How to Animate Stroke in After Effects: A Step-by-Step Guide

What is Stroke Animation in After Effects?

• Revealing text outlines in creative ways.
• Animating shapes and lines for dynamic transitions.
• Enhancing logos and title designs with motion.

Stroke animations rely on techniques such as trim paths, keyframing, and motion blur to produce smooth and engaging effects. Understanding these fundamentals is essential for creating polished animations. Check out some of our line callout designs here.

Preparing Your Project: Setting Up Shape Layers and Paths

1. Create a New Composition: Go to Composition > New Composition and set the resolution, frame rate, and duration.
2. Add a Shape Layer: Select the Shape Tool or press Q to create shapes such as lines, circles, or rectangles.
3. Customize the Stroke: Adjust stroke width, color, and opacity in the Contents panel.
4. Use the Pen Tool for Custom Paths: Select the Pen Tool (G) to draw freeform lines and curves for unique designs.
5. Organize Layers: Rename and group layers for better organization and easier editing.

Pro Tip: Use guides and grids to align elements precisely and maintain consistency in animations.

Mastering Trim Paths: The Key to Stroke Animation

1. Add Trim Paths: Select your shape layer, open the Add menu in the Contents panel, and choose Trim Paths.
2. Adjust Start and End Points: Use the Start and End properties in the Trim Paths settings to control where the stroke animation begins and ends.
3. Keyframe the Animation: Add keyframes to the Start or End properties and adjust their timing in the timeline to create smooth movement.
4. Refine with Easing: Apply easing to keyframes by right-clicking, selecting Keyframe Assistant > Easy Ease for smoother transitions.

Pro Tip: Combine multiple trim paths to create layered and complex animations

Enhancing Animations: Motion Blur, Presets, and Plugins

1. Enable Motion Blur: Toggle the Motion Blur switch for layers and enable it in the timeline for natural movement effects.
2. Use Presets: Explore After Effects’ built-in animation presets to speed up workflow and add dynamic effects.
3. Install Plugins: Third-party plugins like Saber and StrokeFX offer advanced stroke animation options and visual enhancements.

Pro Tip: Test different motion blur intensities to match the style and speed of your animation.

Creating Text Stroke Animations in After Effects

1. Add Text Layer: Go to Layer > New > Text and type your desired text.
2. Convert Text to Shape Layer: Right-click the text layer, select Create Shapes from Text, and modify the stroke settings.
3. Apply Trim Paths: Add trim paths to the converted text shapes and animate the start and end points.
4. Sync Timing: Adjust keyframes and easing to match the pace of the animation.

Pro Tip: Experiment with colors, gradients, and blending modes for unique visual styles.

Final Tips and Troubleshooting for Stroke Animation

1. Check Layer Hierarchy: Ensure layers are correctly organized to avoid overlapping or hidden animations.
2. Optimize Keyframes: Fine-tune keyframe timing and easing for smoother results.
3. Test Render Settings: Use Best Settings in the render queue for high-quality exports.
4. Troubleshoot Issues: Check path visibility and stroke thickness if animations don’t appear as expected.

Pro Tip: Use the Preview window to test animations at different speeds and make adjustments as needed.

Conclusion

Keep experimenting with presets, plugins, and custom styles to enhance your projects further. With practice, you’ll be able to create professional-quality animations that stand out.