I signed up for this mostly to fix my broken rigs from previous projects, and it delivered way more than that. The instructor breaks down pin placement, joint hierarchy, and pose-to-pose animation in a way that actually makes sense instead of just showing keyboard shortcuts. What stood out most was the section on weight and timing, which is usually glossed over in other tutorials but gets real attention here. By the final project I had a character walking across the screen with proper anticipation and follow-through, something I never managed on my own. Definitely changed how I think about rigging in After Effects.
Rigging and Animating 2D Characters in After Effects
Build a solid foundation in 2D character animation by learning to rig, pose, and bring cartoon characters to life using modern workflows.
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About this course
Bringing static characters to life requires a deep understanding of movement, timing, and structure. If you want to transform flat designs into dynamic, expressive figures, mastering the animation pipeline is essential.
This text-based course guides you through the complete process of preparing, rigging, and animating 2D characters in After Effects. You will explore foundational animation principles, learn how to structure layers for efficient movement, and discover modern rigging techniques—including basic expressions and inverse kinematics (IK) concepts—that streamline your workflow.
What you'll learn:
• Understand core terminology and essential animation principles for 2D characters.
• Learn to prepare and organize character assets for seamless integration into After Effects.
• Build flexible character rigs using modern inverse kinematics (IK) and parent-child hierarchies.
• Apply basic expressions to automate repetitive movements and enhance workflow efficiency.
• Practice creating realistic walk cycles, facial expressions, and dynamic poses through written exercises.
• Master timing and spacing to give your animated characters weight and personality.
The course begins with an introduction to key animation terminology and foundational concepts before advancing into practical rigging and movement scenarios. Through step-by-step written instructions and clear expression snippets, you will build the skills needed to animate complex characters from scratch.
Designed for beginners, illustrators, and aspiring animators, this course requires no prior animation experience. Start reading today to turn static character concepts into captivating animated figures.
What you'll get
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Short & focused
3h of practical content
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Rigging and Animating 2D Characters in After Effects
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Performance detail
Coursework summary
Lessons completed
14 / 14
Practice questions
26 / 28
Assignments submitted
4 (avg 4.5 / 5)
Capstone project
Reviewed — 4.6 / 5
Total practice
6.2 hrs
Performance benchmark
Cohort rank
Top 12% of 1,625
Time to completion
11 days (median: 22)
Mastery score
91 / 100
Practice-question score
94%
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Verified Skill Path
Reviews (19)
रिगिंग से लेकर पोज़िंग तक हर स्टेप बहुत आराम से समझाया गया है, बिल्कुल शुरुआती लोगों के लिए भी आसान। सबसे अच्छा लगा कि टीचर हर गलती की वजह भी बताते हैं, सिर्फ स्टेप्स नहीं रटवाते।
Good intro to posing and parenting layers for 2D characters; recommend it, just bring patience for the rigging setup.
Aulas claras, personagens ganharam vida rápido.
Курс хорошо объясняет риггинг через Puppet Tool и постановку поз, хотя объяснение экспрешенов местами проходит слишком быстро для новичка.
Me gustó mucho cómo explican el proceso de rigging paso a paso, usando el Puppet Tool de una forma que por fin entendí. La parte de posing también está muy bien estructurada. Lo único es que algunas secciones sobre expresiones faciales se sienten un poco apresuradas.
Rigging spiegato benissimo, animazioni finalmente fluide.
This course walks you through rigging a character with the Puppet tool and getting clean, believable poses before moving into full animation. The pacing is solid and each lesson builds on the last, so I never felt lost. My only gripe is that the section on expressions could use a bit more detail for beginners.
मैंने पहले भी कई बार आफ्टर इफेक्ट्स में कैरेक्टर एनिमेशन करने की कोशिश की थी, लेकिन जॉइंट्स हमेशा अजीब तरीके से मुड़ते थे। इस कोर्स में पपेट पिन टूल से रिगिंग करने का तरीका इतने व्यवस्थित ढंग से समझाया गया है कि हर स्टेप का मतलब समझ आता है। पोज़िंग वाला हिस्सा खासकर बहुत काम का लगा, क्योंकि उसमें वेट शिफ्ट और टाइमिंग पर अलग से ध्यान दिया गया है। आखिरी प्रोजेक्ट में जब मेरा कैरेक्टर खुद चलते हुए दिखा तो सच में मज़ा आ गया। कुल मिलाकर एक ठोस शुरुआत है 2D एनिमेशन सीखने के लिए।
पपेट टूल से रिगिंग और पोज़िंग इतनी साफ तरीके से समझाई गई है कि आफ्टर इफेक्ट्स में कैरेक्टर एनिमेशन करना अब डरावना नहीं लगता।
La méthode pour rigger un personnage avec le Puppet Tool est expliquée si clairement que j'ai enfin obtenu des mouvements naturels sans articulations qui se déforment.
คอร์สนี้อธิบายการทำริกด้วย Puppet Tool และการจัดโพสตัวละครได้ละเอียดมาก จนสามารถทำให้ตัวละคร 2D ขยับได้เป็นธรรมชาติจริงๆ
Aprendí a armar el rig de un personaje sin que las articulaciones se vean raras al mover los brazos, algo que antes nunca me salía bien. El ritmo de las clases es cómodo y se puede seguir sin pausar cada dos minutos. Como detalle, esperaba un poco más de profundidad en la animación de caminata.
Rigging my cartoon character with the puppet pins finally made sense, though I wished the walk cycle part went deeper.
パペットツールでのリグ作りからポーズ付けまで丁寧に説明されていて、After Effectsでキャラクターがすぐに動き出す感覚が掴めました。
Explican el rigging con Puppet Tool de forma tan clara que por fin logré que mi personaje caminara sin verse rígido.
The rigging workflow here is genuinely well thought out, especially how they handle pin hierarchy so limbs don't warp weirdly. I also liked that posing gets its own dedicated section instead of being rushed through. Finished the course with a character that moves way more naturally than anything I'd made before.
I've tried rigging characters in After Effects before and always ended up with jittery limbs, but this course finally explained why. The breakdown of pin placement and parenting made everything click, and by the end I had a walk cycle that actually looked smooth. Genuinely one of the clearer animation courses I've taken.
O curso explica bem o rigging com o Puppet Tool, só senti falta de mais exemplos práticos na parte de animação de expressões faciais.
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By card via Stripe. We don’t store card details — Stripe handles them securely.
Can I get a refund? +
Yes — full refund within 14 days, no questions asked.
How long will I have access? +
Forever. Once you purchase, the course is yours to revisit anytime.
Will I get a certificate? +
Yes. On completion you'll receive a certificate you can add to your LinkedIn profile.
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