After Effects Tutorial: Handwriting Effect Animation

Learn how to create the handwriting effect! In this After Effect tutorial, we will take text and animate it on with a “write-on” style. This effect is very easy to do and there is two ways to do it. The fast way where you can add the stroke effect to your masked outline and animate the end parameters. Or the best way where you use the pen tool to outline your text and use the stroke effect for maximum control! After watching this After Effects tutorial you will be able to create your own handwriting effect!
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[@atpdx]

Pro Tip: Skip drawing in the paths by hand and simply right click on the text layer and select Create--->Shapes from text. This will give you each individual letter as a shape. Then you can click the animate properties on that group to add trim paths and there's several different options for them to animate on. Under trim paths be sure to change trim multiple shapes to: individually and it will draw one letter at a time and look more in line with the handwritten effect.

[@scarlet3189]

BLESS YOU

[@francesalvarado8818]

but how does it turn into a path?

[@adrienneanderson-smith2257]

But that's what he started out quickly mentioning. I am using proper calligraphy not a font. This method covers FAR more.

[@HomeStudioBasics]

@@atpdx Maybe I'm doing something wrong but I followed what you said exactly and it looks awful. It's basically drawing each individually as a fill while filling the negative space as well. It doesn't look like someone's writing it at all.

[@RyanLennoxBradley]

He said to do that, but it's the "quick way" not the "proper way"

[@kvegaaa]

I have next to zero knowledge of after effects and this was so easy to follow along to. Subscribed!

[@naomir4870]

For anyone having issues with the stroke animation showing up - when you go to draw with the pen tool, draw on the text layer. You don't need to create a new layer for the pen drawing. Then just make sure you have All Masks selected and Reveal Original Image selected as well.

[@gavincstewart]

You're a life saver. I spent way too much time trying to figure this out, and your tip immediately got it working. Thank you, so so much.

[@Grensom]

You are awesome, took me like 5 minutes to recreate and it looks great. Much appreciated

[@maryjteraji]

This was the most effective and simplest explanation of this effect I've ever found. Thank you

[@caddiganfilms]

Thanks for this! In my case I was working with an image of the signature (vs text) - I just had to swap the Paint Style to 'Reveal Original Image' (in case anyone else is using that method).

[@davidshuttmedia373]

Hero

[@nastyazmyzgova]

This was 5 years ago but you still out here saving lifes man THANK YOU

[@ntonyproduction]

Great tutorial even 6 years later. Thank you!

[@_Jackal_Gaming]

OH MY GOSH! Okay, there's a lot of people in this comment's section that are like "Oh, it doesn't work" Okay IF YOU FOLLOW THIS TUTORIAL TO A "T" IT DOES WORK! Thank you SonduckFilm for this tutorial. (If you are experiencing problems, make sure that you select the color of the animated text up at the top, that way it know what color to animate, that was my only problem.)

[@Dave-ei4jp]

3:39 "..and it's an absolute disaster." i paused after that sentence and it made me laugh so hard haha thanks for the tutorial its great!

[@fernandosanz1369]

Just got yourself a new subscriber!
Thanks for the video. I've seen a couple of tutorials for this same process, but they had an annoying background music, no voice over... This one is just perfect, very smooth, right to the point, easy to follow.
Looking forward to more tutorials from you 👍

[@AvhieGli]

yours is the only tutorial I understand and was able to follow correctly without confusion! 😍 Thank you for sharing this video!

[@pointdatainc5909]

Was able to use this process on a friends event advertising. Thank you!

[@CheapCheerful]

Third time you've helped me, thank you SonduckFilm

[@BigBSTRDnl050]

You don't have to click out of the layer to add a new path. Just hit command and click elsewhere or just click the previous node before the last one you drew with the pen tool and click elsewhere, a new path will start

[@BigBSTRDnl050]

I did about 30 of these of someone's handwriting and in the case of doing an actual sentence you can trace word for word with the pen tool. The writing animation will look smoother and will take less time to complete

[@keaton718]

Classic effect.

[@gothmaniow]

ha!! ya know what ?? ive had this program for years and i never knew about the "Generate Stroke!!" awesomeness cheers man

[@ImTash]

' and it's an absolute disaster' LOL This was so easy omg i was expecting it to be way harder! THANK YOU!

[@DonGianiGuides]

Thanks a lot! It took me 10 minutes to reproduce it, that's telling how good the tutorial is! Great video Josh, subscribed.

[@squirrelbee647]

need magnifying glass for this video

[@saimahaych]

lmao ikr

[@Darksoul-cs2ob]

I can't figure out how tf you're getting it to write on I'm following every exact step and it doesn't work for me

[@angelicabautistajacob9684]

same

[@jaideepkhare5903]

Increase the brush size in the Stroke panel.

[@Darksoul-cs2ob]

@@jaideepkhare5903 thankyou I don't have to do this anymore though it was for a class I was taking at the start of last year

[@SamMart13]

@@jaideepkhare5903 ur a life saver

[@HomeStudioBasics]

Great video man! Simple, effective, and concise!

[@kora_lee]

4:03 Thanks for the trick!

[@comedy4cat]

Used it in my video, you're the best!

[@pikaxuls]

Thank you for this tutorial!

[@PeterBaerveldt]

Thank you so much! Works great!

[@Mister73C]

Thank you so much this is always so helpful!

[@deannadionne9243]

Thanks! Very satisfying to do this.

[@ReBbK15]

Thank you so much!! this is exactly what I´ve been looking for! you´re amazing!

[@slamdubstep7618]

Nice!

[@rebeccarizzetto]

ua-cam.com/video/wGgm-cZo8Wg/v-deo.html🎶😊

[@thebarefootbanjara]

Thanks bro you saved my day.. Lots of blessings

[@RexAhmedYt]

exactly what i am looking for. Thanks

[@Darksoul-cs2ob]

Im following this tutorial and I can't figure out how to get it to write on, I don't know why it's not working for me

[@prakashsharma-ht9ye]

you are the best

[@MaisieL-f2q]

Thank you so much! Helpful, well explained and straight to the point!

[@RonanCharity]

I love this tutorial, I've come back to it countless times. Thank you!

[@JulsFox]

Simply awesome and effective. I cannot thank you enough for this brillian trick! Other tutorials on UA-cam are far too complicated but yours is an easy jewel!

[@daviekamau]

Thanks Sounduck film. I had waited for this tutorial.

[@TheMsjohn99]

Thank you so much Josh. Best tutorial ever. Got an amazing result. you are awesome.

[@spaceman626]

for the people that are struggeling to get it to write on -> on 3:22 after clicking reveal original image you have to right click "'end"' and click "'add keyframe""

[@PBRProductions]

Thanks for the lesson!

[@gilbert2185]

Very cool! Can't wait to use this!

[@jpbogan_art]

Love your videos, mate. Thanks for your help

[@Vincent_19999]

Make sure your brush size is high enough if you can't see your text

[@alexisk7503]

I just scrolled through 4848392 comments trying to figure out why this wasn't working. thank u sm. This needs to be pinned.

[@imaginatrix2258]

Perfect! Thank You!

[@aryanrajput9696]

love you man

[@M_Mel]

thank you for the beautiful tutorial it made things so much easier

[@tuhocae-aftereffecttutoria1886]

Thank you for nice and useful tutorial

[@c.el147]

Great tutorial easy to follow about to use it tonight for a friend. Thanks

[@Mazzyandzephyrsarchives]

I love you for this

[@dhanashrimangaonkar4220]

Helped a lot

[@jammes327]

fabulous. thank you sir.

[@DirectorCMack]

Wow! This was awesome. I am a fan. He taught this exercise better than one of my instructors....Thank you Director CMack

[@paulcristo]

Thanks for making it simple.

[@annisaratnan.5035]

great video, simple, and easily to understood!

[@benjoyss]

Thanks

[@hungryeyes8467]

Thanks a lot, man. Straight to the point!

[@kevinnaughton9597]

Thanks dude!

[@IRChipmunk]

Thank you so much! This was very helpful!

[@TunerisFire]

This is perfect. Thank you!

[@pedro_a_martins]

Thank you so much!

[@wajahatssmw3685]

thank you

[@bryanjames3247]

Thanks dude! Really helpful, keep it up!

[@anasonyc3983]

lifesaver

[@50Berland]

Great tuto, thank you !

[@designedbyshyne]

this is awesome! I've always wondered how to do this! thank you

[@allenhowardphotography]

Very nice tutorial. Thanks for posting!

[@Thysta]

Much thanks!!!

[@RoniBlar5555]

Thank you very much! This tutorial save me.
It's also good working with png files like logo

[@hohhyeltahhan5126]

Thanks for this video

[@JohnCawood]

Thank you!

[@wout4052]

strijder thankyouu

[@alexdib3915]

thanks man! very helpful

[@voyagerlivetwitch]

thanks bro

[@shahzaibtariq]

Thanks

[@AmnonSivan]

When i trace over the letters, is it supposed to be a mask ? a shape layer ? separate masks for each letter ?

[@vink1954]

It's supposed to be a mask. Use separate masks if necessary.

[@AIvoiceTunes]

thanks

[@Solarized666]

Thank you!

[@PeterZigmund26]

This is so perfect, thank you! ❤

[@wadalapichu4873]

thank you very much for this!

[@blackyandsamtpfote3660]

This is awesome! Worked perfectly and is eactly what I was looking for! Thank you ery much! :D

[@TheMrgagan09]

thenks

[@kainaatzulfiqar9507]

This was great! Thank you so much!

[@horizonseeker270]

Very good, thank you

[@daniswararajendra7930]

Good Video Thank you so much for the tutorial

[@Fujika]

thx you , nice tutorial !

[@donutboy9576]

Thank you! :)

[@YoPierreUwannaComOutHere]

Thank you so much 🔥🔥

[@atiiqahsuhaimi]

Successfully animated my writing by following your video! Anyway, anyone knows similar tools that can be used on iPad?

[@alinmorea]

thank you!

[@lordgreenmusicofficial]

This will work great for my upcoming lyric video, thank you so much SounduckFilm! 🔥

[@emrymazed]

Thank you!

[@zoomex5]

Thanks! I've always wondered how to do this and now I can do it myself

[@rafaelskiarteportfolio1098]

THANKS A LOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@r0an3v3]

Helped me make what I needed to make, and in CC2019 at that. Thanks a bunch.

[@ccuny1]

Oldie but goodie. Can't tell you how much time I lost labouring over trim path without really understanding what I was doing. This is a much faster method and having tried it on an old, smudged piece of text in a bitmap, it seems to works flawlessly. I tried to look in your back catalogue to see if there were any updates or follow-up videos. Still looking but would appreciate any pointers. In particular, you gloss over the final part at 4:02 too quickly for me to understand what you are doing and why it works.

[@PWhatevah]

Perfect, thanks !

[@mallikamohta1655]

Thank you so much for this! Wonderful tutorial.

[@tepshi]

nice, thank you

[@benkastberg]

Great tute!

[@Weird_Quests]

Cheers for this - it's a super useful tutorial that is simple to follow and informative! Will be subbing. I'll be using it in one of my future videos (editing today for a video on writer's block/automatic writing).