StretchLearn Course

Animate Professional Motion Graphics in After Effects

The working motion designer's After Effects workflow - keyframes, shape layers, kinetic type, and expressions - taught through one complete title sequence.

Preview Curriculum Back to Catalog

Beginner9 hr 20 minSelf PacedRegistered

Course Overview

What this course is designed to develop

After Effects is the industry-standard tool for 2D motion graphics, used everywhere from broadcast lower-thirds to app onboarding and YouTube intros. This course teaches the specific craft that separates amateur from professional motion: spacing and timing through the Graph Editor, building resolution-independent art with shape layers and trim paths, animating text with animators and range selectors, and replacing tedious keyframing with a handful of expressions like wiggle, loopOut, and time. By the end you will have animated and rendered a polished title sequence with synchronized graphics, type, and sound.

Learning Outcomes

What the learner should be able to understand, build, or execute.

Set up a correctly configured After Effects composition with the right frame rate, resolution, and project structure

Animate any property with keyframes and shape motion using easing, the Graph Editor, and the 12 principles of motion

Build resolution-independent graphics from shape layers using trim paths, repeaters, and path animation

Create kinetic text reveals using text animators, range selectors, and per-character offsets

Automate and add life to animation with expressions including wiggle, loopOut, time, and linear

Render a finished title sequence using the render queue and Media Encoder for web and broadcast delivery

Curriculum Preview

Inside the curriculum: a structured path from fundamentals to execution.

Preview the course structure, see how the modules build on one another, and understand the path this program is designed to take you through.

Module 1

Module 1: Getting Started: Compositions, Layers, and Your First Animation

Set up After Effects correctly and learn how compositions, layers, and keyframes work so motion problems are never setup problems.

3 lessons

How After Effects Thinks: Comps, Layers, and the TimelineContent · 45 min

Preview Enabled

Setting Up a Composition: Frame Rate, Resolution, and DurationContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Your First Keyframes: Position, Scale, and OpacityContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 2

Module 2: Timing, Easing, and the Graph Editor

Move beyond default keyframes into deliberate spacing and timing - the single biggest jump from amateur to professional motion.

3 lessons

The 12 Principles of Animation for Motion GraphicsContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Mastering the Graph Editor and Custom EasingContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Motion Blur, Speed, and Making Movement BelievableContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 3

Module 3: Shape Layers and Text Animation

Build crisp, resolution-independent graphics with shape layers and craft kinetic text reveals that read on any screen.

3 lessons

Shape Layers, Trim Paths, and the RepeaterContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Kinetic Typography: Text Animators and Range SelectorsContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Parenting, Null Objects, and Pre-composingContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 4

Module 4: Expressions, Sound, and Rendering Your Title Sequence

Automate motion with expressions, sync graphics to audio, and render a finished title sequence for delivery.

3 lessons

Expressions for Beginners: wiggle, loopOut, time, and linearContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Syncing Motion to Music and SoundContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Rendering and Delivery: Render Queue and Media EncoderContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Built for Application

A complete learning path, not a one-off inspiration hit.

This program is designed around progression: focused lessons, structured modules, applied resources, assessments, and a course rhythm that turns information into usable capability.

After Effectsmotion graphicskeyframingeasingshape layerstext animationexpressionstitle sequence