Preview the After Effects Image Effects

Adobe After Effects has a lot of awesome image effects presets and tools from artistic effects to special effects. It is often hard to remember how the heck each one look like or does; some effects are easy to figure out but other you have to tried them out to see if it is the image effects fit your project design brand and style.

The purpose of this tutorial is to effectively preview the After Effects picture effects included in the animation presets folder (Screenshot on the right). It should give you overall idea of how each effects look like and improve your motion graphic workflow. Also I used the default image effects preview they obviously can be tweaked to get a better result for your need.

If you are new to After Effects keep reading, if you are advanced feel free to jump straight to the After Effects image effects gallery links below

• Image – Creative
• Image – Special Effects
• Image – Utilities
• Image Distortion
• After Effects image effects template

What are image effects used for in After Effects ?

Image effects are use for many things is After Effects, here a few bullet point to give you an overall idea of what you can when you apply image effects.

• Add motion to your still images to give them some life
• Remove specific area of the your image
• Remove specific color commonly call keying image
• Colorize images
• Distort images to give another shape
• Improve the light of your images
• Add mood to your image

Thanks to Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay for letting me use this photo as reference.

Image Creative

The After Effects image creative presets modify the overall mood of your images by changing the light, the color, level and saturation.

Bloom – brights		Bloom – brights+darks		Bloom – Crystallize 1
Colorize – blue wash		Colorize – gold dip		Colorize – infrared
Colorize – moonshadows		Colorize – red hand tint		Colorize – royal purple
Colorize – Sepia		Colorize – sky blue		Colorize – sky orange
Colorize – sunset gradient		Contrast – luminance		Contrast – saturation
Dimension – bevel+shadow		Dimension – glow+shadow		Grayscale
Inset Video – framed		Inset Video – torn edges		Left Third – scoop mask NTSC
Left Third – scoop mask PAL		Lower Third – scoop mask NTSC		Lower Third – scoop mask PAL
Lower Third Holdout – darken		Lower Third Holdout – saturate		Mood Lighting – Amorphous
Mood Lighting – Digital		Mood Lighting – streaks		Vignette Lighting

Image – Special Effects

The image special effects presets add motion to your images and are ideal to show glitches effects on your videos.

Bad TV 1 – warp		Bad TV 2 – old		Bad TV 3 – weak
Cracked Tiles		Embossed Multiple Exposure		Light Leaks – layer markers
Light Leaks – random		Motion Registration Errors		Night Vision

Image Utilities

After Effects Image utilities Presets allows you to …

Alpha From Lightness (Unmult)		Compress-Expand Dynamic Range		Crop Edges
Flip		Flip + Flop		Flop
Invert Alpha		Keylight + Key Cleaner + Advanced Spill Suppressor

Here is also a good video to look at to get an overall idea of what image utlities are use for

Image Distortion Effects

Also if you are looking to modify and distort your actual images shape I recommend checking the After Effects distort effects preview gallery here.

Image Effects Templates

Now that you have looked at some of the After effects image effects, you might still look for something more creative and unique, a good alternative is to look at some of After Effects templates and After Effects Scripts that are on the web I have made a selection below feel free to check them out.

VoluMax – 3D Photo Animator		Photo Animator		Half Tone Dots

I am always happy to receive constructive feedback so please drop me a line in the comment area below, and thanks so much for stopping by MotionIsland.com