Keyframe animation and easing basics

Presets get you 80% of the way; keyframes give you full control. A keyframe pins a property to a value at a moment in time — Lottie Max interpolates between them.

Drop your first keyframe

1. Select a layer.
2. Move the playhead in the timeline to where you want the motion to start.
3. In the Properties panel, change a value (drag the layer, set scale, etc.). Lottie Max auto-keyframes — a diamond appears on that property’s track.
4. Move the playhead forward, change the value again. Now it animates between the two.

You can keyframe position, scale, rotation, opacity, and even fill / stroke color.

Edit keyframes

• Drag a diamond to retime it.
• Shift-click to multi-select, then drag them together.
• Right-click a diamond for easing options, delete, or reverse.
• Click the diamond in the Properties panel to add/remove a keyframe at the playhead.

Easing — the secret to natural motion

Linear motion looks robotic. Easing controls acceleration:

• Ease Out — fast then slow. Great for things arriving.
• Ease In — slow then fast. Great for things leaving.
• Ease In Out — smooth on both ends. The default for most UI motion.
• Linear — constant speed. Good for spins and continuous loops.

Right-click a keyframe to pick its easing. As a rule: entrances ease out, exits ease in, loops stay in-out or linear.

Frame stepping

Use the arrow keys to nudge the playhead one frame at a time (Shift = 10 frames, Home/End to jump to start/end) for precise placement.

What’s next

Layer a preset and hand-tuned keyframes together, or learn how gradients, strokes, and effects add polish.