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Looking for a way to animate a dynamic web
The idea is to have a set of lines connected to circular nodes that changes position. Think of molecules, but more of a 2D web. First, I moved the nodes individually (in one layer), then I put each line on its own layer. Although now I realize that it’s more than just position that I’m animating, now it’s also rotation, and I also need to change the length of the lines. I’m not sure how to lengthen the line without scaling (which changes the stroke size), since I need to re-fit the line to the new space between the moved nodes.
After trying the first line, I realize that it’s not just the scale that I need a solution for. Since the ends of the lines aren’t attached to the nodes, there are breaks or gaps between the ends of the lines and the circular nodes before they reach their final position. There has got to be a better way to do this. Would it be possible if the lines and nodes were all one shape and then use the puppet pins for the movement? I’ve never done that before and would love to know if something like that would work.
I would love any help or guidance. Thank you.
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2 Replies
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Yes, using puppet pins could be a great solution for animating the nodes and lines. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can use puppet pins to create the animation you’re looking for:
1. Create a new composition in After Effects and import your circular nodes as separate layers. Place them where you want them to be in the beginning of the animation.
2. Create a new solid layer and draw a line using the Pen tool. Make sure the stroke width is set to the desired thickness.
3. With the line layer selected, go to Layer > Auto-trace. This will convert the line into a shape layer with a stroke path.
4. Open the shape layer and add puppet pins by selecting Layer > Auto-trace > Create Puppet Pins.
5. Add puppet pins to the line at the beginning and end points of each node.
6. Select the puppet pin tool and use it to animate the position and rotation of the nodes. As you move the nodes, the lines will adjust their length and angle to fit the new position.
7. Continue to add puppet pins to the lines as needed, adjusting the length and angle of each line to match the movement of the nodes.
8. Preview your animation to make sure the lines and nodes move smoothly.
9. Once you are happy with the animation, export your composition by selecting Composition > Add to Render Queue.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
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I know Shahid has already replied, but in case it helps, I made a tutorial covering this look a while back:
There’s a project file if you get stuck.
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