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29632062lql3
Known Participant
September 8, 2023
Question

animating an arrow from Illustrator into After Effects

  • September 8, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 6040 views

Dear team

I have exploring simple animation of arrows in After Effects using trim paths.

I have created a simple Illustrator artifact that connects a couple of boxes with arrows.

The arrow in Illustrator has been created using a stroke with the end of the stroke being an arrow.

 

However, i am unable to get it to animate the right way in After Effects. The arrow and line/stroke appear disjointed. The effect that i have achieved is as follows:

https://imgur.com/a/DjI8C1e

 

Can you please guide me where i am going wrong.

 

Thank you for your time!

 

 

 

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Mylenium
Mylenium
Legend
September 8, 2023

Of course you will need to animate the arrowheads position as well. Trim paths doesn't do any of this by itself. Either simply create matching keyframes or create a Null that follows the trim paths and parent the arrowhead to it.

 

Mylenium

2
29632062lql3Author
Known Participant
September 8, 2023

Thank you, Mylenium for weighing in.

Just for clarity, the arrowhead is not a separate element in Illustrator. It is a part of the stroke, as follows:

 

With regard to the following:

Either simply create matching keyframes or create a Null that follows the trim paths and parent the arrowhead to it.

 

Would you please be able to break down or point me to resources that will help me figure the approach that you are recommending.

 

Thanks!

 

 

2
29632062lql3Author
Known Participant
September 8, 2023

Hi 🙂

Unfortutatenly, you will have to separate the arrow shape from the line. AE does not have the option for line endings like arrows. There are several ways to make an animated arrow in AE – I usually do it the way it is done in this tutorial (just replace the plane with an arrow ;)):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZL6pd5CMoU


Dear Melanie

 

Thank you for sharing the video. I am wondering how do i group the line and arrowhead together though?

 

Thanks

2
29632062lql3Author
Known Participant
September 8, 2023

My After Effects interface to achieve this is as follows:

 

R
Community Expert
Rick GerardCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 8, 2023

Here's the workflow:

  1. Select the Contents/Shape 1/Path 1/Path in the timeline and make sure it is highlighted
  2. Open Window/Create Nulls From Paths.jsx and select Trace Paths to generate a null that follows the path
  3. Select the Trace Shape Layer 1: Path 1 [1.1] null and press the U key to reveal the Trace Path/Progress keyframes and turn off Loop in the Effects Control Panel
  4. Add Trim Paths to the Shape Layer/Contents/Shape 1 and reveal the Trim Paths/End property
  5. Reveal the Parent/Link column in the timeline by pressing Shift + F4
  6. Drag the pickwhip in the parent link column from the Trim Paths/End property to the Null/Trace Path/Progress property
  7. Add your AI arrow file to the timeline
  8. Make sure that the Anchor Point is right on the end, not the point, of the arrow and the arrow is pointing to the right and horizontal.
  9. Press the Shift Key and Parent Arrow layer to the Shape layer Null
  10. Adjust the timing of the Progress keyframes to draw on the line and make the arrow follow the path

That's it. That should get you started. 

 

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