The balloon moves through the scene, but its path isn’t very interesting, and it isn’t onscreen long. You’ll customize the path between its start point and end point. You can use the values we used or create your own path, as long as the balloon stays fully visible on the screen until a little after 11 seconds, and then slowly makes its way offscreen.

1. Go to 3:00.
2. Drag the balloon straight up so that the character and the basket are fully visible, and then rotate it slightly to the left. (We used Position 952.5, 402.2; Rotation –11.1 degrees.)

3. Go to 6:16.
4. Shift the balloon’s rotation the other direction. (We used 9.9 degrees.)
5. Move the balloon to the left side of the scene. (We used Position 531.7, 404.)
6. Go to 7:20.
7. Change the scale to 39.4%.
8. Set additional Rotation keyframes to create swirling motions. If you’re using our values, do the following:

Tip

You can change settings in the Properties panel or the Timeline panel; in this exercise, it’s more efficient to set Rotation keyframes in the Timeline panel.
• At 8:23, change the Rotation value to –6.1.
• At 9:16, change the Rotation value to 22.1.
• At 10:16, change the Rotation value to –18.3.
• At 11:24, change the Rotation value to 11.9.
• At 14:19, change the Rotation value to –8.1.

9. Set additional Position keyframes to move the balloon. If you’re using our values, do the following:
   • At 9:04, change the Position to 726.5, 356.2.
   • At 10:12, change the Position to 1396.7, 537.1.
10. Press the spacebar to preview the balloon’s current path, and then press the spacebar again to stop the preview. Save your work so far.

Using Bezier handles to smooth a motion path

The basic path is in place, but you can smooth it out a bit. Each keyframe includes Bezier handles that you can adjust to change the angle of the curve. You’ll learn more about Bezier curves in Lesson 7.

1. Choose 50% from the Magnification Ratio pop-up menu in the Composition panel.
2. Make sure the Balloon/Balloon.ai layer is selected in the Timeline panel. Then move the current-time indicator to a position where you can clearly see the motion path in the Composition panel. (Between 4 and 6 seconds is probably good.)
3. Click a keyframe point in the Composition panel to reveal its Bezier handles, if they aren’t already shown.

Note

If Bezier handles don’t appear when you click with the Selection tool, use the Convert Vertex tool (hidden behind the Pen tool) to display them.

4.Drag a Bezier handle to change the curve for that keyframe.

5.Continue to drag Bezier handles for the keyframe points until you achieve the path you want. Our final path is shown below in the image on the right.

6.Preview the balloon on the path by moving the current-time indicator across the time ruler. Make any adjustments you want. You can also make adjustments later, after you’ve animated the canvas and sky.

7.Hide the properties for the Balloon layer in the Timeline panel, and save your work so far.

The anchor point is the point around which transformations, such as scaling or rotation, are performed. By default, a layer’s anchor point is at the center of the layer.

You’ll change the anchor points for the character’s arm and head so that you can better control the character’s movements as he tugs on the cord to ignite the fire and as he looks up and down.

1. Double-click the Balloon composition in the Project panel to open it in the Composition panel and the Timeline panel.

The Balloon composition includes layers for the canvas colors, the balloon itself, and the character’s eyes, head, forearm, and upper arm.

2.Zoom in using the Magnification Ratio pop-up menu at the bottom of the Composition panel so you can see the balloon’s detail more clearly.

3.Select the Hand tool () in the Tools panel, and then pan so that the character is centered in the Composition panel.

4.Select the Selection tool () in the Tools panel.

5.Select the Upper arm layer in the Timeline panel.

6.Select the Pan Behind tool () in the Tools panel (or press Y to activate it).

With the Pan Behind tool, you can move the anchor point without moving the entire layer in the Composition window.

7.Move the anchor point to the character’s shoulder.

8.Select the Forearm layer in the Timeline panel, and then move its anchor point to the elbow.

9.Select the Head layer in the Timeline panel, and move its anchor point to the character’s neck.

10.Select the Selection tool in the Tools panel.

11.Choose File > Save to save your work so far.

Parenting layers

This composition includes several layers that need to move together. For example, as the balloon floats, the character’s arm and head should move along with it. As you’ve seen in previous lessons, a parenting relationship synchronizes changes in the parent layer with corresponding changes in the child layer. You’ll establish parenting relationships among the layers in this composition, and you’ll add the fire video as well.

1. Deselect all layers in the Timeline panel, and then press Ctrl (Windows) or Command (macOS) as you select the Head and Upper arm layers.
2. In the Parent column for either of the selected layers, choose 7. Balloon from the pop-up menu.

This establishes both the Head and Upper arm layers as child layers of the Balloon layer. When the Balloon layer moves, the other two layers will move with it.

The eyes not only need to move with the balloon, they need to move with the head, so you’ll create that parenting relationship next.

3.In the Parent column for the Eyes layer, choose 6. Head from the pop-up menu.

The forearm should move with the upper arm as well.

4.In the Parent column for the Forearm layer, choose 9. Upper arm from the pop-up menu.

Now you need to ensure that the fire video travels with the balloon.

5.Drag the Fire.mov file from the Project panel to the Timeline panel, positioning it directly below the canvas layers so that the fire will appear to go inside the balloon, rather than outside it. (The Fire layer should be between the Yellow Canvas layer and the Eyes layer.)

The fire video is positioned in the center of the composition, so you’ll need to zoom out a bit to see it.

6. Choose 25% from the Magnification Ratio pop-up menu so that you can see the outline of the selected video.
7. In the Composition window, drag the fire video over the burner. To see the flame in action so you can position it correctly, drag the current-time marker across the first second of the time ruler.
8. When you’re satisfied with the Fire layer’s position, choose 8. Balloon from the pop-up menu in the Fire layer’s Parent column.

9.Choose File > Save to save your work so far.