Create Stunning Liquid Logo Animations in After Effects

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Creating a New Composition
3. Adding Background and Stroke
4. Creating the Liquid Drop Path
5. Adjusting the Path and Animation
6. Creating Small Droplets
7. Animating the Small Droplets
8. Precomposing the Liquid Shape Layers
9. Adding Fill Effects to the Liquid Layers
10. Creating the Transition
11. Adding the Logo
12. Adding Track Matte to the Logo
13. Animating the Logo

Creating a Liquid Logo Animation in After Effects

In this tutorial, we will learn how to Create a liquid logo animation using After Effects. We will go step by step, starting from creating the composition and adding the background and stroke. Then, we will create the liquid drop path and adjust its curves to make it smoother. Next, we will animate the liquid drop using keyframes and ease them for a smoother motion. After that, we will create small droplets around the liquid shape and animate them as well. We will then precompose the liquid shape layers and add fill effects to them for a more dynamic look. To transition between the liquid shapes, we will use a radial Scale wipe effect. Finally, we will add the logo and animate its appearance using rotation and position keyframes.

Introduction

Before we begin, let's introduce the tutorial and the tools we will be using. This tutorial is sponsored by Envato Elements, where You can find a wide range of design video products. We will be using After Effects to create the liquid logo animation. If you don't have After Effects, make sure to upgrade to the latest version for the best experience.

Creating a New Composition

The first step is to create a new composition. Open After Effects and go to "Composition" > "New Composition". Name the composition "Liquid Logo Animation". Set the resolution to 1920 by 1080 and the frame rate to 30 frames per Second. Adjust the duration to 10 seconds or your desired length. Feel free to use your own settings Based on your project requirements.

Adding Background and Stroke

Now, let's add a background and a stroke to our composition. Create a new solid layer by going to "Layer" > "New" > "Solid". Name the layer "Background". Choose a white or purple shade for the background color and click "OK". Make sure no other layer is selected, then select the pen tool from the toolbar. Set the fill to none and the stroke to a solid color. Use a pink or red color for the stroke and set the stroke thickness to 125 pixels. Now, we will create a path for our liquid drop.

Creating the Liquid Drop Path

Before we proceed, let's zoom out a bit to have more space. Click to add your first anchor point for the liquid drop path. Then, click at different positions to create a path similar to a liquid drop shape. Don't worry if the line is not perfect, we will fix it in the next step. Finish the line and place the last anchor point away from the composition frame. Once the path is complete, select the move tool by pressing "V" on your keyboard. Click on the anchor point and adjust its curves to make it as smooth as possible. This will make the animation look better.

Adjusting the Path and Animation

Now that we have our path, let's fine-tune it a bit. Zoom in to the path and use the pen tool again. Press and hold the Alt or Option key on your keyboard and click on the anchor point to make it a smooth curve. Place it accordingly to make the path smoother. After adjusting the path, we can start animating the liquid drop. Go to the first frame position and change the offset value to zero degrees. This will be the starting position for the drop. Add a keyframe on the offset value and then go to around 3 seconds into the composition. Change the offset angle to a higher number so that the drop moves away from the frame. Check the animation and make adjustments if needed.

Creating Small Droplets

To add more Detail to our animation, let's create small droplets around the main liquid shape. Minimize the liquid drop layer to create some room. Duplicate the layer and name it "Drops". Press "U" on your keyboard to open the keyframes and move this layer a few frames later. Open the layer and go to "Add" > "Trim Paths". Change the end value to 5 to make the stroke smaller. Open "Shape 1" and then "Stroke". Change the stroke width value to 20 to create tiny drops around the main drop. Check the animation to see how it looks.

Animating the Small Droplets

We don't need the small droplets to be visible all the time. Let's animate their appearance. Add a keyframe on the end value of the trim paths at the desired starting position. Then, go a few frames forward and change the end value to zero percent. Continue this process, adding keyframes and changing the end value to create the desired animation. Make sure the timing between the keyframes is suitable. You can speed up or slow down the animation by adjusting the distance between the keyframes. Once you're satisfied with the animation, ease the keyframes to make the motion smoother.

Precomposing the Liquid Shape Layers

To simplify our composition, let's precompose the liquid shape layers. Select all of the shape layers and right-click. Choose "Precompose" and name the precomposition "Liquid 1". This will group all the shape layers into a single layer, making it easier to manage.

Adding Fill Effects to the Liquid Layers

Now, let's add fill effects to the liquid layers to make them more dynamic. Duplicate the "Liquid 1" layer and name it "Liquid 2". Apply the "Fill" effect to the layer and change the fill color to a different shade. This will create variation between the two liquid layers. Adjust the timing of the appearance of the second layer by placing it a few seconds forward in the composition. Right-click on the layer, go to "Transform", and choose "Flip Horizontal" to flip the layer horizontally. Repeat this process and choose "Flip Vertical" to flip the second layer vertically. You can experiment with different directions and positions to achieve your desired look.

Creating the Transition

To smoothly transition between the liquid layers, let's create a transition effect. Create a new solid layer and name it "Fill". Pick the color of the first liquid shape using the color picker tool. Then, search for the "CC Radial Scale Wipe" effect in the effects and presets panel. Apply the effect to the fill layer and click on the reverse transition option. Move the center point to the top left corner by clicking on it. Set the completion value to 100% so we can see the frame clearly. The center point values should be set to zero. Add a keyframe on the completion value and go to around 3 seconds into the composition. Change the completion value to zero percent. Ease the keyframes and adjust the animation curves in the graph editor for a smoother transition.

Adding the Logo

Now, let's add the logo to our composition. Import the logo file into After Effects and place it on top of all the layers. If the logo is too large, adjust the scale value to make it smaller. You can also use text instead of a logo if needed.

Adding Track Matte to the Logo

To control the appearance of the logo, let's use a track matte. Duplicate the "Fill 2" layer and place it above the background layer. Right-click on it, go to "Switches/Modes", and make sure the track matte option is available. Change the track matte of the logo layer to "Alpha Matte". This will make the logo appear only after the violet layer fills the screen. You can adjust the timing and animation of the logo by adding keyframes to the rotation and position properties.

Animating the Logo

To make the logo animation more interesting, let's add keyframes to the rotation and position properties. Open the rotation properties by pressing "R" on your keyboard and press "Shift + P" to open the position properties. Add keyframes on both properties and change the rotation value to -10 degrees and the position value to 500 pixels. Then, go a few frames forward and change the position value to 580 pixels. Continue this process, changing the position value every few frames, and adjust the timing and distance between the keyframes. You can experiment with different values and positions to achieve the desired effect. Ease the keyframes and adjust the curves in the graph editor to refine the animation.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully created a liquid logo animation in After Effects. You've learned how to create the liquid drop path, animate the drops, precompose the layers, add fill effects, create transitions, and animate the logo. Feel free to customize the animation further and experiment with different settings to make it unique to your project. Good luck and have fun animating!