shadow effect

[Todd Morgan]

this is an afterFX forum, you may want to try the illustrator forum…

Todd Morgan
Creative Director
Freelance F/X Inc.

[Nicholas Toth]

Animate the character — then precomp it.
Duplicate the layer, and on the lower layer add a drop shadow. Click the box SHADOW ONLY.
Add some linear wipe (transition) to feather the top off
then corner pin it to fit the plane.

I’m picturing the “animated illustrator characters composited on photographs animations…”

Nicholas Toth
Freelance Animator
nicholastoth.com

[Kayla]

thanks! how would I corner pin the shadow?

[Nicholas Toth]

effect — distort — cc power pin

I usually break down composites on stills into 3 areas — foreground — middleground — and background — and try to keep the shadows the same between each individual area.

You generally want to take a few photographs too, with a dummy in the scene to pick out the shadows — ie a post jammed into the ground — or something to generatae a reference shadow. Overcast days can be tough.

[Kayla]

Wow i feel like an idiot..can you explain the dummy and photograph part of the post. maybe in steps…..I REALLY REALLY appreciate your help.

[Kayla]

Please help me understand the “photograph” part 🙂