Adding custom shapes in After Effects is a fundamental process for motion graphics and animation. You can create shapes using the built-in shape tools or by drawing freeform paths.
Creating Shapes Using Shape Tools
After Effects provides several shape tools to create basic geometric forms quickly. These include the Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse, Polygon, and Star tools.
Here's how to use them:
- Locate the Shape Tools: Find the shape tool icons in the Tools panel at the top of the After Effects interface. They often look like a square or rectangle. Click and hold on the visible shape tool icon to reveal the other options (Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse, etc.).
- Select Your Tool: Choose the specific shape tool you want to use (e.g., Rectangle, Ellipse).
- Draw in the Composition Panel:
- To create a new shape on a new shape layer: With no layer selected in the Timeline panel, drag with a shape tool in the Composition panel. This automatically generates a new shape layer containing your drawn shape.
- To add a new shape to an existing shape layer: Drag with a shape tool on a selected shape layer in the Composition panel. This adds the new shape as a content group within that selected shape layer in the Timeline panel.
- Tip: Hold the Shift key while dragging to constrain the shape's proportions (e.g., a perfect square or circle). Hold the Spacebar while dragging to reposition the shape before finalizing it.
Creating Custom Shapes Using the Pen Tool
For shapes that are not basic geometric forms – truly custom or freeform shapes – you use the Pen tool. The Pen tool allows you to draw vector paths with straight lines or curves.
Here's the process:
- Select the Pen Tool: Choose the Pen tool from the Tools panel (it looks like a classic fountain pen nib).
- Draw Your Path: Click in the Composition panel to create points (vertices).
- Clicking creates straight line segments between points.
- Clicking and dragging creates points with direction handles, allowing you to create curves.
- Close the Path (Optional): To create a closed shape, click on the initial point you created. If you leave the path open, you can use it as a mask or a stroke.
- Shape Layer Creation: Similar to the shape tools, if you draw with the Pen tool with no layer selected, it will create a new shape layer containing your path. If you draw with a shape layer selected, the path will be added as a "Path" content group on that layer.
- Tip: After drawing, you can use the Selection tool or Direct Selection tool to modify points and segments of your shape's path.
By mastering both the shape tools and the Pen tool, you can create virtually any shape needed for your After Effects projects.
