1. In detail Describe your step by step animation workflow, including tools and techniques used in Ai and Ae. 

 

The first step I took in completing this project was using adobe illustrator to create a landscape from scratch. I used various tools including the shape builder tool which helped with connecting shapes together and removing parts of shapes, the pen tool, as well as the curvature pen tool. These were necessary in creating custom shapes like mountains or trees. In my landscape I made sure I had a background, middle ground, and a foreground in order to add depth into my project. I used a reference photo to add details and added color using the Fill tool, removing the stroke to ensure cohesiveness. To add more detail I included a few gradients on the sun, flower, and water. As will as a outer glow on the sun to make it pop out more, to do that I used the fx button which I also used to add a shadow to some of the shapes. Using image trace I was able to easily include birds in the sky and ants on the ground of my landscape. I made sure that every part of the landscape was on its own layer and labeled  in order to later transfer it into after effects. I saved my work in illustrator as an “ai” file and made a new composition in after effects. From there I started out by making simple animations using keyframes and the time marker, "Scrubbing" to one side or the other to change the position, rotation, or any other kind of movement. I used the puppet tool to make my trees look as if they were moving in the wind. To add something fun to the landscape I did the special animation of having one of my birds flap its wings as if it were flying using a tutorial off of youtube. Finally, I uploaded my animation onto my personal youtube channel and onto wix. 

 

2. Reflect on your technical skills in both Ai and Ae. Which aspects were easiest for you, and which were most challenging? How did you overcome any difficulties?

 

Working in Adobe Illustrator was the easiest for me because I was able to use a reference photo and having worked in Illustrator longer I have had more experience with the program. I have learned more shortcuts and the use of different tools that makes it easier when I created my landscape from scratch. The most challenging part for me would have to be revisiting Adobe After Effects and more specifically the puppet and special animation, these were difficult to adjust to but after reviewing my in class notes and watching youtube tutorials I was able to better understand how to work this program.