After Effects Tutorial: Stroke Logo Reveal Outline Effect

In this After Effects Tutorial, create a logo reveal by using a stroke. This tutorial is helpful for PNG logos and vector logos. Have you been trying to figure out how to do the stroke effect? This tutorial shows just how easy it is to do and how to accurately create an outline of your logo with precision. The auto-trace function allows you to quickly grab the outline of your logo and the stroke effect will easily take care of the rest.
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[@daylitoon]

This was one of the most amazing tutorials I ever seen. It was fast, creal, complex yet easy, super full of tips OMG!!! I feel like I want to learn everything!!!

[@Rob-fi2pe]

OH MY GOD THANK YOU. I have been looking for the auto trace in AE. I had no idea that existed and I've been trying to find out how to get really cool stroke animations in my videos. Keep up the great work!

[@kevincraft6286]

This video has saved my life so many times with my work. I always try and use the generate stroke tool to do this and get confused. This is way easier and more intuitive. Thanks!

[@itsallgoodaversa]

This is exactly what I was looking for, awesome tutorial. Thanks!

[@StongePWilde]

Pretty amazing video! Thanks for teaching us this! :D

[@Dr.JimmyBrungus]

I really appreciate how fast your tutorial is. Most tutorials move waaay too slow with waaay to much info. Thanks for being straight to the point.

[@babatundeonabajo]

I can see what you're saying. Though on balance it might be better to be too slow than too fast because you can always speed up the video and nothing is missing. There are some crucial steps missing in the video that would put off someone totally new to After Effects.

[@ds6956]

Excellent. perfect pace for me and just the right amount of information! Thanks!

[@livrepensador]

Amazing concepts!!! This video is great!

[@sergiomendesaguila3694]

Great tutorial, thank you so much!

[@MichaelsPaintingChannel]

Thank you so much. I have done it with cs6 and it worked perfectly. I've added some revealing shapes and it's amazing.

[@MrsDashh]

This was awesome and easy to follow! Thanks!

[@xandermasset4030]

Thank you very much, you helped me a lot! It was really easy to follow and just a great video, keep up the good work!

[@anitac5523]

Nice and concise, thank you!

[@TheMhankel]

Thank you! great tutorial

[@zuziv5877]

Thank you for this video! You explained everything very well and in detail. Great help! "thumbs up"

[@justincochran4268]

Helped out a lot, thanks!

[@jessiemiller8696]

Thank you! Just what I was looking for.

[@achalmusic2372]

i love your tutorial :3

[@ChristopherOrtiz22]

Just what I was looking for thank for the video. Simple but effective once you get used to using it. :)

[@supersambat7989]

this video was uploaded in 2017, and in 2024 you just helped a guy! you're awesome, thanks!!!

[@ruthnatashawenas]

OMG THANK YOU! Subscribed! 👍

[@despaap]

Good tutorial, my animation turned out amazing thanks to you :))))

[@lauracastiblanco5948]

Thank you so muuuuuuch!

[@MWforHR]

This is really handy. I have vector logos, so I wasn't exactly sure how to go from there at first, but figured it out and it worked! Yay! My client is a construction contractor so they wanted it to look like it was hand drawn. So I did this above and then added the roughen edges effect, and Boom! Voila! Thanks!

[@cranialjukebox]

You literally saved me so much time with the create shapes from vector trick!! I thought I was going to have to redo my logo with the pen tool in AE!! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!

[@santiagoaguilar7890]

Thanks man! I was having trouble with the steps as a png but it was way much easier with the .ai file. Thanks again!

[@selfmademantra]

Thanks for sharing

[@myuserveg2775]

Thanks to you I did all this on Ae CS5

[@alamramadhansyah6097]

thank you so much, it works

[@WiLDeveD]

Great Tutorial. Thanks...

[@yoyohinsitta]

thankyou brother, you are amazing!!😍

[@westanimations]

Great tip!!!

[@AnnaHeey]

You go pretty fast for a beginner, but for me it was exactly what I needed not to waste any time!

[@GukoSS8]

thanks man :)

[@UmbralMxx]

Thank you!!

[@teabagNBG]

love it .... i mainly work with illustrator... so i have a ton of ai files... always wanted to get into after effects but couldnt really understand it, watched a few tutorials but none really got me going... this video helped me so much !!! thx again!

[@JonathanHsu92]

Thanks for the tutorial! Do you know if there's a way to say where along the path 0% is? For example if you wanted the trace to start at the head and go along the back and stop at the tail, but the auto trace picked the middle of the back as the starting point

[@adotmotivation]

Most understandable video I find here 👍

[@motionpoint001]

This is really awesome! Thank you, you're a great guy!

[@SonduckFilm]

Thanks! You're a greater guy!

[@jetrotaiwo5426]

Thanks!

[@CrazyZ66]

Thank you VERY much!! :)

[@manleyfps5065]

Great video, thanks so much for the clear audio quality, true 1080p video and clear instructions!

[@jamesdrake8433]

well done thank you.

[@ArtEntity]

thank you made my animation better 🙏

[@romesalas9729]

thank youuu

[@Lukelearbomb]

If your doing it Vector, be sure to right click the new layer you have just created after you've hit [Create Shapes From Vector Layer] and click [Mask] >> [New Mask] at the top.

[@mad_mockups]

Luke Hickford thanks man this helped a lot! This dude just skips the most important stuff

[@AlonsoMontero]

Thank you so much!

[@MiteshShah07]

Nice tutorial! I used to make an intro for my videos.

[@The_Erik_Saga]

Nice!

[@iconsremembered]

Thanks for the guide - very useful. I would just say to some who are maybe not as advanced on After Effects (like me) that you need to make sure certain settings are correct on Autotrace - for me, 'Apply to New Layer' was not checked or on as a default. Similarly, 'Preview' was also not checked for me as a default on the Autotrace window. Make sure these are selected or you'll end up like I did - banging your head against the wall for hours wondering why your Stroke won't appear on the Shape Layer.

[@fuadiberdu1486]

it really helps me out, Thanks!

[@minseokoh1832]

I've been studied after effect by your chennel since this agust thank's for your tutorial i can learn this easily

[@SonduckFilm]

That's awesome! Thanks for watching!

[@MicahBuzanANIMATION]

Pretty cool. Just discovered I can do something similar in TVPaint.

[@mstrick64]

This is very good information and helped tremendously. I was lucky to have found a vector version of the logo I was using which made it much easier. Only have a couple of comments on the video. 1) It would be helpful if you would explain why you are taking specific actions. You do that sometimes, but tutorials are generally for those with lower skills and understanding why a step is necessary is helpful to understanding the process. 2) Your "Please subscribe" show up too large and at the wrong time, completely covering the information you're trying to share. Perhaps throwing that in the lower right of your video would be less intrusive. You clearly know AE and this was a good tutorial overall. It also helped me achieve what I was looking for. So thank you very much!!!

[@pierdziadek]

thx :D

[@gabrielecella]

good job

[@Happy-iq1op]

cheers mate

[@mohamednaflan4361]

thanks ya

[@kanchaveligigle9570]

you are a Beast.. :D :D :D Thanks for your lessons .. ;)

[@jadino_bambino]

Thank you for sharing this short video! It was a great tutorial. I got a bit lost at times but eventually got there. I also want to know how you did the typography animation below the logo reveal also. Do you have a tutorial for that?

[@YAYATVkh]

Nice

[@daxkiller6787]

waw tnx

[@crowneworkscreativemedia2913]

so what about for those with vector layer?

[@boomerp.3652]

Just convert it to png and follow the steps🤷

[@stef1790]

You can follow the same steps, excluding the first couple of once. Just convert your illustrator file or (whatever other vector file you are using) to a shape layer, by right clicking on the file (when put on the timeline) and selecting create shape from vector layer, from their you add the the trim path to the shape layer as shown in the video and you are good to go (note that you can actually change your logo in aftereffects in order to get the outline only with no inner fill and if your logo is more complex you can animate every path of it separately). Ps: Just now I realize I am 3 years late, but I hope you are doing great :D

[@jonesc12]

@@stef1790 Am I wrong, but he copy & pastes the "trim path" to the shape layer, something not available for someone starting w a vector image. Again, old video but screw this guy for saying Illustrator files will save a lot of time

[@psilon21310]

I have watched this video COUNTLESS TIMES it is so well put together and easy to follow thank you so much! I am using this tutorial to make text write itself out almost every time and would really appreciate if you would make a video specifically how to do it with a logo with lots of text, it tends to be more like 60 mask layers I have to do individually compared to a simple logo like you have shown and I feel like there’s gotta be a better way, thanks again for all your help this video is a LIFESAVER. Edit:(I wanted to clear up that the text is not text like in after effects it is still a png just made to look like text)

[@SonduckFilm]

Thanks for letting me know! I'm thinking of putting another tutorial like this one together this week. So keep a look out if I'm able to produce a new tutorial on this effect!

[@psilon21310]

SonduckFilm Thank you so much really appreciate it!!! Love your tutorials

[@MultiBodkins]

How to merge the layers in 1:17? what is the shortcut?

[@PhotoBoothMaestro]

Hello, It's possible to add an auto trace mask to a composition and with changing of the content of the composition automatically change the trace mask? Because in my case, I change the image from the composition but the mask remain the same... Thank you for your great videos!

[@AlexJenkins]

I'm following this step by step and literally nothing is happening to my strokes. does it have to be a certain file for this to happen?

[@erikavilleda2113]

when i add the stroke, it doesn't show up, and also i get like 6 masks for the path, instead of one single path layer :(

[@thetostplayertv]

when you auto trace it you need to apply it to a new layer

[@emilyratcliff7725]

Okay so how do you now fill the logo with color? I have the stroke color changed but need to fill it in with color, rather than just an outline.

[@munyman2]

Hi can you help me ? If we use auto trace in after effects how do we add 3D effect layer to my logo / text animation ? I have duplicated layers in 3D space but my animation is still flat.

[@ChengduGaming]

would it be possible to do an effect like this on something like the logo I have for my channel? something more complex that is not just a normal outline

[@deepshyamal32]

I can't get the fill and stroke option in ae need help

[@stefanotvchannel]

why i cannot copy my path's mask?

[@Curse_of_the_moon]

So where do you skip to if you have an illustrator file?

[@arianaside8191]

can you please help? when i do my stroke it only outlines one part of my trace and the rest arent showing up :( i had over 34 paths and did all that

[@mathieul4303]

Top

[@tariks926]

How do I make it slower?

[@kbdesigns1297]

Followed along but when I add the stroke to the shape layer, no stroke is visible not matter how big I make it. Any ideas?

[@RRKTS1]

You kinda sound like David Laid and is funny because he is into editing and stuff too hahah

[@pogiman]

stroke not appearing to me

[@SeyabWorld]

Why I am not getting that AUTO TRACE option? Does anyone know I'll glad if you guys can help me out. btw I am using adobe after effects 2018

[@Mort558]

Hi! I am doing the steps you are doing, but still my stroke does not show when I add it, could you please help me?

[@mushroomchung97]

same problem here :(

[@relaxingsounds2829]

SAME

[@mushroomchung97]

I ended up just use the general stroke

[@puisket]

Be sure to paste the mask into the path property, the one with keyframes.

[@Dr.JimmyBrungus]

I was pulling my hair out over this for like an hour. Copy the mask PATH (not the mask itself) and paste in the PATH in the shape layer.

[@PChrystal]

Hi, people and sonduckfilm need some help, I followed the steps, but the strokes don't appear.. I have a solid on the bottom, and new layer box checked when I auto-trace. Pls help

[@madgeorge2236]

My path somehow goes much wider! And when applyung stroke nothing happens. I tried to copy what you do, but it did not wotk (

[@neonnnXD]

same

[@sTreek90]

i'm using a vector layer when i trim paths it doesnt fill correctly inside the layer

[@gabrielaci3325]

same problem

[@jessysherif2599]

after I click on auto-trace it doesn't make a white solid for me

[@R-Tie]

when i add the stroke, it doesn't show up. What can I do ?

[@poruatokin]

Drinking game, take a shot every time he says "go ahead"

[@babatundeonabajo]

I always appreciate the effort that goes into these videos but I have to agree that this went way too fast and several steps were missing. It should not take more than an hour for someone to do this. For the benefit of those reading this, when you auto-trace be sure to click "Add New Layer". It's possible that Sonduck thought it was selected by default but it wasn't on mine.

[@sebastianciho]

Well dine! Saved my butt!

[@jibbrian417]

How can I make the line transparent?? Pleeeeease help meeee! I'm trying to do it on a background that has different colors

[@SonduckFilm]

Hit "T" on your keyboard and lower the opacity.

[@jibbrian417]

@@SonduckFilm It didn't work... I'm basically trying to "reveal" an audio spectrum over a colored background... Could you help me please? I just need the line that reveals the audio spectrum to be transparent but if I make it transparent the whole reveal effect is gone

[@jaq3959]

is there any way to slow it down..

[@nyxbozovic7503]

Go into the graph editor and there you can do anything.

[@jessica8268]

The button "add" doesn't show up. What do I do?

[@forrnx.]

It keeps saying "After Effects error: attempt to get an item from a position outside of list length. ( 27 :: 12)"

[@rebeccakiarie616]

Did you find out how to fix this?

[@tiptreeworldbreadawards7781]

I just can't get this to work :-( I am trying to reveal an outline of the map of GB. I have the transparent .ai file but when i auto trace i get 20 masks and I can't see anything when I try to add a stroke :-(

[@Natarshar5]

This didnt work for me, as soon as I went on to add stroke, the stroke didnt come up, even if I edited the stroke to a 100 and the colour is white and is on the black background, so nothing comes up other than the not permanent outline of the png can anyone help? no idea what i am doing wrong, i am doing exactly same as video. :(

[@HackingInfo]

AE version???

[@tomm.w.d.3824]

Multiple masks?

[@Rishav520]

my mask turns out to be larger than comp size ..how to resize it

[@alyaariesta9137]

why my stroke path wont show up??

[@MaheshSharma-wy7tr]

difficult to make stroke

[@bobbyzhang5069]

Hey nice tutorial, but next time try to make it so I can follow along and replicate what you're doing.

[@MotivationVault]

anyone trying this with a text based logo? doesnt work...