How to Make a Logo Turn With a CS3 Master Collection

The future will be filled with flying cars and robots. Well, not really. The world promised in the clean-edged worlds of tomorrow held the promise of life on the cutting edge of technology. Flying cars may not be here, but infusing your business with the same promise can be as simple as a logo turn. Use Adobe After Effects CS3 to make a spinning 3D logo to show clients that your business is innovative, competent and at the edge of technology.

    Logo Turn

  1. Step 1

    Go to “File>Import>File.” A window should open.

  2. Step 2

    Select the finished logo file. Import it as footage and check off the JPEG sequence button. This should import the file into your project window.

  3. Step 3

    Drag the image from the project window to the Timeline window. You can fix the composition size, frame rate, and time duration by going to “Composition> Composition Settings.”

  4. Step 4

    Click on the white triangle scroll-down menu. You should now be looking at the word Transform. Here you will find many ways to animate or distort your image.

  5. Step 5

    Click on the white triangle-scroll down menu for “Transform.”

  6. Step 6

    Look for “Rotation.”

  7. Step 7

    Click on the white stopwatch icon next to “Rotation.” This adds a keyframe diamond to the Timeline window. A keyframe is a marker that marks the beginning and end of a change.

  8. Step 8

    Move the Time Indicator, which has a blue tab and a red line extending below it, to the end of the Timeline.

  9. Step 9

    Click on the first zero after Rotation and type one. This indicates the amount of revolutions your logo does. The second numbers indicate the degrees.

  10. Step 10

    Play the animation by hitting the space bar. The logo should turn counterclockwise.

    11. Add 3D

  11. Step 1

    Make the turn 3D by right-clicking on the image name on the Timeline.

  12. Step 2

    Click the 3D layer. Using the same technique as before, click on the “Z Rotation Stopwatch” icon to erase its keyframes.

  13. Step 3

    Add keyframes to the X Rotation to rotate the icon top to bottom.

  14. Step 4

    Add keyframes to the Y Rotation to rotate the icon left to right.

Tips & Warnings
  • Play with the program by adding a background, lights and shadows, and effects.
  • Always save your progress. Save your finished project in many different places in case one drive gets destroyed.