Preface

Adobe Character Animator is 2D-character animation software aimed at non-animators looking for a fun way to create entertainment and business presentations or videos. Character Animator relies on live interaction from the user using a webcam, microphone, keyboard, and mouse to control the puppets or character rigs on screen.

This book introduces you to the world of Character Animator by taking a designed character and properly rigging it. We will show proper layer structure for our character PSDs and what to look out for when importing and rigging in Character Animator.

From there, you will learn how to enhance characters through physics and behaviors, which are automatic or context-sensitive-based actions that can be easily changed in Character Animator. Triggers and swap sets allow for image sequence-based animations. Working with preset animations, lip-syncing, and head movements will make the rig more dynamic.

Finally, with all this knowledge, we will build a more complex scene using two characters and background elements. We will bring our work into After Effects and Premiere for a final polish before publishing it in Media Encoder.

By the time you’re done animating along with us, you will be able to take this knowledge and start creating your very own animated productions. Whether you want to build a sitcom, business presentation, or a cartoon presence through a streaming app, this book is here to help guide you on the right path.