Isometric Animation with Illustrator and After Effects
A course by Ana Pérez LópezIllustrator and Animation Director
A course by Ana Pérez López, Illustrator and Animation Director
Learn to how play with lines, shapes, and perspective to create isometric illustrations in Adobe Illustrator and bring them to life with After Effects
Isometric illustration is the art of using perspective to make flat figures appear three-dimensional. By adding movement to this technique, award-winning illustrator and digital designer Ana Pérez López transforms simple objects into striking animations that tell a story. She’s collaborated with brands like Samsung, Spotify, CNN London, and The New York Times, and has seen her short films featured at festivals like SXSW and Slamdance.
In this online course, Ana teaches how to create isometric animations from start to finish using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and After Effects. Discover how to turn a concept into a composition by exploring lines, shapes, colors, and perspective before bringing it to life with dynamic motion. Play with visual perception and express your ideas through animated illustrations.
What will you learn in this online course?
31 lessons & 19 downloads
How to Find an Idea
7 minutes, 4 seconds
Sketch! Sketch! Sketch! 1
20 minutes, 20 seconds
Clean Lines 1
16 minutes, 53 seconds
How to Color the Illustration 1
13 minutes, 40 seconds
Preparing the Animation: Layers
16 minutes, 31 seconds
Folder Organizing and File Setup 1
13 minutes, 53 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin by getting to know your teacher, Ana Pérez López. Hear about her creative journey from written to visual storytelling, along with the influences that have shaped her style.
Discover what isometric illustration is, where it comes from, and how it can be used as a design element. Learn how to draw inspiration others' work to find your own style before making the first sketch in Photoshop, playing with perspective and shape layout.
Move on to Illustrator to develop the final composition. After polishing your lines, choose a color palette and apply it in layers. Ana then teaches you how to add depth to your drawing with lights and shadows, as well as subtle textures.
Time to bring your illustration to life. Select the objects you want to animate and map out their movement with keyframes in After Effects. Next, learn how to use the Speed Graph and other tools to give your animation a touch of personality.
To wrap up, Ana shows how to export your project in different formats and turn it into a sticker to share online.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Create an isometric illustration of your favorite neighborhood business and bring it to life as an animated sticker.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Illustrator, animators, designers, and anyone who wants to create artwork in motion.
Requirements and materials
Basic notions of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and After Effects are recommended.
As for materials, you need a computer with access to these programs.
Reviews
- 1 year ago
Good so far, i'm in the sketching phase and i particularly love how she uses isometric illustration.
Learning a lot!
- 1 year ago
La ilustración isométrica es fabulosa para expresar ideas animadas.
- 1 year ago
Excelente!
- 1 year ago
Hello Ana, I'm really enjoying your course, but the links to the 2 Plugins you mention in the An Introduction to Isometric Illustration lesson, EaseCopy and Motion Tools 2, are not in the Additional Resources! Could you please provide those? Kind Regards, Vince
- 1 year ago
Recomiendo
Since switching from written to visual narratives, Ana has worked with clients like Culture Trip, Spotify, Vimeo, Samsung, UN Women, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and The Economist. Her films have been featured at festivals such as SXSW and have earned her several awards, including a Young Guns in 2020 and an Emmy for her collaboration on an animated short for CNN.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Fun and Freedom Within a Grid
- An Introduction to Isometric Illustration
- How to Find an Idea
- Sketch! Sketch! Sketch! 1
- Sketch! Sketch! Sketch! 2
- U3
Making the Illustration
- Clean Lines 1
- Clean Lines 2
- Clean Lines 3
- How to Color the Illustration 1
- How to Color the Illustration 2
- Adding Dimension with Lights and Shadows 1
- Adding Dimension with Lights and Shadows 2
- Textures 1
- Textures 2
- Textures 3
- U4
Bringing the Illustration to Life
- Preparing the Animation: Layers
- Folder Organizing and File Setup 1
- Folder Organizing and File Setup 2
- Animating the Main Objects 1
- Animating the Main Objects 2
- Animating the Main Objects 3
- Animating the Main Objects 4
- Animating the Main Objects 5
- Animating Other Objects 1
- Animating Other Objects 2
- Animating Other Objects 3
- Exporting
- U5
Making Stickers for Instagram Stories
- After Effects: Exporting with an Alpha Channel
- Turning the Animation into a GIF
- How to Upload It to GIPHY
- FP
Final project
- Isometric Animation with Illustrator and After Effects
What to expect from a Domestika course
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Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for intermediate learners who already have basic drawing or animation skills and want to advance their illustration, isometric drawing, and animation techniques.
You should have a basic understanding of digital illustration and familiarity with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Some prior experience with animation concepts will help you get the most out of the course.
You'll learn to construct isometric grids, create three-dimensional effects, and apply isometric illustration techniques to depict city scenes and spatial relationships using both Illustrator and Photoshop.
Yes, the course guides you through developing a creative portfolio, preparing for art school applications like CalArts, and curating your best work for scholarships and admissions.
Absolutely. The course covers how to integrate illustration and animation techniques to enhance visual storytelling and journalistic projects.
Yes, the curriculum includes exercises and inspiration sources to help you experiment and cultivate a distinctive drawing style and artistic voice.
You'll explore bold color usage, restricted palettes, repeating patterns, and techniques for integrating these elements into installations and digital artwork.