Simple Animations in After Effects (Template)

You’re a beginner motion graphics designer. Great. Now that you know the basics of how After Effects works, it is time to create something cool. But what should that be? I mean, you’re just getting started, right? This article will talk about a few simple animations that you can create in After Effects.

This tutorial explains how to create an animated scene using simple techniques that you can apply in no time. You can practice your skills and repeat what we’re teaching you in the video. That way, you’ll get better faster, and you won’t need the tutorial anymore. Don’t forget to check our full tutorial above.

In this article, we’ll see how you can create two simple animations. Let’s start with the first one. 

Creating a simple animation of a house 

In this first chapter, we’ll see how you can create this video:

This is an easy to create animation, using null objects and just a couple of keyframes that you can make in 3 minutes or less. Just follow the steps below:

1. Open up your composition

2. Go to Layer > New > Null Object (or Command+Option+Shift+Y for Mac, or Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Y for Windows.)

3. Move the Null Object to the bottom of the house*
*Note: The Null Object would act as our control layer. When you move the Null Object to the bottom, you’ll essentially move the anchor point of all the layers connected to the null. 

4. Connect all the layers to the null object

5. Create a keyframe for the scale
6. Click this icon over here to turn off Constrain Proportions 

7. Insert the following keyframes for the null in your timeline
0f- 100%,100%,
22f – 95%,115%,
1min, 2f – 115%,95%,
1min, 15f – 100%,100%,

8. Click F9 on your keyboard to easy-ease the keyframes

9. Boom, your animation is ready 

Creating a simple animation of a hill using Alpha Mate 

In our second chapter, we’ll animate this hill. It would be a very simple animation that you can easily create and reuse for multiple layers and compositions. 

Let’s get started

1. Click ‘Y’ on your keyboard 

2. Move the anchor point of the hill to the bottom center of the layer

3. Click ‘S’ on your keyboard to bring up the Scale Properties

4. Add the first keyframe

5. Insert the following keyframes for the position in your timeline
0f- 100%,100%,
21f – 173%,130%,
1min, 11f – 100%,100%,

6. Click on the layer and click Ctrl + D to duplicate it

7. Move the new duplicated layer above the other layer ( the pink part)

8. Switch modes and click ‘Alpha Mate’ 

Congratulations, your two animations are ready

Don’t forget to watch our tutorial above to check all the animations that we created for this scene in After Effects.

If you need any help, download our free project files and play around with the animation.

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