After Effects Video Tutorial: Creating a Self-Animating Clock

Create a self-animating functional clock in After Effects using expressions.

In this Premiumbeat exclusive video tutorial you’ll learn how to create a virtual “analog style” clock in After Effects that doesn’t use any keyframes. The technique is very useful if you are trying to make a self-animating clock. Fundamentals covered include:

• The “value +” expression
• Pick-whipping expressions
• Adding a shape layer repeater

This tutorial will save you a lot of time if you are used to animating clocks manually. Instead of setting keyframes, with a few quick expressions the whole process can be completely hands-off.

Don’t want to watch the video? Follow along with the step-by-step tutorial below. Click any image for larger view. 

1	Create a new hour-long composition.
2	Create a new solid for the background.
3	Create the face of the clock using an ellipse path on a shape layer.
4	Create a new small rectangle and move to the top of the clock. Add a repeater to create 12 copies that rotate 30 degrees each.
5	Add a drop shadow to all 3 elements.
6	Make a new red rectangle for the seconds hand. Move the rectangle so that it is positioned around the middle of the clock correctly.
7	Edit the rotation of the second hand and add the expression: time*(360/60)
8	Duplicate and recolor the new layer. Pickwhip the new layer rotation to the old layer rotation add: /60 Then, resize.
9	Duplicate the minute hand to create an hour hand. Pickwhip the rotation of the hour hand to the minute hand and add: /12

If you have any questions regarding this tutorial, or if you have any quick tips for using expressions in After Effects, please comment below!