![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a3c153_6f27754e06844d62a1708b316797fc08~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_669,h_446,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/a3c153_6f27754e06844d62a1708b316797fc08~mv2.jpg)
LEARNING PARALLAX
Project Brief
The project brief was about something new that up until that point I had never done before; I was tasked with learning how to do basic parallax animation and create a parallax effect over a 2D image to give it a partially 3D appearance.
Tools
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe After Effects
Envato Elements
01
Research
The initial research consisted of two parts; I researched what I was creating, a parallax animation, and then afterwards I researched how to create it for myself. I had never done this form of animation before, so I had to find some references to use.
To start with, I researched "What is a Parallax" and then after watching some YouTube videos and reading some guides, I then looked up how to make them for myself.
02
Planning and Initial Draft
Once I had found some videos and guides, it was time for my first attempt at making a parallax animation, something which I had never done up until this point, so it was something completely new for me.
To start with, I needed a basic image to start off with; I ended up choosing this image for it's lack of colour and the prominent yet simple patterns in the image which I could use while learning how to use the clone stamp and healing tool.
Now that I had the image, I got to work cutting out the layers, filling in the background and fixing any imperfections between the layers such as rough selection edges.
Once I had it all sorted and cut into layers, I imported it into After Effects and began the process of animation; the process wasn't much different from the same process described in the Open Day I project, the successor to this original project.
The original version of the test image I used.
![WW2Lady.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/87a6c0_13422ba5352e4233af602a4ca6cf6402~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_447,h_572,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/WW2Lady.png)
03
The original in-game screenshot.
![Star Citizen 17_09_2022 20_26_52 (2).png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/87a6c0_23d865d7dfc946899c187807459cd9ce~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_408,h_230,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Star%20Citizen%2017_09_2022%2020_26_52%20(2).png)
Production and Progression
So, at this point I'd played around with the process a bit and understood the basics of what I was doing, so it was time to move onto something a bit more complex.
To keep it interesting for me while learning, I picked a screenshot I took in a video game I liked as I like taking photographs in games too.
![Screenshot 2023-04-27 104201.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/87a6c0_40c42c3a4ec34eb89f85d3309ba0994a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_892,h_471,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Screenshot%202023-04-27%20104201.png)
Screenshot of the animation process inside of After Effects, showing the layers.
Here we have the four main layers of the image; the foreground, midground, background and the actual ship.
![400i Test Version 2 Background (1).png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/87a6c0_418056499b1f47ebb0f72f0ae34c05ac~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_400,h_225,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/400i%20Test%20Version%202%20Background%20(1).png)
![400i Test Version 2 Midground.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/87a6c0_f5bda4af46064d688ad0b60f3f97a519~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_400,h_225,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/400i%20Test%20Version%202%20Midground.png)
![400i Test Version 2 Foreground.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/87a6c0_5de2d7aa05604cf6a379a0865bc498c9~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_400,h_225,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/400i%20Test%20Version%202%20Foreground.png)
![400i Test Version 2 (1).png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/87a6c0_b014ec68b2464204a6af014290ba2ca5~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_400,h_225,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/400i%20Test%20Version%202%20(1).png)
04
Final Product
Now I had all my layers and all I had to do was animate the layers; I imported the original Photoshop file into After Effects and began making the animation, converting the 2D layers into 3D layers, creating a virtual camera and touching up any rough edges in the layers. I started with organising all the layers in 3D space, separating and scaling them as needed to create the illusion of depth.
Screenshot of the 3D layers inside After Effects.
![Screenshot 2023-04-27 132845.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/87a6c0_39ac4c1fa81142bbbc3cf41cb7927f8f~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_895,h_348,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Screenshot%202023-04-27%20132845.png)
After they'd all been layered correctly, I started to manipulate the virtual camera using keyframes to change its position and the size and position of the individual layers to create the parallax effect.
I went to Envato Elements for a special dust effect which I wanted to appear on its own layer and I ended up finding a stock video where the dust nearly matched the ground's colour nearly perfectly and fit in very nicely; I ended up putting it on its own layer between the foreground and the midground.
And after some tweaking and adjustment and a bit of work in After Effects, I managed to get the final export.