Alright, you’ve nailed the basics of keyframes. Now it’s time to take your edits to the next level with text and shape animations — the bread and butter of motion design.
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✅ How to create and animate text layers
✅ How to work with shape layers (not just draw circles)
✅ How to make animations feel smooth, modern, and intentional
✅ When to keep things simple — and why that’s powerful
Let’s dive in.
Working with Text Layers ✍️
Text in AE isn’t just “type and animate.” It’s a whole system.
▶ Go to the Toolbar and click the Text Tool (T)
▶ Click anywhere in the Composition panel and start typing
▶ Use the Character and Paragraph panels (Window > Character/Paragraph) to style your text
Want it to move?
▶ Press P for Position, then keyframe it like you learned earlier
▶ Try fading in with T (Opacity) or scaling from 0% to 100% using S
Pro Tip: Add motion blur by checking the Motion Blur icon on your layer + enabling it at the top bar. Instant smoothness. 💨
Animator Presets (Text Made Easy) ⚡
Too lazy to build from scratch? AE has built-in text animation presets.
▶ Go to Effects & Presets panel (Window > Effects & Presets)
▶ Type something like “Typewriter” or “Fade Up Characters”
▶ Drag it onto your text layer and boom — instant animation
You can edit these presets by opening the layer dropdown and exploring the Text > Animator section.
Shape Layers 101 🧩
Shape layers are powerful. They’re not just for drawing circles.
▶ Go to the Toolbar and click the Rectangle Tool (or press Q)
▶ Click and drag in the Composition panel — a shape layer is created automatically
Now animate it:
▶ Press S to scale it in
▶ Press P to slide it from offscreen
▶ Add Stroke/Fill from the top bar to style it
Shapes are clean, responsive, and perfect for background blocks, highlights, or transitions.
Combine Text + Shapes for Modern Looks 🧠
Want that clean “editor look”? Animate both together.
▶ Create a rectangle shape behind your text
▶ Animate the shape sliding in first, then fade in the text
▶ Add a subtle drop shadow or glow (Effects > Stylize > Drop Shadow)
This is the Logicrowned way: Simple. Clean. Confident.
Keep It Snappy ⏱️
Animations don’t need to last 5 seconds. In fact, the best ones are quick.
✅ Keep animations between 0.3 to 1.2 seconds for modern pacing
✅ Use Easy Ease (F9) and Graph Editor for that buttery finish
✅ Preview often using Spacebar — feel your timing
Bonus Tip: Trim Paths on Shapes ✂️
Want to animate lines being drawn?
▶ Select your shape layer
▶ Click Add > Trim Paths from the shape layer menu
▶ Animate Start or End percentage values
Perfect for underlines, outlines, or handwriting-like effects.
Recap 🎯
✅ Text layers = fully customizable and animatable
✅ Presets save time, but custom = clean
✅ Shape layers are visual tools, not just decorations
✅ Combine both for dynamic layouts
Next: Transitions & Effects — polishing your edits like a pro. 🪞