Create shapes or masks from text characters, Create shapes from text, Create masks from text – Adobe After Effects CS4 User Manual
Page 325: Command. (see, Create shapes, Or masks from text characters
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USING AFTER EFFECTS CS4
Drawing, painting, and paths
Last updated 12/21/2009
•
To replace a mask path, select the mask in the Timeline panel, Layer panel, or Composition panel.
•
To replace a shape path, select the shape path (not the group) in the Composition panel or Timeline panel.
2
In the Tools panel, double-click the Rectangle
, Rounded Rectangle
, Ellipse
, Polygon
, or Star
tool.
Create shapes or masks from text characters
The Create Shapes From Text command extracts the outlines for each character, creates shapes from the outlines, and
puts the shapes on a new shape layer. You can then use these shapes as you would any other shapes.
The Create Masks From Text command extracts the outlines for each character, creates masks from the outlines, and
puts the masks on a new solid-color layer. You can then use these masks as you would any other masks.
Some font families, such as Webdings, include characters that are graphical images, rather than text. Converting text
from these font families can be a good way to get started with simple graphical elements in shape layers.
More Help topics
Create shapes from text
1
Select the text to convert to shapes:
•
To create shapes for all characters in a text layer, select the text layer in the Timeline panel or Composition panel.
•
To create shapes for specific characters, select the characters in the Composition panel.
2
Do one of the following:
•
Choose Layer
> Create Shapes From Text.
•
Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the layer or text and choose Create Shapes From Text from the
context menu.
The Video switch
for the text layer is turned off.
The new shape layer is created at the top of the layer stacking order. The new layer contains one shape group for each
selected character, plus fill and stroke properties that match the fills and strokes of the text.
For characters that consist of compound paths—such as i and e—multiple paths are created and combined with the
Merge Paths path operation.
Effects, masks, layer styles, and keyframes and expressions for properties in the Transform property group of the text
layer are copied to the new shape layer or solid-color layer.
Create masks from text
1
Select the text to convert to masks:
•
To create masks for all characters in a text layer, select the text layer in the Timeline panel or Composition panel.
•
To create masks for specific characters, select the characters in the Composition panel.
2
Do one of the following:
•
Choose Layer
> Create Masks From Text.
•
Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the layer or text and choose Create Masks From Text from the
context menu.
The Video switch
for the text layer is turned off.