Transforming Font Character by Character

[melihguclu]

Hello community i am a newbie and trying to learn After Effects. I want to create a text with "a font" then i want to make it transform into "b font" character by character with some smooth transition effect so it is going to look like some kind of dynamic text translation. Can you help me ? Thanks so much

[Roei Tzoref · Accepted solution]

that would require some practice. the idea is this: you convert your letters into a shape, then you make the transition based on keyframes set to the paths parameter. depending on the complexity, this technique can also be mixed with dividing the letters into primary shapes and move them while using a track matte to mask a letter (think of a Peekaboo).

Morphing Shapes in After Effects

since these are paths interpolating, you could also try smoothing out the animation using Ae's mask interpolation panel. unfortunately only works for masks and not shape paths, but you could copy paste from and back if you wish. here's more about it:

https://www.provideocoalition.com/managing_moving_masks/

other than that, here's one neat tutorial from our community's tribe elder Rick Gerard demonstrating how to do it with no keyframes! just illustrator's blend tool and image sequencing: