2025 | SUMMER REGISTRATION OPENS - MONDAY, APRIL 28th!

2D Motion Graphics in After Effects

2D Motion Graphics in After Effects

An 8-week course diving into how to create compelling visual elements and animations using Adobe After Effects
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Overview Trailers Pricing Benefits

Design. Create. Animate.

Design. Create. Animate.
Learn how to navigate through basic key framing tools & techniques in After Effects to create 2D Motion Graphics for personal, advertising, and commercial use. Artists in any field can use these skills to enhance their demo reels, round out a pitch presentation, or add to their portfolios! Students will be assigned strategic projects each week to simulate deadlines, pacing, pipelines, design & animation trends according to the industry standards. From the very beginnings of an idea, to creating design, until the completion of your animation, students will learn basic principles of combining design with motion to create unique and effective 2D animations. Some of the topics that will be covered in this course include: creating effective design layouts, compositing in AE, integrating design assets between Photoshop and After Effects, logo animations, infographics, kinetic type, network branding, show packages, style frames and basic editing techniques. By the end of the course, students will have a short demo reel to use as their portfolio. It is recommended, but not required, that students enrolling in this course have a good understanding of design principles.

Course Format

Standard

Skills Level

Beginner - Intermediate

Duration

8 weeks

Q&A

Once a week

Feedback

Individual recordings

Lecture Type

Pre-recorded
Assignment
Due each week. Expect to spend 8-10 hrs/wk viewing lectures, Q&A, and time on assignments.
PREREQUISITES
Basic knowledge of Photoshop will help in this class
MATERIALS
Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere

The more you know, the better.

Student introduction – what is your background / expectations for the class? | Covering the basics of the AE interface – making new compositions, project settings, timelines, tools, project / effects / text panels, key frames | How to work with video settings and codecs | Exporting a project | The 5 different animations currently used in the industry
Continue to learn important features in After Effects: AE shortcuts, AE layers, bringing layers from Photoshop, organizing in the projects panel, pre-comps, reducing projects, media caches, morphing shapes, strokes, and masking
How to create style frames and mood boards using After Effects and Photoshop | Lighting, blurs, color-correction, creating trendy layouts, text, and other compositing tools
Overlays, alphas, green screens, mattes, expression, plug-ins | Basic effects from effects panels: key light, wiggle, blurs and generate
Cameras in After Effects, z-space, depth of field | Lights, paralaxing, pre-comps, and kinetic type
How to create infographics—informative animations combining text and visual elements to inform about a service or product | Basic editing techniques in Adobe Premiere | Portfolio reels
How to create opening animations—introductions to any product or service that set a mood / expectation of the brand | Opening, closing, and lower thirds | Show packages | Frame tracking, tools, pipelines, and housekeeping in After Effects | Begin final project
The motion graphics market: freelancing rates, full-time and other opportunities in the industry | Preparing yourself for the job market | How to stand out | Work ethics | Finish final project

Trailers

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Course Trailer

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Student Reel

A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage.

For specific questions regarding TBA instructors, please contact CGMA Admissions Department at registration@cgmasteracademy.com

GET ONE YEAR ACCESS AND TRANSFORM YOUR ARTISTIC JOURNEY

Take your CGMA learning further with CGMA+, a companion add-on featuring over 70 new, stand-alone workshops—more than 250 hours of content you won’t find in your core CGMA program. You’ll learn from multiple instructors, each with a unique style, so you can see how different artists approach the same subject in various ways. This additional material builds on what you’re already studying, broadening your perspective and helping you look at topics from fresh angles. It’s a straightforward way to strengthen your studies and boost your skills.

View all CGMA+ Workshops

PRICING SCHEDULE

Even though our courses are the most affordable for the quality of education, these finance options allow you to focus on your goals instead of the barriers that keep you from reaching them.

3x Payments

$233

2x Payments

$349.50

Full payment

$699

View all CGMA+ Workshops
Summer TERM REGISTRATION
Apr 28, 2025 - Jul 14, 2025
2D Motion Graphics in After Effects

What makes this learning experience unique?

PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK

Receive personalized feedback on all assignments from the industry’s top professionals.

LIFETIME ACCESS

Enjoy lifetime access to the spectrum of course content, including lectures, live Q&As, and feedback sessions.

CERTIFICATION

Show off your Certification of Completion when you turn in 80% of course assignments.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING

Learn anywhere, anytime, and at your own pace with flexible, online course scheduling.

Need guidance? We’re Here to Help.

We can help with admissions questions, portfolio review/course recommendations!

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