8-Week After Effects + Blender Learning Plan (Condensed One-Page Summary)

Week After Effects Focus Blender Focus Weekly Project

Week 1 - Interface overview and layout - Blender UI navigation Create an animated name tag in AE and render your first donut in Blender.
Week 2 - Anchor
Timeline,
point,
layers,
position,
and keyframes
scale, rotation - Modifiers:
Viewport controls,
Subdivision
basic
Surface,
modeling
Mirror Create a text intro in AE and a low-poly object (like a tree or house) in Blender.
Week 3 - Pre-composing,
Basic Ease
Easy text and
andshape
Graph
masking
animations
Editor intro - Intro
Create
Low-poly
to the
materials
modeling
famousand
'Donut'
basics
shading
model
nodes Make a product reveal animation in AE and render a 3D box in Blender.
Week 4 - Kinetic
Animatetypography
Parentinglogos
and null
and objects
principles
simple objects - Camera
Lighting
Use HDRIsetup
movements
for lighting
and basic
and materials
keyframes Kinetic quote animation (AE) + still render of a room setup (Blender).
Week 5 - Graph
3D layers
Text animators
Editor
andmastery
camera
and transitions
basics - Object
Render
Use Eevee
animations
a simple
and Cycles
product
(bounce,
render
boxstretch)
with
engines
shadows Animate a logo with sound in AE + bouncing ball loop in Blender.
Week 6 - VFX
Blur, basics:
Motionglow,
paths,
and
tracking,
mattes,
fade effects
rotoscope,
expressions
green screen - Particle
Compose
Use keyframes
systems:
a basic
+ f-curves
sparks,
interior snow,
or tablesmoke
scene AE social media ad + Blender particle or smoke loop animation.
Week 7 - Scene
Sound liquid,
Glitch, transitions,
syncing and
andparticle
project
timingFX
timing - Scene
Loop a building
Simulations:
simplecloth,
motion
withsoft
camera
scene
body,+liquid
lighting Motion design mini reel + product animation in Blender.
Week 8 - Add
Compositing
Export
music
settings
&&polish
final
for reel
AE
touches
reel - Add
Applylighting
Complex physics
model
fx,and
tone
(watch,
modifiers
mapping
product, plant) Publish AE motion reel + Blender hero visual or loop on your portfolio.
- Use
BuildLUTs,
final motion
overlays,
portfolio
glow, scenes
blurs - Use
Advanced
compositor
render&passes
render layers
- Render for web, Insta, or Behance - Export final project scene