Tutorial: How to Create a Scribble Effect in After Effects

In this 3D world of complex visuals and intricate textures, a contradictory trend seems to have made its way to the foreground and that trend is 2D animation. The simple aesthetic has taken over the world of design and even popular music videos. Take for instance Bruno Mars's That's What I Like it combines 2D lines and animations with some killer dance moves to create something that is both fun and artistic.

Lucky for you, the scribble effect is a very simple animation that can be done right inside After Effects or Premiere Pro. The different softwares will result in a different look and workflow, so check out our Adobe Faceoff to help you decide which one is best for you. The tutorial below will take you step-by-step into the process of creating this effect specifically in After Effects.

In case you don't know what this animation looks like, you can take a few to jam out to Bruno Mars's hit single. If you're new to After Effects, check out our After Effects Beginner's Guide to Basic Effects & Animations.

Step #1 Getting Started First, you need to create a new composition and import your footage. Once your footage is in the comp, double-click the video in the composition to open it in a layer panel. You can scribble only within a layer panel.

Step #2 Setting Up Your Tools For the scribble effect, you're going to need the brush panel and the paint panel. If you can't find these, you can turn them on in the window tab.

In the paint panel, change the duration to single frame. This makes your drawing last for only one frame. Think of it like stop motion, but with drawing. You're going to have to go frame-by-frame to animate the scribble so patience is required. After your paint panel is set up, simply choose a brush size and color and get to scribbling.

Step #3 Scribbling Now we're at the creative part. All you have to do is draw your idea one frame at a time to bring it to life. It may take some time, but it is well worth it in the end.

If you need some inspiration or general tips to spice up your animation, check out the list below.

Break up the lines. Have a smaller line or a dot follow a bigger line.

Trace an object.

Draw an object that interacts/reacts with your footage.

Mix and match brush sizes.

Use a Pen Tablet for smoother strokes.

Scribbling in Premiere If you decided to go the Premiere route, this video tutorial by Cinecom.net will walk you through how to scribble in this program. The overall animation is the same, but the look and how it is achieved slightly varies.

Simple as that! The scribble effect is very easy to animate in After Effects and Premiere, and the possibilities are endless. The only thing left to do is export your footage and share your creation.

If you need some clips to scribble on, check out our library of royalty-free stock footage and draw to your heart's content.

Discover Royalty-Free Footage

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