Fold a text wingding

[John Cuevas]

I would duplicate the layer, split it half and animate both sides to get it to flap.

here’s an older tutorial, showing the basic technique: https://layersmagazine.com/animated-butterfly-in-after-effects.html

Johnny Cuevas, Editor
Thinkck.com

“I have not failed 700 times. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”
—THOMAS EDISON on inventing the light bulb.

[Kenny Scott]

Split the wingding into three and animate each wing. Awesome, Johnny! Thanks 🙂

[John Cuevas]

Glad to help, hope it turns out great!

Johnny Cuevas, Editor
Thinkck.com

“I have not failed 700 times. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”
—THOMAS EDISON on inventing the light bulb.

[Kenny Scott]

Split the winding into three, left wing, body, right wing and it’s animated fine.
I’ve since coloured the .png images individually and made it into one composition to use as a particle for an emitter…I’m using trapcode particular and I changed the colour of the butterfly in the initial compostion, assuming that when I told trapcode particular to use that layer as a particle it’d include the colour of the butterfly but it’s black while the actual layer has colour and I can’t find where I change the colour of the particles…why hasn’t it included the colour of the original comp? 🙁

[John Cuevas]

If I understand correctly, you created your butterfly animation, it’s in a precomp and it has color, correct? From here with particular under Particle, you want to choose “Particle Type” > “Textured Polygon”. that should get you using the layer from your precomp with the exact colors.

Johnny Cuevas, Editor
Thinkck.com

“I have not failed 700 times. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”
—THOMAS EDISON on inventing the light bulb.

[Kenny Scott]

That’s basically it, yeh.

I changed the colour of the .png images in the seperate comp where I animated the butterflies wings…then dropped that comp into my main comp and within trapcode particular I selected Textured Polygon and changed the layer to my butterfly layer…Problem is, when the butterfly is dropped onto my main comp, it has the colours from the butterfly comp…then when I try to use it as a particle, it’s black…even though I can see in my main comp that this layer has colour :/ confused…any ideas?

[John Cuevas]

If it’s not too much trouble create a reduced project-just the final comp with trapcode particular, the precomp and the butterfly asset. Run a collect files, save your comp as a CS6 version or earlier, zip the folder up and upload it here—using the last icon in the reply dialogue and I’ll check it out tonight.

Johnny Cuevas, Editor
Thinkck.com

“I have not failed 700 times. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”
—THOMAS EDISON on inventing the light bulb.

[Kenny Scott]

Thanks John, I really appreciate that you’re willing to look at for me 🙂

I’ll continue playing around with it a little more and if I don’t manage to solve it soon I’ll zip it up and post it here…I’ll let you know how I’m getting on.

[Kenny Scott]

Sorted 😀

I had Shading turned on…turned it off and the particles look exactly like the separate butterfly comp.

Gracias, John!

[John Cuevas]

You know, I was was wondering if there was a lighting issue, but didn’t think of shading. glad you worked it out.

Johnny Cuevas, Editor
Thinkck.com

“I have not failed 700 times. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”
—THOMAS EDISON on inventing the light bulb.