Refine shape layer animations with precision by aligning and pre-composing elements for easier control in After Effects. Learn how to isolate and convert bar graph components into editable shape layers, making animation and organization more efficient.
Key Insights
- Pre-composing individual graphic elements using the "Leave All Attributes" option allows for more manageable composition sizes that match the artwork, simplifying zoom and alignment tasks.
- Converting vector layers to shape layers enables precise editing and animation; in this case, simplifying six bar graphs down to one reusable shape for streamlined animation.
- Using the pan behind tool with the Command/Ctrl double-click shortcut centers the anchor point within a layer, providing better control during transformation and animation—an essential step when prepping elements.
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So in this lesson, we're in the shape animation HUD project. I'm simply going from my last file where I'd made the world map and the animated line bundle. This time I want to work with that one right there.
So I'm going to zoom in on that a little bit and I'm going to notice that I didn't actually line up the bottom of this very well. So I'll grab the bottom two layers. I'll just use the align panel up here to align them.
That should, no, that did not fix the problem. So it looks like they simply are not actually fully settled. I can't see their border.
So I'll turn on the option to toggle mask and shapes. There they are. Okay.
So that didn't work cause they're actually not the right size. So I'm just going to manually move them around. I'm using my arrow keys to nudge them.
And again, my goal is just to fill up the entire black space right there. If the layers were too small, I could just scale them up a little bit, of course. So that that's what I want.
Now, which layer is that? I'm not sure. So I'm going to right click on it and from the menu that appears select, and let's see if the names help graph bar graphs. Yes, in fact it does right there.
I can see it. That's what I want. So I'm gonna take this layer, turn it into a pre-comp again, right click pre-compose, or you can use the keyboard shortcut.
Again, I'm going to leave all attributes. One of the things this is going to do is make a new comp that is the size of that small graphic. I find it a little easier to work with than making one that is the size of the entire gigantic composition, the parent comp.
So leave all attributes, whatever the size of your layer, that's the size of the new comp move, all attributes, the size of your parent layer. In case it's a giant square here is what are we based on either one will work. And sometimes it doesn't matter what you use, but in this case, I definitely care.
So I'm just going to call this graph bar graphs comp. You can call it whatever you want. No problem at all.
I'll say, okay, again, I want to tap tab on my keyboard and I'm going to go to the bar graphs comp right there. One of the reasons I like making the comp the same size as the artwork is so that when I use commands like fit up to, it's easier to find the graphics. I can also manually zoom in.
I'm going to use the period key to zoom in a little bit. Okay. So what do we got? We got six bar graphs here.
They're supposed to animate with this. The bar is supposed to move up and down. I think according to the animation, that makes sense going down.
So I think the best way to do this is simply turn this into a shape layer, delete the extra five and leave only one of these and animate that. I think that's the best way. So I'm just going to convert this, right click, create, create, shape, and vector layer.
It hides the original automatically. Then all I got to really do is figure out which one is the first one. It looks like it's being made from back to front.
So I believe if I go down 16, yeah, 16 17 and 18 are the left most shape. So I'm just going to highlight groups 15 up. So down shift, delete, they go away.
Okay. That works out pretty well. I want to put the comps error.
I want to put the layers anchor point right in the middle of the layer content. I think it's easier to line up that way. So I'm going to use the pan behind tool to do that.
And I'm going to do it like this, holding down command or control and double clicking on the tool. We'll center that in the layers content. You can also just right click on the layer transform.
It's actually right there. Center anchor point and layer content. That's a keyboard shortcut too, but it's pretty complex.
So I'm just going to rename this, call it bar one. And now I've got what I need this way. I don't need to actually redraw this or anything.
It's just right here. Again, keep in mind that conversion is not always your best bet, but in this case, it worked out pretty well. So I like that.
That's good. Now let's see what we got. I've got group 16.
That is the bar. So if I double click on that to reveal it on my keyboard, enter or return, I'll call that bar. Return finalizes the name change.
I'll find group 17. This is the inner line or the inner box. Again, I'll rename that inner box and group 18.
That means double click return or enter outer box. You can call it whatever you want, by the way, is what I'm calling it. That works out pretty well.
I like that. Now I can see it. This is the one that I want to work with.
