Click on any phrase to play the video from that point.
[Learn: The How To series from Adobe]
[♪Chimes♪]
Hey there, folks; Brian Maffitt here with Total Training.
After Effects has been able to import
Illustrator files and continuously restorize them
since at least 1995,
but something you've never been able to do before is to
import Illustrator paths
except patiently copying and pasting them
one at a time,
but you certainly couldn't import an Illustrator layer
and extrude it into a 3D shape
until Adobe After Effects CS6.
As powerful as After Effects is,
there are still some thing that Illustrator does really well
and really simply;
for example, I used Illustrator's tools to create
this custom Yin-Yang symbol.
In the past, I could import this into After Effects as a layer
and continuously restorize it
or I could select each of these elements, one at a time
and copy them, then paste their outlines to shape layers
in After Effects,
but for this element, precision is very important.
Well, now you can use Illustrator's powerful tools
and shortcuts to build a shape with precision.
Save it as an Illustrator file,
import that into After Effects,
then in the composition, simply context click on the layer
and choose Create Shapes
from Vector Layer.
Presto!
Your Illustrator layer is now hidden,
and in After Effects, shape layer has appeared
based on your Illustrator original,
and the objects that make up your layer
are now all converted to shape layer groups,
where you can use all of the cool, nifty After Effects
shape layer stuff, like offset the paths,
wiggle the paths,
and of course,
extrude and bevel the shapes using raytrace 3D.
A converted shape layer now has no link to the Illustrator original, however,
so if you need to edit original,
you'll need to use this invisible layer to do that,
then go back through the conversion process again,
but with this work flow in place,
Adobe Illustrator has become an even more essential part
of the After Effects toolbox.
