Adobe AFTER EFFECTS 7.0 - Changing the Shape of a Mask; Modifying Masks; To Adjust the Shape of a Path Segment; To Move, Add, or Delete a Vertex

ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS 7.0
User Guide
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5 To close the free-transform bounding box, double-click anywhere in the Composition or Layer panel.
Modifying masks
Changing the shape of a mask
IntheLayerorCompositionpanel,youcanfreelychangetheshapeofamask.Youcanmove,delete,oraddvertices
to reshape a mask; create a flexible outline to accommodate any shape; and even change a mask shape over time.
Some changes require the use of tools grouped with the Pen tool in the Tools panel. To reveal these tools, click and
hold the Pen tool in the Tools panel. When modifying a mask, make sure that you click only existing vertices or
segments; otherwise, you may create a new mask instead.
To move, add, or delete a vertex
❖ Do one of the following:
• To move a vertex, drag the vertex with the Selection tool .
You can temporarily switch from the Pen tool to the Selection tool by pressing 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.
To adjust the shape of 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.
Note: Dragging a curved segment on a RotoBezier mask also moves the vertices.
To toggle a vertex between a smooth point and a sharp corner point
❖ Click the vertex with the Convert Vertex tool .
Note: To select the Convert Vertex tool, with the Pen tool selected, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS). Alter-
natively, in the Tools panel, select the Convert Vertex tool. If the Convert Vertex tool is not visible, click and hold one of
the visible Pen tool icons and choose the Convert Vertex tool from the menu.
To adjust the tension of a RotoBezier mask
1
If you want to adjust the tension of more than one vertex simultaneously, select them.
2 Do any of the following:
• Using the Convert Vertex tool , drag a vertex.
• Using the Pen tool , Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) a selected vertex.
• Using the Selection tool , Ctrl+Alt-drag (Windows) or Command+Option-drag (Mac OS) a selected vertex.
The Adjust Tension pointer appears as you drag a vertex in the RotoBezier mask.