“Pieces/Parts” Walk Cycle Tutorial in Adobe After Effects

The following tutorials review how to set up your artwork (in Illustrator this time) and import it into After Effects as a composition, ready to walk. I demo using a skeleton created for this lesson. Sorry, he’s not available for download.

Make a Skeleton Walk: Video 1 of 2

Here’s what is in this first video:

  • How to set up the file in Illustrator (or Photoshop) 0:151:20
  • How to import it the file into After Effects as a comp 1:212:08
  • Rigging: moving the anchor point 2:094:26
  • Organizing the layers 4:275:40
  • Parenting the pieces parts 5:447:54

Make a Skeleton Walk: Video 2 of 2

In this video

  • Setting up rulers/guides for a baseline 1:281:36
  • Shy layers 1:382:22
  • How to position the figure (8 positions) to “march in place” 2:239:34
  • Selecting all of the keyframes 10:01
  • Shortening the timeline to speed up 10:0512:08
  • Easy ease 12:4413:32
  • Remove Easy Ease 13:3313:57
  • Using the expression ‘loopOut’ 13:5816:00
  • Placing the marching figure into a parallax composition 16:19 – end