Are you ready to create jaw-dropping 2D character animations that will wow your audience? In this complete guide for beginners, you’ll master 2D character animation using Photoshop, After Effects, and AI tools like Midjourney.

Step-by-step, you’ll learn how to separate characters from backgrounds, break them into animatable layers, create eye-catching animations, and add professional lighting and effects. By the end, you’ll have the skills to bring your own 2D art and characters to life through animation and build an impressive portfolio.

Join me as we journey through rigging, animating layers, fixing common problems, developing lively motions, and polishing off scenes with color grading and additional assets. With fun practice assets and detailed explanations, you’ll gain confidence in this sought-after skill and experience the satisfaction of seeing your static art fluidly move.

The future of animation awaits – enroll now to master 2D character animation, enhance your skills as an artist, and breathe life into your creative visions!

Want more details? On completion of this course, you will have harnessed these skills:

1. Mastering Photoshop Tools for Character Isolation

Learn to deftly maneuver through Photoshop’s pen, lasso, and generative fill tools to seamlessly extract characters from their backgrounds. We’ll delve into practical exercises that refine your precision and speed, ensuring crisp, clean character isolation every time.

• Hands-on practice with the pen and lasso tools

• Explore the generative fill’s efficiency

• Perfect your character cut-out techniques

2. Layering Characters for After Effects Animation

Uncover the secrets to organizing and separating character assets into layers effectively in Photoshop. You’ll become adept at preparing assets that are animation-ready for a seamless transition into After Effects.

• Layer separation techniques

• Preparing assets for animation

• Importing Photoshop files into After Effects

3. Character Animation Essentials in After Effects

Step into the world of animation by learning rigging, keyframing, and effect application to breathe life into your characters. We refine each movement, ensuring fluid, realistic animation that captivates and engages.

• Rigging characters for animation

• Mastering keyframes and effects

• Refining and perfecting character movement

4. Depth Maps & Parallax Background Animation

Harness the power of depth maps in Photoshop for intricate parallax animations in After Effects. Learn to create depth, dimension, and dynamic backgrounds that elevate the visual storytelling experience.

• Crafting depth maps in Photoshop

• Parallax animation techniques

• Enhancing visual depth and dimension

5. Lighting and Color Grading Mastery

Illuminate your animations with advanced lighting effects, stock elements, and color grading techniques that enhance mood, atmosphere, and visual appeal, making each piece a visual masterpiece.

• Implementing lighting effects

• Utilizing stock elements

• Mastering color grading techniques

6. Precision Control with After Effects’ Graph Editor

Achieve absolute control over animation easing, ensuring smooth, natural movements that are visually pleasing and professionally crafted, taking your animation skills to the next level.

• Animating with precision

• Discovering the graph editor

• Enhancing animation smoothness

7. Shape Layers and Masks for Motion Effects

Discover the art of animating shape layers and masks, unlocking a world of unique motion effects that add a creative touch to every project, ensuring you stand out in the animation arena.

• Animating shape layers and masks

• Creating unique motion effects

• Enhancing creative animation techniques

8. Systematic Project Set-Up for Complex Animations

Implement structured project setups that streamline the animation process, ensuring efficiency and organization when working with complex characters, saving time and enhancing workflow quality.

• Organizing animation projects

• Handling complex characters

• Enhancing workflow efficiency

9. Troubleshooting & Asset Refinement

Arm yourself with troubleshooting skills to tackle common animation challenges head-on, and master asset refinement in Photoshop, ensuring each animation project is polished and professional.

• Fixing common animation issues

• Refining assets in Photoshop

• Perfecting animation projects

10. Eye Blink Animation Techniques

Learn the intricate process of animating eye blinks using multiple layers, adding that soul and character personality, enhancing the connection between your characters and the audience.

• Animating eye blinks

• Using multiple layers effectively

• Enhancing character emotiveness

11. Midjourney AI for Character Art Creation

Venture into the world of AI with Midjourney to generate unique, captivating character art assets. Discover techniques to optimize this powerful tool, personalizing each creation to fit your specific project needs.

• Generating art with Midjourney AI

• Customizing character assets

• Optimizing AI tools for art creation

12. Complete Character Splash Screen Animations

Master the journey from concept to completion, creating captivating character splash screen animations that are visually stunning and professionally crafted, ready to showcase in your portfolio.

• Concept to completion workflow

• Creating unique splash screens

• Polishing animations for showcase

13. Building a Stellar Animation Portfolio

Compile a portfolio showcasing your high-quality character animation works. Learn the strategies to present your skills effectively, ensuring you capture attention and opportunities in the animation industry.

• Over 50 character designs included

• Showcase your animation skills

• Capture industry attention and opportunities

My biggest hope for you:

My aim is to provide you with the skills needed to kickstart your animation journey!