Create a bezier shape or mask using the pen tool – Adobe After Effects User Manual
Page 323
Note:
Shift-drag to scale the polygon or star as you draw it, preventing rotation.
2. (Optional) Do the following before releasing the mouse button:
To add or remove points, press the Up Arrow key or the Down Arrow key, or roll the mouse wheel forward or backward.
To increase or decrease the outer roundness, press the Left Arrow key or the Right Arrow key.
To keep the inner radius of a star constant as you move the mouse to increase the outer radius, hold the Ctrl (Windows) or Command
(Mac OS) key.
To increase or decrease the inner roundness of a star, press the Page Up key or the Page Down key.
3. Release the mouse button to finish drawing. If Shift-dragging to prevent rotation, release the Shift key after releasing the mouse button.
Create a Bezier shape or mask using the Pen tool
You can create a Bezier mask using the Pen tool on a selected layer in the Composition panel or Layer panel. You can create a shape with a
Bezier path using the Pen tool on a selected shape layer in the Composition panel. If you draw with the Pen tool in the Composition panel with no
layer selected, you create a shape on a new shape layer.
Creating a RotoBezier path is similar to creating a manual Bezier path. The primary difference is that direction lines for vertices and curvature for
path segments are automatically calculated.
Create a manual Bezier path using the Pen tool
1. With the Pen tool selected and the RotoBezier option deselected in the Tools panel, click in the Composition panel where you want to place
the first vertex.
2. Click where you want to place the next vertex. To create a curved segment, drag the direction line handle to create the curve that you want.
To reposition a vertex after you’ve clicked to place it but before you’ve released the mouse button, hold the spacebar while dragging.
The last vertex that you add appears as a solid square, indicating that it is selected. Previously added vertices become hollow, and
deselected, as you add more vertices.
3. Repeat step 2 until you are ready to complete the path.
4. Complete the path by doing one of the following:
To close the path, place the pointer over the first vertex and, when a closed circle icon appears next to the pointer
, click the vertex.
You can also close a path by double-clicking the last vertex or choosing Layer > Mask And Shape Path > Closed.
To leave the path open, activate a different tool, or press F2 to deselect the path.
Draw straight manual Bezier path segments 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
319