Move, add, or delete a vertex, Adjust a path segment, Adjust the tension of a rotobezier mask – Adobe After Effects CS4 User Manual
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USING AFTER EFFECTS CS4
Drawing, painting, and paths
Last updated 12/21/2009
In most cases, the appropriate pen tool becomes active when you place the Pen tool pointer in a particular context. For
example, the Delete Vertex tool becomes active when you place the Pen tool pointer over an existing vertex, and the
Add Vertex tool becomes active when you place the Pen tool pointer over a path segment. To manually activate and cycle
through these tools, press G.
When modifying a path, make sure that you click only existing vertices or segments; otherwise, you may create a new
path instead.
More Help topics
Move, add, or delete a vertex
❖
Do one of the following:
•
To move a vertex, drag the vertex with the Selection tool
.
To temporarily switch from the Pen tool to the Selection tool, press V or Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS).
•
To add a vertex to a mask, use the Add Vertex tool
to click the segment between two existing vertices.
•
To delete a vertex from a mask, use the Delete Vertex tool
to click the vertex.
Adjust a path segment
❖
Do one of the following with the Selection tool:
•
Drag a vertex.
•
Drag the direction handles extending from an adjoining smooth vertex.
•
Drag a curved segment.
Dragging a curved segment on a RotoBezier mask also moves the vertices.
Toggle a vertex between a smooth point and a corner point
❖
Click the vertex with the Convert Vertex tool
.
To activate the Convert Vertex tool when the Pen tool is selected, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS).
Adjust the tension of a RotoBezier mask
1
If you want to adjust the tension of more than one vertex simultaneously, then select them.
2
Using the Convert Vertex tool
, drag a vertex.
To activate the Convert Vertex tool when the Pen tool is selected, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS).
The Adjust Tension pointer
appears as you drag a vertex of the RotoBezier mask.
Clicking a vertex instead of dragging sets the vertex to a corner point (100% tension); clicking again sets the vertex to
a smooth point (33% tension). Dragging up or to the right decreases the tension of the selection, increasing the curve
of adjacent path segments; dragging down or to the left increases the tension of the selection, decreasing the curve of
adjacent path segments.