Uploaded September 2023 | Updated September 2026, 6 days ago
An Adobe After Effects tutorial.
Questions asking: "Multiple Text Styles via Expressions on a Single Text Layer", "How can I bold inline words via expression?" or "how do I use Essential Graphics and allow some words to be bold?" come up a lot on the forums and it's a bit tricky. While you can set the font style via expressions ( setStyle ), that applies to the whole text layer. If you want some of the words to be bold but not others, you can try using sourceRectAtTime() to line text layers up, but that can get tricky and take longer to set up.
In the video, I take a different approach and ask the question: "if a word looks bold, but actually isn't, does it matter?" If you answer: "no", then you're in luck as I take you through the steps needed to create an FFX preset you can use whenever you have a text layer and need to control which words are bold. We'll achieve this using a text animator and a couple of slider controls.
As an added bonus, I also show how to combine text layers, animators and layer styles, to give you all the control you need.
#AfterEffects #Text #tutorial @AdobeVideo
*Get ShiveringCactus VFX as phone cases, T-shirts, mugs: redbubble.com/people/ShiveringCactus/shop*
*Or buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/shiveringcactus*
*Links:*
FFX Present (ZIP file): dropbox.com/s/983bld7nt86h1jh/Set%20Bold%20Text%20by%20ShiveringCactus.zip?dl=1
How to install Plugins and Presets in After Effects: youtu.be/gMDSVJlFv5E
Control the width of Text using a slider: youtu.be/AxG0qwSkOqs
I'm an Adobe Community Expert - which means you can find me on the Adobe forums if you need any help. community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects/ct-p/ct-after-effects?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang=all&tabid=all
#AdobeCommunityExperts
An Adobe After Effects tutorial.
Questions asking: "Multiple Text Styles via Expressions on a Single Text Layer", "How can I bold inline words via expression?" or "how do I use Essential Graphics and allow some words to be bold?" come up a lot on the forums and it's a bit tricky. While you can set the font style via expressions ( setStyle ), that applies to the whole text layer. If you want some of the words to be bold but not others, you can try using sourceRectAtTime() to line text layers up, but that can get tricky and take longer to set up.
In the video, I take a different approach and ask the question: "if a word looks bold, but actually isn't, does it matter?" If you answer: "no", then you're in luck as I take you through the steps needed to create an FFX preset you can use whenever you have a text layer and need to control which words are bold. We'll achieve this using a text animator and a couple of slider controls.
As an added bonus, I also show how to combine text layers, animators and layer styles, to give you all the control you need.
#AfterEffects #Text #tutorial @AdobeVideo
*Get ShiveringCactus VFX as phone cases, T-shirts, mugs: redbubble.com/people/ShiveringCactus/shop*
*Or buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/shiveringcactus*
*Links:*
FFX Present (ZIP file): dropbox.com/s/983bld7nt86h1jh/Set%20Bold%20Text%20by%20ShiveringCactus.zip?dl=1
How to install Plugins and Presets in After Effects: youtu.be/gMDSVJlFv5E
Control the width of Text using a slider: youtu.be/AxG0qwSkOqs
I'm an Adobe Community Expert - which means you can find me on the Adobe forums if you need any help. community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects/ct-p/ct-after-effects?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang=all&tabid=all
#AdobeCommunityExperts




![Liquid Morphing Motion in After Effects
_I’m not too sure if it is liquid motion but it’s probably the best description I can give of it. I want to have a 2D circle to fall as a liquid reach the bottom of the frame and them come back up in a square; all in 2D._
Jp Pelc on @creativecow back in 2014.
_[For] nearly 10 years ago, [this has] been a lifesaver. I use this technique all the time! You are a true champion in this world of motion graphics_
Jp Pelc in 2024.
This tutorial is one of those hidden gems, a really simple tip that makes a big difference to all sorts of projects. Im going to follow the steps that Jp Pelc spelled out, to have a shape change from a circle to a square, but rather than animate the path (which is a viable option) Im going to use Fast Box Blur and Simple Choker to create an effective morph.
Ill also demonstrate how the same technique can morph text or create drips.
*Get ShiveringCactus VFX as phone cases, T-shirts, mugs: https://www.redbubble.com/people/ShiveringCactus/shop*
*Or buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/shiveringcactus*
*Center Shape Layer script: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/gm38jcnmwndn2sp19dfsc/Centre-Shape-by-ShiveringCactus.zip?rlkey=kdvcpkldj4bii9xn8nu5szi1b&dl=1*
#AfterEffects #tutorial #liquid
*Chapters*
0:00 Morph animation
1:04 Centering a shape layer
4:21 Adjustment Layer effects
Im an Adobe Community Expert - which means you can find me on the Adobe forums if you need any help. https://community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects/ct-p/ct-after-effects?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang=all&tabid=all
#AdobeCommunityExperts Liquid Morphing Motion in After Effects](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vpd9n5d3thc/mqdefault.jpg)





