A way to bend a symbol along a cutom motion path.

[ulfn16048340]

In the great tutorial Create an animated infographic on the Adobe support portal, a arrow is being moved along a custom made motion path. I have a situation where I would like to do the same in an illustration of a heating process at my work. But my question is, is it possible to make the arrow "bend" when it moves in the rounded corners? In the tutorial, the arrow only turns in the corner, not bends. Can it be done automaticly or do i have to add more symbols that simulates the transitions from straight arrow to bended arrow and back again?

Best regards from Sweden

Ulf

[n. tilcheff]

Hi mate,

To do this:

Separate the arrowhead and move it along the motion guide, just by itself.

Use a copy of your motion guide as the arrow's body and then a reveal mask that follows a copy of the motion guide and appears to be attached to the arrow head.

The mask itself should be a graphic symbol synchronised to your timeline and inside you would have Shape Tween to control the short sides of the reveal mask, i.e arrow.

So, in summary: It can be done, but is more complicated. If you are inexperienced, it will take you time and there are multiple places where you can stumble.

Good luck!

[ulfn16048340]

Total awsomeness! You rock! Yes I am inexperienced and I think I will go for the easy part. BUT, your explanation does make sense to me and I will save this for a later day when I can fully imerse my self in Animate Rock ´n Roll!

Big Thank you!

[_keyframer]

Nick is spot on as to how to achieve this effect. It would seem intuitive that you could create a curvy line/stroke on a Guide layer and then shape tween a strok along it - but it doesn't work that way. 

I just experimented with creating the desired effect based on Nick's description and it is doable but a little tricky. I will try and record a video today.

[n. tilcheff]

ps.

I should have added that some animation will have to - at some point - be converted to frame by frame, because you cannot have a guided mask layer.

This means that you will need to do all your timing and prep while the layer intended to work as the mask is guided, then convert to frame by frame and then detach it from the motion guide and make it a reveal mask layer.

[_keyframer]

yeah that's what I found also - exactly. I wonder why a shape tween wouldn't work with a stroke along a guided path. Seems intuitive.