Creating a 3D Scene with a 2D Image in After Effects
In this series of After Effects tutorials, we learn how to add depth to a 2D image using masking, camera, and compositing tricks. Software required: After Effects CS6.
What you'll learn
In this series of After Effects tutorials, we learn how to add depth to a 2D image using masking, camera, and compositing tricks. We will start by discussing what kinds of images are best to use for shots like this and then we discuss how to decide where we are going to break our image apart. After masking our layers to split them up, we give them some Z-depth and animate a camera to bring our scene to life. From there, we add elements like birds and particles that add to our depth and help sell realism in our scene. By the end of the training, we will have gone from a completely still image to a scene that feels alive. Software required: After Effects CS6.
Table of contents
- Masking Our Scene to Split Our Image into Layers 17m
- Adding Depth Our Layers by Changing Their Z Positions 11m
- Animating the Camera 7m
- Using the Liquify Effect to Animate the Water 5m
- Adding the Particles to Our Scene with Particular 11m
- Changing the Camera Settings to Add Depth of Field 10m
- Adding Birds to the Scene for a Secondary Depth Element 8m
- Adding Realistic Camera Lens Effects 10m
About the author
Laura is a passionate visual effects and motion graphics author at Pluralsight. Ever since her first exposure to After Effects in college, Laura has had an eternal drive to learn more about motion graphics, and teach others what she has discovered. Laura began working at Digital-Tutors (now a Pluralsight company) as a motion graphics artist, creating visually-appealing advertisements and informative art for the site. Throughout her time at Digital-Tutors, Laura contributed greatly to both the ... more