• Adobe After Effects

  Flipping Diamond

  Posted by Nick Cochran on October 7, 2008 at 3:04 am

  Hi Guys,

  This, I’m sure, is very simple to do, but it’s been a while since I’ve worked in AE.

  I need to flip a diamond shape from the right side to the left in a linear fashion. It’s basically flipping by its own width. The problem is when I use the Y rotation (on the 3d layer) it “flips” once perfectly, but the anchor point is on the wrong side after that. Is there an easy way to do this? Should I animate the anchor point in some fashion?

  Thanks,
  Nick

  David Bogie replied 17 years, 7 months ago 4 Members · 6 Replies
• 6 Replies

• 

  Kevin Camp

  October 7, 2008 at 2:46 pm

  create a null layer (layer>new>null).

  got to the point in the time line where you want the second flip to happen, then position the null’s anchor at the point on the diamond where you want the diamond to rotate around.

  now parent the diamond shape to the null and key frame the rotation for the null to create the second flip.

  Kevin Camp
  Senior Designer
  KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW
• 

  David Bogie

  October 7, 2008 at 2:54 pm

  No idea what you’re seeing.
  Set the anchor point to be in the physical center of the layer, exactly where you want the axis–or axes– of rotation to be. If you need to change the position of the anchor point, you can do it instantly with hold keyframes and the pan behind tool.

  You could also precompose the layer and set an anchor point on the new comp that is compeltely different from the anchor of the original layer.

  bogiesan

  This is my standard sigfile so do not take it personally: “For crying out loud, read the freakin’ manual.”
• 

  Nick Cochran

  October 7, 2008 at 9:51 pm

  Hi Kevin,

  This works for two flips, but after that the anchor point is back on the right side and unable to flip again. If I had to create a null object for each flip it’d be a nightmare later on when I have to create tons of these flipping in different colors, etc.

  Thanks for the reply, though.

  -Nick
• 

  Nick Cochran

  October 7, 2008 at 9:56 pm

  Hello,

  When I try modifying the anchor point at all later on in the timeline, it completely screws up my previous flipping animation.
• 

  Frank Feijen

  October 8, 2008 at 11:17 am

  Haven’t got AE in front of me right now, but wouldn’t working with the transform-effect make things easier.
  If you would use a new (or duplicated) transform-effect for every spin, you would end up with just 1 diamondlayer and no precomps.
• 

  David Bogie

  October 8, 2008 at 3:47 pm

  This indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of how keyframes work.

  Your best bet is to split the layers as LaRonde has suggested.

  Please come back in a few days and tell us how you met the challenge.

  bogiesan

  This is my standard sigfile so do not take it personally: “For crying out loud, read the freakin’ manual.”

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