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Aug 3, 2023

Getting started – Working with Shape Layers

Lesson overview

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to do the following:

  • Create custom shapes.
  • Customize a shape’s fill and stroke.
  • Use path operations to transform shapes.
  • Animate shapes.
  • Taper strokes in shapes.
  • Snap layers into alignment.
  • Use the Create Nulls From Paths panel.

This lesson will take about an hour to complete. If you haven’t already done so, download the project files for this lesson from peachpit.com/AfterEffectsCIB2024, following the instructions in the Getting Started section under “Accessing the lesson files and Web Edition.”

PROJECT: ANIMATED ILLUSTRATION

Shape layers make it easy to create expressive backgrounds and intriguing results. You can animate shapes, apply animation presets, and connect them to other shapes to intensify their impact.

Getting started

Shape layers are created automatically when you draw a shape with any of the drawing tools. You can customize and transform an individual shape or its entire layer to create interesting results. In this lesson, you will use shape layers to create a whimsical animation.

First, you’ll preview the final movie and set up the project.

  1. Make sure the following files are in the Lessons/Lesson04 folder on your hard disk, or download them from peachpit.com now:
    1. In the Assets folder: Background.mov
    1. In the Sample_Movie folder: Lesson04.mp4
  2. Open and play the Lesson04.mp4 sample movie in Windows Movies & TV or QuickTime Player to see what you will create in this lesson. When you are done, close Windows Movies & TV or QuickTime Player. You may delete the sample movie from your hard disk if you have limited storage space.

As you start After Effects, restore the default application settings. See “Restoring default preferences” on page 3.

3. Start After Effects, and then immediately hold down Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or Command+Option+Shift (macOS) to restore default preferences settings. In the Startup Repair Options dialog box, click Reset Preferences.

4. Click New Project in the Home window.

After Effects opens to display a blank, untitled project.

5. Choose File > Save As > Save As, and then navigate to the Lessons/Lesson04/Finished_Project folder.

6. Name the project Lesson04_Finished.aep, and then click Save.

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