Edit a gradient, Using adobe kuler swatches in after effects, Color correction and adjustment – Adobe After Effects CS4 User Manual
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USING AFTER EFFECTS CS4
Color
Last updated 12/21/2009
Edit a gradient
A gradient is defined by color stops and opacity stops. Each stop has a location along the gradient and a value for color
or opacity. The values between stops are interpolated. By default, the interpolation is linear, but you can drag the
opacity midpoint or color midpoint between two stops to alter the interpolation.
•
To add a color stop or opacity stop, click below or above the gradient bar in the Gradient Editor dialog box.
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To remove a stop, drag it away from the gradient bar, or select the stop and click Delete.
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To edit the value of a stop, select it and adjust the Opacity value or use the Adobe Color Picker controls beneath the
gradient editor controls.
•
To choose a gradient type, click the Linear Gradient or Radial Gradient button in the upper-left corner of the
Gradient Editor dialog box.
Note: Use the Style property to choose a gradient type for the Gradient Overlay layer style.
Using Adobe Kuler swatches in After Effects
Adobe provides the Swatch You Want script in a package of scripts for After Effects CS4 on the After Effects Exchange
on the
in After Effects.
paste from the Adobe Kuler desktop application to bring color swatches into After Effects.
with which you can load and use Kuler color
themes.
Color correction and adjustment
When you assemble a composition, you often need to adjust or correct the colors of one or more of the layers. Such
adjustments can be for any of several reasons. Some examples:
•
You need to make it seem as if multiple footage items were shot under the same conditions so that they can be
composited or edited together.
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You need to adjust the colors of a shot so that it seems to have been shot at night instead of day.
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You need to adjust the exposure of an image to recover detail from the over-exposed highlights.
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You need to enhance one color in a shot because you will be compositing a graphic element over it with that color.
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You need to restrict colors to a particular range, such as the broadcast-safe range.
After Effects includes many built-in effects for color correction, including the Curves effect, the Levels effect, and other
effects in the Color Correction effects category. (See “
The Camera Raw plug-in can be used to correct and adjust still images in JPEG, TIFF, and various camera raw formats.
The Synthetic Aperture Color Finesse plug-in included with After Effects includes excellent color-correction tools.
Synthetic Aperture provides tutorials and additional information about using Color Finesse on
information, see the Color Finesse documentation in the folder that contains the plug-in. (See “
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