Lesson 4: Working with Shape Layers
New Bezier Path option
After Effects 12.2 introduces a Bezier Path option in the Tools panel. The option is not shown in the illustrations, which were created using After Effects 12.0.
When a shape tool is active, you can select the Bezier Path option to create a new shape based on a Bezier path. Hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) while you draw the shape to toggle the Bezier Path option. (That is, if the option is selected, pressing Alt or Option draws a parametric path; if the option is not selected, pressing Alt or Option draws a Bezier path.)
You can also convert an existing parametric path to a Bezier path. To do so, right-click or Control-click the property group for the path (e.g. Rectangle Path 1), and choose Convert To Bezier Path. If the parametric path was animated, keyframes are lost and the converted Bezier path is a static path based on the parametric path at the current time.
Snapping enhancements
The After Effects 12.1 and 12.2 updates include several enhancements to the snapping feature that was introduced in After Effects 12.0.
In After Effects 12.1 and later, you can snap along edges that extend beyond the layer boundaries, so that it’s easier to align objects in 3D space, especially when an object is missing. You can also snap to features inside collapsed compositions and text layers.
In After Effects 12.2 and later, you can snap bounding boxes for shapes within shape layers, cameras, and lights. For example, you can snap a light layer to a camera layer to ensure the light is aimed wherever the camera is pointing.
Note: The note next to the “Snapping layers into position” section (on page 109 in the printed book) states that you cannot snap shape layers. As of After Effects 12.2, you can. However, you cannot snap two shapes within a single shape layer; to snap shapes, they must be on different layers.
Changes in the behavior of new layers
Note
In After Effects 12.1 and later, a new layer is placed directly above the currently selected layer in the Timeline panel; if no layer is selected, the layer appears at the top of the stack. In previous versions of After Effects, new layers always appeared at the top of the stack. The following text replaces the first step in each respective section of the book. In each case, return to the original text at step 2.
Drawing a star (page 103 in the printed book)
1. Deselect all layers. Then select the Star tool, which is hidden beneath the Polygon tool.
Creating a self-animating shape (page 114 in the printed book)
1. Deselect all layers. Then select the Rectangle tool, which is hidden beneath the Star tool.
Adding text (page 116 in the printed book)
1. Deselect all layers. Then press the Home key or move the current-time indicator to the beginning of the composition.