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Home Design Design Tutorials After Effects Tutorial After Effects Gradient
 

After Effects Gradient

Updated August 28, 2023

After Effects Gradient

 

 

Introduction to After Effects Gradient

Gradient in After Effects is a combination of different colors in a super smooth blending mode system. So you can create a very effect animation of color combination for your project, which will work as a background of any particular work. To make this type of gradient effect in this software, we have to go through the management of some parameters’ of this software such as Effects & Presets, using different tools, making of pre-composition and some other important terms of manipulation for getting this effect in it. We will understand this effect in after effects through an exciting example of motion background of gradient color by using some features of this software. So let us have a look on it.

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How to use Gradient in After Effect for Making Motion Background?

We can create a good background by using gradient features of after effect by following a few simple steps, but before starting, let us look on the working screen of this software so that we can easily understand different terms we will use during our learning about this topic.

At the top of the working screen, there is a bar which we will called Menu bar, which has a number of menus; below this, we have a toolbar along with its property bar at the right side of this bar, below this toolbar, we have three sections that are at left side we have Projects panel along with Effect Control panel, at the center we have display window in which we can see our current working, at the right side we have we have some parameters’ tabs such as Preview tab, Align tabs, Effects & Presets tab and some others. You can rearrange all these sections as per your choice at any other place on the working screen.

After Effects Gradient output 1

Now let us have a new composition for our learning. For new composition, go to the Composition menu of the menu bar and click on it. Then, click on the ‘New composition’ option of the drop-down list of composition menu for having new composition.

After Effects Gradient output 2

Make your desired settings in the composition settings box for this composition, then hit the Ok button of this dialog box. This will be our main composition.

After Effects Gradient output 3

Again make another composition and name it as Gradient, then hit the Ok button of this composition box.

After Effects Gradient output 4

Select gradient composition and go to the tool bar of this software. Then take the ellipse tool from it by click on it.

After Effects Gradient output 5

Now make a circle with this tool of any size.

After Effects Gradient output 6

Go to the Effects & Presets option of the parameters section of this software, search for Fill effect, and double click on this effect.

After Effects Gradient output 7

Now search for the Drop Shadow effect in the Effects & presets option, double-click on it.

After Effects Gradient output 8

Change the color of fill from fill’s parameters which are in the Effect Controls tab.

After Effects Gradient output 9

Please change the color of the drop shadow and increase its distance from the circle.

After Effects Gradient output 10

Now go to the Layer menu and click on the New option of the drop-down list. Then, choose the Solid option from the new drop-down list.

After Effects Gradient output 11

Name it as Background, then hit the Ok button of this dialog box.

After Effects Gradient output 12

Again add fill effect to this solid layer from the Effects & Presets option.

After Effects Gradient output 13

Choose fill color for solid layer. I will choose this color.

After Effects Gradient output 14

Now make a duplicate layer of this ellipse layer by pressing Ctrl + D button and changing the color of the new ellipse.

After Effects Gradient output 15

Make multiple copies of this layer with different color and size like this.

After Effects Gradient output 16

Place gradient composition in Comp 1, which is our main composition.

After Effects Gradient output 17

Cut background layer from gradient comp by pressing the Ctrl + X button of the keyboard.

After Effects Gradient output 18

And paste it into the main composition.

After Effects Gradient output 19

Now select gradient layer and search for Turbulence effect in Effects & Presets option and make double click on it then you will get this type of effect.

After Effects Gradient output 20

Set amount as 20.

After Effects Gradient output 21

And complexity as 2 for smoothness in this effect.

After Effects Gradient output 22

Now search for the Directional blur effect in the Effects & Presets option and make double click on it.

output 23

Set Blur length as 600.

output 24

Now search Twirl effect in the Effects & Presets option and make double click on it.

output 25

Change the angle of the Twirl option from its parameters as per your choice.

output 26

Set twirl radius as 100.

output 27

Search Fast Blur effect in Effects & Presets option and make double click on it.

output 28

Set Blurriness as 10 for smoothing out blending of all color with each other.

output 29

Now make a click on the lock button of this composition for locking it.

output 30

Now go to the View menu and click the New Viewer option.

output 31

Your composition window screen will split into two windows like this for each composition.

output 32

Now make a copy of these circles by pressing the Ctrl + D button of the keyboard and place them at a different place, and you will see more lines will add in the main composition.

output 33

Please do it again and again, then spread all circles according to you for making a good twirl gradient effect in the main composition.

output 34

Now select all layers of shapes by pressing Ctrl + A button, then make a right-click and choose the Pre Composition option for making a pre composition.

output 35

Name it as Gradient Shape, then hit the Ok button.

output 36

Now hit the P button for position property of gradient shapes layer. We will animate it. Make a click on the stop watch icon of this property, then place key frame play head as the 10 sec and change position of this layer like this.

output 37

Now search CC RepeTile effect in the Effects & Presets option and make double click on it.

output 38

For the filling left side of the shape, an area set Expand left value as 800.

output 39

Set Unfold in Tiling option for smooth connection of all shapes.

output 40

Now you can see the animation by playing it.

output 41

In this way, you can use the gradient effect in this software.

Conclusion – After Effects Gradient

After this article, you can now understand what gradient effect is in after effect and how you can handle its parameters for getting a good gradient effect with your own idea. You can increase your expertise in this effect by practicing on it.

Recommended Articles

This is a guide to After Effects Gradient. Here we discuss How to use Gradient in after Effect for making motion background. You may also have a look at the following articles to learn more –

  1. After Effects Presets
  2. After Effects Render
  3. After Effects Expressions
  4. Twixtor in After Effects

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