After Effects as well as some Ray-tracing workflows that will make your other projects way less time consuming. Best of all, if you work along side the step-by-step approach, you'll have your very own animated typography project complete with 3D depth, shadows, and some compositing tricks that really add polish to your final piece.


25 Lessons

1. Introduction and Project Overview
01:28
2. Choosing your text
07:59
3. Using the Spiral tool
07:04
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4. Joining paths to make the swirls longer
09:17
5. Adding smaller secondary spirals
05:22
6. Adding color with Graphic Styles
11:40
7. Using the Blend tool
11:44
8. Positioning the dots
05:17
9. Moving each path to a top-layer
07:28
10. Importing as a composition
07:02
11. Turning the Illustrator layers to shape layers
10:26
12. Using trim paths
15:22
13. Adding trim paths keyframes for the remaining layers
12:33
14. Adjusting the timing
12:56
15. Animating the dots
10:55
16. Adding the lights
07:13
17. Adding the Cameras with Null Controls
16:13
18. Switching from Classic 3D to Ray-traced 3D
06:55
19. Extruding the shapes and text
07:43
20. Preventing z-fighting
09:20
21. Fine-tuning the shadows
04:20
22. Rendering as a .png sequence
06:29
23. Adding motion blur to your render
11:09
24. Additional Compositing Polish
15:17
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25. Rendering as an H.264
04:26