In this tutorial, we will teach you how to animate characters such as flying bats or birds using Adobe After Effects. Follow these steps to create realistic flapping animations.

**Step 1: Prepare Your Image**
Start by securing a frontal image of a bat or a bird. Import this image into Adobe After Effects and drag it into a new composition.

**Step 2: Use the Puppet Tool**
Select the layer with your bat or bird image. Use the Puppet Tool to create joints for the movements you want to achieve. Position the puppet pins on key points of the wings and body to simulate flapping motions.

**Step 3: Animate the Movement**
Position the dots (puppet pins) on your bat or bird by dragging them up or down to create the flapping motion. Set keyframes for these movements to create a smooth animation. Ensure the wing movements mimic the natural flapping motion of bats or birds.

**Step 4: Refine the Animation**
Refine the animation by adjusting the timing and smoothness of the keyframes. You can add easing to make the flapping more natural and less mechanical.

**Step 5: Add Additional Effects**
Enhance your animation by adding motion blur, shadows, and other effects to make the movement more realistic. You can also duplicate and vary the animation to create a flock of birds or bats.

For a detailed, step-by-step guide on animating bats or birds using Adobe After Effects, watch the full video tutorial.