Fundamentals of Animation in After Effects
A course by Michael Tierney , Motion Designer

Master the basics of animation and motion graphics to create a unique showreel with After Effects
Adobe After Effects is a powerful software that lets you explore the endless possibilities of animation design. From dynamic typography to character animation and motion tracking, mastering its features can open a new door into a growing digital industry.
Motion designer Michael Tierney is here to teach you the principles of motion design so you can share your work with the world. Discover how to take full advantage of the power of After Effects, explore techniques for being more efficient, and build a strong motion graphics portfolio.
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 45 downloads
- 99% positive reviews (187)
- 6,170 students
- 18 lessons (2h 52m)
- 45 additional resources (13 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish (Latam), French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create your own showreel for an animation and motion graphics portfolio.

Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone interested in design and animation, from complete beginners to professional graphic designers and illustrators looking to create a more dynamic portfolio.
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge is needed to take this course.
You will need a computer with the following software installed: Adobe After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Media Encoder.

New to Adobe After Effects? In that case, we recommend taking Domestika Basics courses to learn how to use the software: Introduction to After Effects.
Reviews

Michael Tierney
A course by Michael Tierney
Michael Tierney is a motion designer, traveller, and speaker. Inspired by the new countries and cultures he encounters during his travels, he creates motion graphics and animations that are fun, colorful, and engaging using After Effects and Cinema 4D.
Following a decade in the industry working for a range of high-profile brands like Nike and Sony, Michael began working as a freelance motion designer focused on promoting social enterprises and organizations built on strong ethical principles.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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What Will We Do in This Course?
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U2
Preparation
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What Is a Showreel?
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Animation Basics: Hardware and Software
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Animation Basics: The Interface
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U3
Motion Graphics and Animation
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Connect Objects and Expressions
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Kinetic Typography
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Handwriting Animation
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Character Rigging and Walk Cycle
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U4
VFX and Film
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Green Screen and Colour Grading
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Titles and Transitions
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The Parallax Effect
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HUD Design and Motion Tracking
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U5
Making a Showreel
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Finding Your Song
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Block Out the Showreel
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Putting It All Together
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Sharing Your Showreel
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FP
Final project
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Fundamentals of Animation in After Effects
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
What are Domestika's online courses?
Domestika courses are online classes that allow you to learn new skills and create incredible projects. All our courses include the opportunity to share your work with other students and/or teachers, creating an active learning community. We offer different formats:
Original Courses: Complete classes that combine videos, texts, and educational materials to complete a specific project from start to finish.
Basics Courses: Specialized training where you master specific software tools step by step.
Specialization Courses: Learning paths with various expert teachers on the same topic, perfect for becoming a specialist by learning from different approaches.
Guided Courses: Practical experiences ideal for directly acquiring specific skills.
Intensive Courses (Deep Dives): New creative processes based on artificial intelligence tools in an accessible format for in-depth and dynamic understanding.
When do the courses start and when do they finish?
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
What do Domestika's courses include?
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
Have you been given a course?
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
I like the focus of the course - getting you going on the main things you most often need to know and ending up with a show reel. Things were well explained.
Great course! I learned a lot. Your explanations were simple and direct, which made it easy to understand even the more complex subjects.
Dear Michel,
Your course was truly exceptional — your clarity in delivering complex ideas and your generosity in sharing valuable resources made a huge impact. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment and found great joy in applying the new skills I learned. Thank you for an inspiring and enriching experience!
زينب عبدالله
Estuvo increíble, aprendí mucho
I liked everything very much, everything was explained in an accessible way, everything was great