Quick Character Animation with Puppet Pin Tool

Puppet Pin tool lets you animate still images and illustrations as if they were rigged characters. No 3D modeling, no complex rigging — just place pins and animate.

Setting Up Puppet Pins

1. Import your character as a PNG or layered PSD with transparent background
2. Select the layer and choose the Puppet Pin tool (Cmd/Ctrl+P)
3. Click to place pins at key joints: head, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles
4. Place additional pins on areas that should remain static (feet on ground, hand on table)

Animating

1. Move to a new time in the timeline
2. Drag a pin to a new position — After Effects creates a keyframe automatically
3. The artwork deforms organically around the pin
4. Add Easy Ease (F9) to keyframes for natural motion

Starch Pins

Starch pins (Puppet Starch tool) add rigidity to areas that shouldn't deform. Place starch pins on the torso, head, or any rigid body part to prevent stretchy rubber-band effects.

Limitations

Puppet Pin works best for subtle movements: head turns, arm waves, breathing, swaying. For complex full-body character animation, dedicated tools like Duik Bassel or Character Animator provide proper IK rigging with better control.