Lynda - After Effects Guru: Working with Photoshop Files

Photoshop is well suited for creating initial concept boards, storyboarding, and preparing elements for animation in After Effects. By doing this prep work in Photoshop, you can save precious render time later in the animation process. In this course, After Effects guru Ian Robinson shows how use channels and masks to isolate selected elements from stills. He also creates storyboards in Photoshop and optimizes those documents to speed up the next step in the process: animation in After Effects. Plus, learn how to create depth mattes, correct lens distortion and sharpen video using Photoshop's video editing capabilities, and use the data sets modular workflow to speed up creation of repetitive elements like lower thirds.

Topics include:

Isolating still images with channels and masks

Preparing layer groups for After Effects

Working with layer styles and vector shapes

Importing compositions in After Effects

Converting Photoshop type

Animating with layer styles and depth mattes

Fixing video issues in Photoshop

Creating data sets