Home > Masking, Effects & Shapes

Kyle Hamrick

Motion | Creative & Technical Direction

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Masking, Effects & Shapes

Use masking, blending modes and effects to stylize existing elements or create new ones from scratch. Learn to leverage shape layers, similar to working in Illustrator, to create animations with flexible and versatile shapes.

This summary is AI generated

Learning Outcomes:

  • Explore After Effects as a design tool
  • Utilize compositing options for complex looks
  • Animate layers and effects non-destructively

Level: Beginner

Skills you'll gain:

After Effects, Animation, Compositing, Design

Key Insights

  • Use masks to control layer visibility and effects.
  • Effects order impacts final visual output.
  • Adjustment layers apply effects to all layers below.
  • Track mats allow for independent layer visibility.
  • Shape layers provide procedural design flexibility.
  • Text layers can be animated using range selectors.
  • Convert text to shape layers for advanced animation.
  • Explore various effects to create unique visuals.
  • Utilize the repeater for efficient shape duplication.
  • Experiment with blending modes for creative results.