Tutorial: How to Add a Motion Texture to a Logo in Adobe After Effects

Adding Effects

The next step in this process is to add some pre-generated effects to this solid layer. We can do that by choosing Effect > Generate, and then selecting one of the options. For this tutorial, I’ll choose Fractal (Figure 4, below).

Figure 4. Adding fractal noise to the solid layer

Now, we’ve added some fractal noise to our solid layer. It doesn't look like much yet (Figure 5, below), but we can adjust some options in the Effect Controls panel to make this look better.

Figure 5. Fractal noise added.

Starting with Set Choice, we can select another option from the drop-down menu. I'll go with Julia (Figure 6, below).

Figure 6. Choosing Julia as Set Choice for the Fractal effect in the Effect Controls panel

Next, just below Set Choice, we can change Equation from the default to the very last option (z = z^7 + c).

Using the Logo as a Mask

Now, in this next step, we’re going to use our company logo as a mask, and have this effect we’ve created show up within our logo. In order to make this work correctly, we'll need to change the layer stacking order and make sure that our logo layer is on top of our solid layer in the Timeline panel.

We can do this by dragging our logo above the solid. Then make sure you can see the Track Matte options next to your layers by selecting the Toggle Switches/Modes option. Once you've done that, you can change the Track Matte option on your solid layer from No Track Matte to Alpha Matte, the first choice from the drop-down (Figure 7, below). Now, our effects are living within our logo layer (Figure 8, below Figure 7).

Figure 7. Selecting Alpha Matte for the Track Matte option. Click the image to see it at full size.

Figure 8. The fractal effect living within the logo layer.