After Effects Animation

animations

File setup:
- 1440 x 1080 px is the best ratio when using Illustrator. It can size down to 800 x 600 for Dribbble nicely.
- Select RGB (duh)
- Uncheck "align new objects to pixel grid"
- Turn on smart guides
- Under black selection tool, select "align to artboard". Make sure it's centered vertically and horizontally.
- Select all keyframes and select "toggle hold keyframe" so it doesn't move until you tell it to. HANDY! 
(and make a new keyframe).
- If you want to reference the original position, you can simply copy and paste the first keyframe you toggled.
- to zoom in and out of the time thing, you can use + and -. to zoom in and out of the image window, use comma and period.
- to go forward and back in keyframes, one frame at a time press command and arrow keys <-  and ->
- J and K will send you from one keyframe to another
- CMD OPTION CLICK on a group to expand the entire group
- U brings up keyframes

****** Create Shapes From Vector Layer
- Right click on path and click "create shape layer from vector art"
or to make in AE:
- Pen tool > disable fill > select stroke colour > draw line
      To make it a rounded end cap, twirl down the shape layer properties and find the stroke property,
      set it to rounded


****** Noodling:
When using pen tool (paths) to "noodle" stuff, use the following to set keyframes:
Layer > Contents > Shape 1 > Path > stop watch
- Add handles to the points of the "arm" or whatever you're animating. OPTION/ALT click with pen tool to get handles.
      Adjust the curve however you'd like.
      
****** How to make items go behind and in front:
- Duplicate the layer you want (edit > duplicate)
- Make sure there are no other keyframes (stop watch)
- ALT click stopwatch (path) - code will appear to the right
- Use the pickwhip to link this layer to the layer that will "go behind". This layer will go in front.
- Drag the "above" layer to go above the behind layer. Adjust by trimming the path so you don't
      see the part that should be "going behind".
- Contents > Group 1 > ADD > Trim paths > 


****** Add shadows:

Right click on thing to have a shadow. Layer Styles > Inner Shadow
    You can adjust distance, angle, size, etc.
Play with Noise to make it grainy

If you want noise to continually move (like a dirty screen), choose effect > noise > and play with the amount


****** Export as GIF

Make sure the work area is set to the beginning and end of the comp.
Composition > add to render queue > output module: lossless > 
      If this is for Dribbble, you can click on "lossless" and change the size of the gif to a more acceptable size.
> Audio output off > set the place you want it to render and render (it will make an MOV)

Open Photoshop > File > Save for Web (or export on newer versions) > GIF 128 DITHERED > increase colours to 256 > 
      turn up dither to make it look smooth


Rewatch part 2 to get the hang of putting stuff behind and in front of objects and doing "noodly" stuff.