Unlock a powerful side of Adobe After Effects where code controls animation.

Learn 11 different expressions to automate animations, eliminate excessive keyframes, achieve complex effects, and work more efficiently; no programming experience needed!

An expression is a short block of code, written in JavaScript that modifies an animatable property. Expressions can be useful in many different cases in motion design:

Create continuous, repetitive, or reactive motion
Automate animations
Avoid excessive keyframes
Set up rigs

This class covers 11 different expressions so you can understand what they do and how to use them, without actually needing to learn how to write JavaScript. Plus, I’ll provide examples of how I use expressions in real projects. You’ll be able to start using these expressions in your animations to work more efficiently and achieve effects that would have been extremely tedious or impossible before.

In the future, once you’ve gotten comfortable using these expressions in your work, you can move on to learning how to write your own expressions. This class is a perfect intro into the advanced topic of expressions which can open up a whole new, customizable side of Adobe After Effects.

If you’re ready to unlock the wonderful world of expressions, let’s get started.

One-time purchase

Get unlimited, lifetime access to this class. Watch anytime, at your own pace. No subscription fees.

$49

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$168/year (price varies by region)

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What's included

100% Self-Paced

Pre-recorded videos allow you to play, pause, and practice at your own pace.

15 Lessons (1h 29m)

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Welcome
What to Expect + Class Project
Expressions 101

Expressions

Wiggle
Loop
Time
Counter Parent Rotation
Counter Parent Scale
Maintain Stroke Width
Value At Time
Loop a Path Animation
Posterize Time
Linear
Looping Wiggle

Wrap-Up

What's Next

Also included:

Expressions Cheat Sheet

This handy PDF will help jog your memory so you can keep using expressions in your projects long after you complete the class.

Project File for Examples

The .aep file for the examples used in class will allow you to gain hands-on practice applying the expressions as you watch the class.

Who this class is for

This class is for motion designers who are comfortable with the basics of Adobe After Effects and want to take their workflow to the next level. No programming experience is needed!

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What you should know before watching this class:

Adobe After Effects basics like creating compositions, setting keyframes, rendering, etc.
How to connect (parent) layers and properties
How to apply an effect to a layer
How to animate the path of a shape
How to add easing to keyframes and use the graph editor to adjust the spacing of an animation

Need to learn more about these concepts? Check out some of my other classes:

Beginner

Create then Animate:

Beginner Workflow in Illustrator & After Effects

Beginner

Easy Animated Icons

in Adobe After Effects

What you'll need

Successfully completing this class requires a computer or laptop with:

Adobe

After Effects

Ready?

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Meet the Teacher

What students are saying

This course is absolutely fantastic, highly recommend if you want to dig into expressions. Megan's teaching style is clear and well thought out. She's an expert, so you can be assured the material is industry standard. This course alone is worth the annual subscription to Skillshare!

Janet A.

Great class! Always felt a little intimidated by some of the complex expressions. Really wanted to understand more about them, and how to apply them into my projects. Megan explains it well and shows some practical examples. Thank you.

Esther VD

I really appreciate Megan Friesth for her knowledge and details. This would very helpful for an explainer video. Thanks for creating such a nice expression course like this.

Vinay L.

FAQ's