Bending Layers Along Paths | After Effects Tutorial

[@BWayMotion]

TUTORIAL NOTE: Depending on the length of the shape, path, and number of pins, you will have to adjust the keyframe offset number at 4:54 ... Try to eyeball it, but you might have to guess and check.

[@TenthElementGraphics]

Tutorials shouldn't always be about copying someone step for step, putting a 5 where they put a 5, making a shape identical to the shape they make. It should be food for thought, if you understand a concept, you can refine it, change it to your needs, and make something great. The execution in this video isn't what I'd call super impressive.. But the CONCEPT gained in this video is absolutely wonderful. There's SO MUCH POTENTIAL in what is learned here.

[@rendercrap]

Actually, as a professional, I would say that it IS about doing that EXACTLY for the first time. Then, start over and apply it to your own stuff. You're basically right but to get it into your brain it's important to follow exactly at first, then experiment to your needs.

[@rendercrap]

This way you don't waste time experimenting on what you "already want it to do," but once you do get it to do what you want it to, it's about trying things you didn't know you could.

[@TenthElementGraphics]

I agree. Its just that people in the comments said that what he ended up making didn't look that good. And to that i would say they are kind of missing the point.

[@rendercrap]

@@TenthElementGraphics this is true

[@davidagcaoili6419]

we really need tutorials like this having no plugins involved. great tutorial!

[@BWayMotion]

David Agcaoili thanks for the support!!!

[@yycollege2654]

It is really helpful! The best part is that no plugins required. This way we could control every detail parts as we need. Thank you.

[@SladeTakalaLamey]

Brilliant, I am learning, and thanks to people like you it's a hell of a lot easier. Cheers From Finland.

[@lakmal1st]

you use best of your knowladge for creating this tutorial.. its' one of the best

[@magnuskallas]

For the background music and the fishworm creature alone, thumbs up!

[@vineetekbote1069]

i was about to say this by the way it sucks and good to hear also

[@landbanana]

Super handy, took a little adjusting but the concept worked like a charm. I was able to get a pretty slick looking bezier effect by selecting chunks of the keyframes and using the alt+drag retiming to space out the keyframes at the beginning and end and condense them in the middle. Thanks! (and the background music is a vibe the haters can get a grip, get a life, and get over it)

[@BWayMotion]

🙌 thank you!

[@tainovibe]

@@BWayMotion dope dub techno vibes, i loved the music :D

[@gergototh2012]

i like that music so much!

[@dublinphotoart]

I think i have a better option... example: i put 5 puppet pins on my shape - i place it on a motion path with puppet pin 1 on the starting point of the path. I copy and paste another path and using the pen tool I extend an extra starting point to that path to line up with puppet pin 2... and so on for each puppet pin. I use a copy of the shape at the end of the motion path and again use the puppet pins as a guide this time to cut the ends of each path (using the pen tool to add a point on each path where each puppet pin ends and removing the original ending points).. so now each puppet pin has its own start and end point... now simply copy each motion path's "path" value onto each corresponding puppet pin's "position" value and there you go! 😀 so for a shape with 5 puppet pins you should end up with 5 duplicate motion paths only with slightly different start and end points ( note: whenever i paste the values onto the puppet pins they jump out of position for some reason but they can just be dragged back and lined up using the path you drew first. These motion paths can then be hidden or deleted.) 😀🤔

[@lostmorny1333]

YOU ARE A HERO

[@BWayMotion]

🦸‍♂️ all in a day's work

[@sikeyimboyleisi]

Interesting concept. Thanks

[@teago.83]

Am I the only one who liked the background song? -Q Nice tutorial, by the way.

[@BWayMotion]

🥲

[@PrinceWesterburg]

Its crazy that in 2022 you still can't animate a texture down a path when I've been doing this in 3D for 25 years! Adobe are seriously useless.

[@galefraney]

Excellent video !!!

[@ljfied]

bravo! thanks for the cool idea

[@ayesharawal2447]

I am trying to animate a snake in After Effects and absolutely cannot get the shape layer path to copy+paste onto the motion position. Sos what am I doing wrong???

[@BWayMotion]

Hi, thanks for your comment. Make sure you're selecting the Path parameter itself and not the group that's called Path; the stopwatch icon should be to the left of it. select this one and copy. this is my best guess at what's going on from what you've said. let me know if this helps.

[@yashwagh-iv2hw]

@@BWayMotion thanks mahnn

[@peerlessrecords6236]

informative video. but please remove this super annoying (idk if it's supposed to be background music?)

[@BWayMotion]

That's the plan with future videos. At least you got something from it? --Tyler

[@rickonami]

Thx.

[@BAAAAAAAAAAA]

nice video but what the hell is this background music?

[@videosgg9258]

i can't see puppet pin parent option in my softwear

[@BWayMotion]

hi. sorry, just saw your comment. Did you hold alt (or "option" on Mac) while clicking the keyframe stopwatch? That will allow you to link it with expressions. Use the pick whip (spiral icon) that drops down. --Tyler

[@landonconway79]

You really don't need 5 nulls. Just make one null and put several point expression controls in it. Much easier to use.

[@BWayMotion]

I'm curious. elaborate. what expression would you use?

[@landonconway79]

@@BWayMotion First of all, I hope my comment didn't come off as rude. Didn't mean to sound that way. Just trying to help... that's all. Anyway though yeah... I'd use the "Point Control" in expression controls. It makes it easier to organize since you can put them all under the effects of one single null, and you can collapse the null layer for organization. I mean... that's how I do it. Maybe you just like the other preference better.

[@BWayMotion]

i don't think that was rude at all. this is the whole point of my YT, just learning stuff. so I appreciate your comment. I'll have to look into what you mean cuz honestly I'm still a bit confused. thx

[@landonconway79]

@@BWayMotion Just to help a bit more... Create a null layer then and select it. Go to Effect>Expression Controls>Point Control You'll see that there is a point option in the effects section of your layer. Add as many as you need. Bind to the expression control instead. Hope this helps.

[@SheeshMaster64]

idk i was playing the vid at 1.25 and the music sounded dope

[@syaifulasus3891]

the image doesn't match the THUMBNAILS...

[@BWayMotion]

Were you specifically trying to make a fish like in the thumbnails? It’s the same process.

[@Cataldus3d]

There must be an easier way nowadays... 😞

[@BWayMotion]

Look into Omino Snake plug-in

[@VidarrKerr]

If you f up so bad, just redo the video man. Seriously. This isn't live TV. Thanks.

[@BWayMotion]

@@VidarrKerr do you mean the flipped pin order? it’s not unlikely that someone following the tutorial would make the same mistake. it wasn’t a big deal and it made sense to include the simple solution.

[@VidarrKerr]

@@BWayMotion Yeah. Just add a comment at the beginning of that process, not at the end. I don't usually follow along step by step with a video, but for some reason I did with this one. So, I had to go back and reorder everything. I had way more pushpins than your example, so it sucked. I thought you had a reason why you did it that way, but then, you said it was a mistake. It is nothing to get upset about. Just make a note telling people to order things the right way, BEFORE you start doing it. Your video is really good though. I enjoyed it a lot. This is just some constructive criticism. Don't get too worried about it.

[@BWayMotion]

@@VidarrKerr oh that makes sense- i agree. kinda dumb on my end for not realizing how frustrating that could be for the audience. thx

[@FunKayyy]

this method really doesnt like logos...

[@vritikvaghela]

Squidward

[@BWayMotion]

oh god, what are you planning....

[@Sarsour_]

Good tutorial, but that background sound is terrible

[@shahinkheradmand3528]

what is that? a music??? i just left your tutorial because of it

[@antaljani]

VERY VERY annoying background noise... (want to be a music maybe?) Terrible...