To copy a gradient from one object or layer to another in After Effects, the most common method involves copying the entire layer and then pasting its attributes onto the desired target layer. This process effectively transfers the gradient fill or stroke property, along with other applied attributes.
One straightforward technique, as outlined in the provided reference, is:
Copying a Gradient Using Paste Attributes
This method allows you to transfer the properties of an object, including its gradient fill or stroke, to a different object or layer within your After Effects composition.
Here are the steps:
- Select the Source Object: Go to the layer in your timeline that contains the gradient you want to copy. This is typically a Shape Layer with a gradient fill or stroke applied, or potentially a Text Layer.
- Copy the Object: With the source layer selected, press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Cmd+C (macOS). This copies the entire layer and all its properties to the clipboard.
- Select the Target Object: Select the layer in your timeline onto which you want to paste the gradient.
- Paste Attributes: Instead of a standard paste, use the "Paste Attributes" command by pressing Shift+Ctrl+A (Windows) or Shift+Cmd+A (macOS).
What Pasting Attributes Does
Using Shift+Ctrl+A (Paste Attributes) is crucial because it specifically transfers the animatable properties and effects from the copied layer onto the selected target layer, rather than duplicating the entire layer. This includes properties like:
- Transform properties (Position, Scale, Rotation, Opacity, etc.)
- Applied Effects (like Gradient Ramp, or fill/stroke properties if the gradient is applied this way)
- Masks
- Other layer properties
When the source layer is a Shape Layer with a gradient fill or stroke defined directly within the shape properties, pasting attributes will transfer these fill/stroke properties, effectively copying the gradient appearance and settings.
This method is particularly useful for quickly applying the same visual style, including complex gradients, across multiple shape layers or text layers without manually recreating the gradient each time.
Remember that this technique copies all attributes. If you only want the gradient and none of the other effects or transformations, you might need to delete the unwanted properties from the target layer after pasting.
