Keep vectors sharp in After Effects

Over the past few weeks I’ve been working on a new motion graphics promotional video for my own website (something similar to my old motion graphics promo).

In this new promo I’ve used plenty of shape layers, halfway through animating I ran into a slight problem though: I’d finished animating a section of the video and found I needed to scale it up for the final version. When scaling it up I found it became really blurred like so:

blurred vector animation after effects

Now, usually the beauty of using vector graphics and shape layers is that they can be scaled up or down without losing their quality. So what’s different with After Effects?

Well after a bit of digging I found I needed to turn on ‘Continuously Rasterize’ - it’s the little minesweeper icon next to the composition:

continuously rasterize layer in after effects

(If you can’t see these options you’ll need to press the ‘Toggle Switches / Modes’ button at the bottom of the window)

This solves the problem, for each frame After Effects will produce a nice sharp image from the vector or shape.

sharp vector animation after effects

Much better!

I’m still finishing off the promo video at the moment, be sure to check the motion graphics page for updates!

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Rewilding the planet with freelance animation and motion design

We've only got one planet, and right now it needs all the help it can get. Climate change and biodiversity loss are massive challenges that we need to tackle head on.

That's why, for every freelance animation project over £1000 a donation of 1% of the total budget will be made to the World Land Trust, on your behalf.

The money will go towards WLT's "buy an acre" programme; buying up and protecting vital habitats around the world, and helping fight against climate change.

Any motion design projects under £1000 will have a tree planted on your behalf.

Acres saved so far:

Thanks to my wonderful clients and the animations we've produced, enough money has been donated to save around:

17.5 Acres of vital habitats around the world.

Just think, your animated explainer video or logo animation could also be helping fight the climate crisis!

If you're interested in some freelance animation work and saving the planet, get in touch and let's chat!