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Activity Forums Adobe After Effects Line that follows a path, growing line

  • Line that follows a path, growing line

    Posted by Johan Spoelstra on July 7, 2008 at 7:32 pm

    Hi there,

    I’m sure this question is asked a million times before, but I just can’t find the right answer because everyone is talking about 3D lines and stuff..

    Let me explain the situation:
    I have a leaf, that is moving along a path.. That is working fantastic.
    Now, what I want to achieve is that there is a line at the tale of this leaf that is growing while the leaf is getting further along the path..

    I tried to do this with a stroked penline and change the apearance in the timeline (somthing like handwriting..) but it did not work like a charm..

    Hope you have an idea how to do this.
    Thanks,

    Johan

    Olly Lawer replied 14 years, 5 months ago 5 Members · 5 Replies
  • 5 Replies
  • Mike Park

    July 7, 2008 at 8:27 pm

    People are probably talking about the 3d stroke plugin from Trapcode and they would be right. That plugin is perfect for what you are trying to do. You apply it to your path and animate the percentage along the path to follow your leaf object. You can taper the line at one or both ends and actually move it in 3d, although it seems like you only need 2d. It is the best way to go, if you have the plugin.

  • Simon Bonner

    July 8, 2008 at 8:36 am

    I do something very similar to this in my animated map tutorial, which is currently viewable on my youtube channel.

    I move a car, but it could just as well be a leaf!

    It’s a two part tutorial, but what you need is in the first part. Click here to see it.

    Simon Bonner

    youtube.com/simonsaysFX

  • Johan Spoelstra

    July 8, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    That was exactly where I was looking for. Fantastic!
    Great tutorial btw!

    Thank you so much!
    Cheers,

    Johan

  • Dan Smith

    November 22, 2010 at 11:18 am

    Simon, this is a great tutorial. Exactly what i needed to learn. thanks so much!

  • Olly Lawer

    December 15, 2011 at 7:55 pm

    Brilliant!

    I don’t suppose you know how to have the line tail off at the end do you? i.e. as the line animates the mask, the end of the line disappears – for example, the line stays a length of only 4cms at any one time.

    Olly Lawer

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