How to animate anchor point fron an Illustrator file in After Effect?

[nilleg57851248]

I would like to animate a 2D shape, made in Ilustrator, into a 3 D shape via an animation in After Effect.
F. instance a pattens sheet for trouser into a 3D illustration, of the trousers, in an animation in After Effect.

Can you suggest a tutorial on that?

I guess I will have to animate each individual anchor point in the imported Illustrator layer, but how?
- I can change the positions to the anchor points individual, but how to attatch these moderations til the timeline in After Effect?

[Anna Lander]

tell please a bit more. Do you want to animate shape from Illustrator file or shape filled by pattern? The way will bw different.

[nilleg57851248]

No No fill. I shall make an online course about how to make a pair of trousers: In Illustrator I have made the different patterns shapes,- the leges, the crotch part and the waistband. Now I wnat to make a 3D animation in After Effect and show how to connect the different pattern parts, from the pattern sheets, to a pair of trousers "standing up" and "sewn" together.

[Anna Lander · Accepted solution]

Ok, it's easier.

You place the AI file by import and it's shown in Project panel as AI, yes? If it's layered and you imported it as Footage (the flattened image), you can convert it to layers: right-click on file and use Replace Footage > By Layered comp. You vill get the folder with separate layers ready for use. Then 

1. Put each AI layer to Timeline as a separate layer.

2. Right-click on the layer and find Create > Create Shapes from Vector Layer

3. The new shape layer wil be created, and original AI layer become invisible.

4. Open the shape layer properties and start animation: Contents > Path > Path — turn On the stopwatch. 

5. Use Pen tool to change the anchor points as you need in the needed moments. The keyframes will appear automatically. 

Tell me please if you need any illustration to clear something.

[nilleg57851248]

Super thank you Anna! You made my day,- and exam 😄