Layers TV: Episode 37

RC has a tutorial about using After Effects to create some text animation.

• Create a new composition in After Effects and create a new solid color layer
• Create some text to manipulate
• Open and choose one of After Effects’ animation presets. You can preview the effect before you apply it
• You can bring the animation over to Flash by exporting it to a Flash format
• There are different ways of achieving the same effects. Experiment to find the one that uses smaller file size
• There are some effects that don’t transfer well to Flash. RC has put together a list of ones to watch for

Corey has an introduction to using symbols in Illustrator and how they can be manipulated to create some interesting graphics.

• Open a new document in Illustrator and choose the symbols menu
• You can tear off the tool menu from the tool bar for easier access
• Use the tool options to vary the size, transparency, and intensity of the symbols
• Draw a background shape with the rounded rectangle tool
• Use the stain options to change the color of the symbols
• Visit dafont.com and choose from a variety of fonts to work with
• Add a drop shadow effect and experiment with blending modes and gradient effects
• After Corey is done, RC shows how to bring that graphic into Flash to create a button out of it

Contest Winner
RC and Corey have decided that the weekly contest winner from Layers TV will be announced in RC’s blog post. Be sure to check the front page post for the name of this week’s winner and tune in to this week’s episode to find out what the contest question and prizes are.