Exercise 2 · Brand Art to Shape Layers

Project 1 · Branded Vector Explainer · Week 2 · Vector Pipelines · ~60 min

Practice goal: Import layered AI / SVG brand art and convert it to editable, crisp shape layers.

Set up: New project. A layered Illustrator (.ai) logo/icon set and an SVG (or make simple vector art in Illustrator).

Steps

  1. New project; import the .ai file As a Composition — Retain Layer Sizes; also import an SVG.
  2. Open the resulting comp — each Illustrator layer is its own footage layer.
  3. Turn on Continuous Rasterization (the sun/star switch) on a vector layer; scale past 100% and confirm it stays crisp.
  4. Select a layer and run Layer ▸ Create ▸ Create Shapes from Vector Layer — it becomes native shape layers.
  5. Twirl into the shape group and identify Path, Fill, Stroke — now fully editable.
  6. Repeat for the SVG import; compare fidelity and delete leftover raster layers.
  7. Rename shape layers, group related pieces, and clean up stray empty groups.
  8. Recolor a shape via its Fill to a brand color (setting up for gradients later).
  9. Fix anchor points with the Pan-Behind tool so pieces scale/rotate from the right pivot.
  10. Build a tidy logo precomp of the converted shapes for reuse.
  11. Save & render a quick scale/turntable test to prove crispness.

Free tutorials & references

Done when

Layered AI and SVG art is imported and converted to editable, organized, continuously-rasterized shape layers — no rasterized logos — recolored and ready to animate.

Files

Pittman_Ex02_BrandToShapes.aep → render Pittman_Ex02_BrandToShapes.mov · versions Pittman_Ex02_BrandToShapes_001.aep

This drill is your in-class activity for the week (worth 2 points) and ladders directly into the project.