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Want to bring your brand's logo to life with animation? It's easier than you think.
We'll take you through this process step-by-step using Adobe After Effects on a desktop computer.
Let's get started with our logo animation tutorial.
Start with layers
Before animating your logo design in After Effects, you need to place the different elements in layers. This will enable you to animate each logo element separately in After Effects.
You can edit a vector version of your logo in Adobe Illustrator to separate the elements into layers.
You may need to Ungroup elements or cut and paste them to create a layer for each one.
Create a new After Effects Project
Now that your static design is prepped, you can open up After Effects to create a new Project.
In the central Composition panel, click on the New Composition from Footage card. Select your layered .ai logo file.
Choose the Composition option in the Import Kind dropdown and click OK.
You'll see your Illustrator file added to your new After Effects Composition. Double-click on it in the Timeline at the bottom to reveal all the element layers.
Animate your logo
Select your first layer and choose an Animation Preset from the Effects & Presets panel at the top right. We chose the Fade In preset.
Now, add the same effect to each of your layers, staggering them one after the other in the Timeline.
This staggering effect will make each letter of the logo's wordmark appear in sequence.
Next, add a Linear Wipe effect to each side of the logomark to reveal the icon. Remember to move your Timeline Indicator along to get the timing right.
You can preview your animation any time by pressing Space Bar on your keyboard.
Adjust your Timeline as needed. For example, you can move keyframes closer together to speed up some of the element animations.
Export your logo animation
If you're happy with your animation sequence and you're ready to share the video file, go to File > Export > Add to Render Queue.
Click on the blue Not yet specified text next to Output To and choose your file location. You can also change the name of the video file here.
Next, click the Render button to export your video file.
Below is our final exported video made in After Effects:
Let's look at how to create a stunning logo animation using a combination of Linearity Curve and Linearity Move.
We'll show you how easy it is with our Auto Animate feature.
How to Auto Animate your logo in Linearity Move
Remember how we made layers in Adobe Illustrator before adding the logo file to your After Effects Composition? We'll follow a similar process with Linearity software.
If you haven't already downloaded Linearity's software suite, get started for free below:
We'll create our logo animation on an iPad.
Create your animation storyboard in Linearity Curve
Open up Linearity Curve and Import your vector logo file by tapping on the + icon in the top right corner.
If you created your logo in Curve, you can create a duplicate file and rename it.
You'll see all your element layers in the Layers panel in the Inspector on the right.
We'll create an Artboard for each key moment in our logo animation storyboard.
Tap on the name of your Artboard at its top left border to select it, then select Duplicate Mode in the Toolbar on the left.
Drag and drop to duplicate your Artboard.
Create a few duplicates, depending on your logo animation's complexity. We created 13 Artboards—one for each element's appearance.
Once you're satisfied with the storyboard you've created, close Linearity Curve and open Linearity Move. Your file will autosave.
Auto Animate your logo with Linearity Move
You'll see your Linearity Curve file in your Homescreen Gallery. Tap on the arrow to import it into Linearity Move.
Once imported, tap on the file card to open the Scene Builder. Tap on the Select All button and drag and drop your Artboards into one Scene.
Tap Import at the top right corner to create your logo animation file.
To preview your Auto Animated logo, tap on the Play icon.
Notice how Linearity Move recognized all the layers from the various Artboards and automatically staggered the animations for you.
You can adjust the animations and timing in the Scene Timeline. We removed the Position keyframes so the letters would fade in one by one but not fly in.
We also added the Masked Reveal Preset to each side of the logo icon, so it would appear from the center outwards.
Export your logo animation
Preview your animation one more time, then head over to the File Name menu item at the top left of your screen and tap Export.
You can adjust your Export options, like the file type. We'll export our logo animation as a GIF.
Tap on the Export button and choose your file location.
Here's our final logo animation made with Linearity:
Get moving with animation
This easy tutorial showed you how to create a simple logo animation in a few clicks using Adobe After Effects and Linearity Move.
For After Effects, we prepared the vector layers in Adobe Illustrator. For Linearity Move, we prepared animation Artboards in Linearity Curve.
While After Effects is considered by many as the industry standard software, the interface can be cumbersome with many hidden settings and presets. It requires training to figure out where all the proverbial knobs and switches are.
With advanced, easy-to-use features like Auto Animate and Presets, Linearity Move is one of the best software for animating logos, social media posts, product announcements, and more.
We also offer 3,000+ free static and animated design templates to accelerate your design workflow. Try one below:
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Ready to try new and innovative animation design software? Learn more about our pricing options for professionals and teams.
Frequently asked questions
How can I animate a logo in After Effects from Illustrator?
Start by importing your Illustrator file into After Effects. Ensure each element you want to animate is on a separate layer in Illustrator.
Once imported, you can convert Illustrator layers into shape layers in After Effects to utilize more animation features. From there, use keyframes to animate properties like position, scale, rotation, and opacity to bring your logo to life.
What are the basic steps to animate a logo in After Effects?
Begin by creating a new composition. Import your logo file and drag it into the composition. Use keyframing to animate properties such as position, scale, and opacity.
Experiment with effects and presets available in After Effects to enhance your animation.
Can I use Linearity Move to animate logos designed in other software?
Yes, Linearity Move supports importing vector and raster graphics, so you can animate logos created in various design software like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or even hand-drawn sketches, as long as they are in a compatible file format.
What are the advantages of using Linearity Move over After Effects for logo animation?
Linearity Move is designed to be more intuitive and user-friendly, especially for designers who may not be familiar with complex animation software.
It offers a streamlined interface and tools specifically tailored for motion design, which can be easier to learn than After Effects' comprehensive but complex features.
How can I export my animated logo for use in other applications?
In After Effects, you can export your animation as a video file or an animated GIF by going to File > Export > Add to Render Queue and then choosing your desired format and settings.
In Linearity Move, you can export animations directly through the export options provided, adjusting format and quality settings as needed.
Are there any resources to help beginners learn more about logo animation in After Effects and Linearity Move?
Many online platforms offer tutorials and courses for beginners to advanced levels. Adobe’s tutorials and help files are a great place to start for After Effects. For Linearity Move, check our Academy and Community forum for guides and pro user tips.
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Sharné McDonald
Sharné is a contributing writer for the Linearity Blog. She has 10+ years' experience in graphic design and marketing and holds a Master's degree in Art Education.
