This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Adding a shape layer
After Effects includes five shape tools: Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse, Polygon, and Star. When you draw a shape directly in the Composition panel, After Effects adds a new shape layer to the composition. You can apply stroke and fill settings to a shape, modify its path, and apply animation presets. Shape attributes are all represented in the Timeline panel, and you can animate each setting over time.
The same drawing tools can create both shapes and masks. Masks are applied to layers to hide or reveal areas or as input into effects; shapes have their own layers. When you select a drawing tool, you can specify whether the tool draws a shape or a mask.
Drawing a shape
You’ll begin by drawing a star.
Press the Home key or move the current-time indicator to the beginning of the time ruler.
Press F2 or click an empty area in the Timeline panel to make sure no layers are selected.
If you draw a shape when a layer is selected, the shape becomes a mask for that layer.
Select the Star tool (
), hidden behind the Rectangle tool (
) in the Tools panel.Drag a small star in the sky.
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The shape appears in the Composition panel, and After Effects adds a shape layer named Shape Layer 1 to the Timeline panel.
Select the Shape Layer 1 layer name, press Enter or Return, change the layer name to Star 1, and press Enter or Return to accept the change.
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Applying a fill and stroke
You can change the color of a shape by modifying its Fill settings in the Tools panel. Clicking the word Fill opens the Fill Options dialog box, where you can select the kind of fill, its blending mode, and its opacity. Clicking the Fill Color box opens the Adobe Color Picker if the fill is solid or the Gradient Editor if the fill is a gradient.
Similarly, you can change the stroke color and width of a shape by modifying its Stroke settings in the Tools panel. Click the word Stroke to open the Stroke Options dialog box; click the Stroke Color box to select a color.
Select the Star 1 layer in the Timeline panel.
Click the Fill Color box (next to Fill) to open the Shape Fill Color dialog box.
Change the color to a bright yellow (we used R=215, G=234, B=23), and click OK.
Click the Stroke Color box in the Tools panel, change the stroke color to a muddy yellow-green color (we used R=86, G=86, B=29), and then click OK.
Make sure the Stroke Width value in the Tools panel is 2 px.
Choose File > Save to save your work so far.
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