You can create one or more masks for each layer in acomposition using any of the following methods:
When you create masks on a layer, the mask names appear in the Timeline panel outline in the order in which you create the masks. To organize and keep track of your masks, rename them.
Note:
To rename a mask, select it and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS), or right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the mask name and choose Rename.
When creating additional masks for one layer in the Layer panel, make sure that the Target menu in the Layer panel is set to None; otherwise, you replace the targeted mask instead of creating a mask. You can also lock a mask to prevent changes to it.
When creating or editing masks, look in the Info panel for informationsuch as the mask name and the number of vertices in the mask.
Note:
To create a mask that you can move independently of the primary layer that it is masking, do the following:
Create a rectangular or ellipticalmask numerically
Create a mask from channel valueswith Auto-trace
When you apply Auto-trace, affected layers are automatically set to Best Quality to ensure accurate results.
Note:
To reduce the number of masks createdby Auto-trace, apply a keying effect to the layer to isolate yoursubject before applying Auto-trace.
You create a shape layer by drawing in the Composition panel with a shape tool or the Pen tool. You can then add shape attributes to existing shapes or create shapes within that shape layer. By default, if you draw in the Composition panel when a shape layer is selected, you create a shape within that shape layer, above the selected shapes or group of shapes. If you draw in the Composition panel using a shape tool or Pen tool when an image layer other than a shape layer is selected, you create a mask.
Note:
Before drawing in the Composition panel to create a shape layer, press F2 and deselect all layers.
You can create shapes and shape layers using any of the followingmethods:
Usually, a new shape has a fill and a stroke that correspond to the Fill and Stroke settings in the Tools panel at the time that the shape is drawn. You can use the same controls in the Tools panel to change these attributes for a selected shape after it has been drawn. Shapes created from text are created with fills and strokes that match the fills and strokes of the original text.
Note:
To draw a mask on a shape layer, click the Tool Creates Mask button in the Tools panel with a shape tool or Pen tool active. For more information about creating masks, see Creating masks.
You can create a shape layer from a vector art footage layer, and then modify it. With the ability to bevel and extrude objects in After Effects, you can extrude the artwork, for example, extruded logos. For more information, see Extruding text and shape layers.
To convert a vector art footage layer to shape layer:
Create a shape or mask by draggingwith shape tools
The shape tools are the Rectangle , RoundedRectangle , Ellipse , Polygon , andStar tools.
Note:
To activate and cycle through the shape tools,press Q.
A polygon is a star without an Inner Radius or Inner Roundness property. So, the name of the shape created for a polygon or a star is the same: polystar.
You can create a mask by dragging with a shape tool on a selected layer in the Composition panel or Layer panel. You can create a shape by dragging with a shape tool on a selected shape layer in the Composition panel. If you drag with a shape tool in the Composition panel with no layer selected, you create a shape on a new shape layer.
Note:
To draw a mask on a shape layer, click the Tool Creates Mask button in the Tools panel with a shape tool active.
When you create a shape by dragging with a shape tool in the Composition panel, you create a parametric shape path. To instead create a Bezier shape path, press the Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) key before you click to begin dragging. You can release the key before you complete the drag operation. All mask paths are Bezier paths. (See About shapes and shape layers.)
Dragging starts when you click in the Composition panel or Layer panel to begin drawing, and ends when you release the mouse button. Pressing modifier keys at different times during a single dragging operation achieves different results:
Note:
Eachshape tool retains the settings of the most recent drawing operationwith that tool. For example, if you draw a star and modify the numberof points to be 10, then the next star that you draw will also have10 points. To reset settings for a tool and create a shape withthe default settings, double-click the tool in the Tools panel. (See Createa shape or mask the size of the layer.)
Draw rectangles, rounded rectangles,squares, and rounded squares
Note:
Squares are created to be square according to the pixel aspect ratio of the composition. If the pixel aspect ratio of the composition is not 1, then squares appear square in the Composition panel only if the Toggle Pixel Aspect Ratio button is selected at the bottom of the Composition panel.
Note:
Circles are created to be circular according to the pixel aspect ratio of the composition. If the pixel aspect ratio of the composition is not 1, then circles appear circular in the Composition panel only if the Toggle Pixel Aspect Ratio button is selected at the bottom of the Composition panel.
You can create a Bezier mask using the Pentool on a selected layer in the Composition panel or Layer panel.You can create a shape with a Bezier path using the Pen tool ona selected shape layer in the Composition panel. If you draw withthe Pen tool in the Composition panel with no layer selected, youcreate a shape on a new shape layer.
Creating a RotoBezierpath is similar to creating a manual Bezier path. The primary differenceis that direction lines for vertices and curvature for path segmentsare automatically calculated.
Draw straight manual Bezier pathsegments with the Pen tool
The simplest path that you can draw with the Pen tool is a straight line, made by clicking with the Pen tool to create two vertices. By continuing to click, you create a path made of straight-line segments connected by corner points.
Clicking with Pen tool creates straight segments.
Draw curved manual Bezier pathsegments with the Pen tool
You create a curved path segment by draggingdirection lines. The length and direction of the direction linesdetermine the shape of the curve.
Note:
Shift-dragto constrain the angle of the direction lines to whole multiplesof 45°. Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) to modify onlythe outgoing direction line.
The Create Shapes From Text command extractsthe outlines for each character, creates shapes from the outlines,and puts the shapes on a new shape layer. You can then use theseshapes as you would any other shapes.
The Create Masks FromText command extracts the outlines for each character, creates masksfrom the outlines, and puts the masks on a new solid-color layer. Youcan then use these masks as you would any other masks.
Note:
Some font families, such as Webdings, include charactersthat are graphical images, rather than text. Converting text fromthese font families can be a good way to get started with simplegraphical elements in shape layers.
The Video switch forthe text layer is turned off.
The new shape layer is createdat the top of the layer stacking order. The new layer contains oneshape group for each selected character, plus fill and stroke propertiesthat match the fills and strokes of the text.
For charactersthat consist of compound paths—such as i and e—multiplepaths are created and combined with the Merge Paths path operation.
Effects,masks, layer styles, and keyframes and expressions for propertiesin the Transform property group of the text layer are copied tothe new shape layer or solid-color layer.
The Video switch forthe text layer is turned off. Download game beamng drive.
The new solid-color layer iscreated at the top of the layer stacking order.
For charactersthat consist of compound paths—such as i and e—multiplemasks are created and combined with the Subtract mask mode.
Copy a path from Illustrator, Photoshop,or Fireworks
You can copy a path from Illustrator or Photoshop and paste it into After Effects as a mask path or shape path.
To make the data copied from Illustrator compatible with After Effects, the AICB option must be selected in the Files & Clipboard section of the Adobe Illustrator Preferences dialog box.
For a path imported from Photoshop to be scaled correctly, the Photoshop document must have a resolution of 72 dpi. 72 dpi is the Resolution setting of documents created in Photoshop using a Film & Video preset.
Note: You can also use a copied Illustrator, Photoshop, or Fireworks path as an After Effects motion path. See Create a motion path from a mask, shape, or paint path for more information.
You can copy position keyframes, anchor pointkeyframes, or an effect control point’s position keyframes and pastethose keyframes into a selected mask path or shape path. When youcreate mask paths or shape paths from motion paths, make sure thatyou copy keyframes from a single Position property only—do not copythe keyframes of any other property.
Note:
Drawa motion path with Motion Sketch and then paste the path into amask path or shape path.
The motion path of the spaceship (top) is copied to the backgroundlayer (lower-left) and used by the Vegas effect (lower-right).
Note:
When copying between a mask path to a motion path, keep in mind that the mask path’s values are expressed in the coordinate system of the layer (layer space), whereas the motion path’s values are expressed in the coordinate system of the composition (composition space). This difference causes the pasted path to be offset, requiring you to reposition the path after pasting it. (See Coordinate systems: composition space and layer space.)
When a shape group is selected in group selectionmode, you can duplicate the group while moving, rotating, or scalingit in the Composition panel.
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Try these five simple Adobe After Effects techniques to create backgrounds for all your upcoming motion graphics projects.
Deciding on backgrounds for motion graphics can take a bit of time, but they don’t have to take forever to create. There are many ways to go about designing your background while keeping it consistent with your main project. This After Effects tutorial covers five different ways to go about creating your background.
The Smooth Gradient
One of the safest background techniques that works in almost every situation is the gradient. A radial gradient provides a clean background and has the ability to work the brand’s color palette into any video.
Repeated Shape Layers
Want to add some designs to your background? Grab a shape from the tools menu and use a repeater to run it across the entirety of your composition. Repeated shapes offer a quick way to add detail to your background.
Custom Repeated Shape Layers
Use the pen tool to add a custom shape that looks amazing and follows the style of your brand. You can even grab the outline of a vector file in Illustrator, paste it into a shape layer within After Effects, and then add a repeater.
Particles
Particles can be a great way to add movement and small details to your composition. CC Particle World will allow you to have a constant flow of customized moving particles. You can also upload your own vector graphics as particles.
Textures
Motion graphics artists may be accustomed to using .PNG images just as their background. However, with the techniques above, you can use a texture to composite over your pre-made background. This will tie all of the elements together nicely.
Bonus: Lens Flares
Having a pre-made lens flare pack can help you dramatically. Lens flare help create depth and add contrast to the overall composition. Be sure to check out Radium from Rocketstock.com for 120 amazing lens flares elements.
100 Loopable Backgrounds
If you are looking for amazing, ready-to-go background assets, check out Canvas on Rocketstock.com.
Looking for more After Effects tutorials and assets? Check these out.
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