User Guide

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ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS 5.0
User Guide
After you click OK in the dialog box, the stroke paths immediately reflect the smoothing
in the Composition window.
Important: Smoothing cannot be undone. Removing these points may alter the shape of the
path. If you want to preview the results before you commit, create a duplicate of the layer and
apply Smoothing to test the result. If these are satisfactory, then apply the command to the
original layer.
Selecting Composite Paint options
Various options control the way Vector Paint composites strokes on a layer. Select the
option you want in the Effect Controls window for a layer, in the Composite Paint pop-up
menu under Vector Paint. These options control two things: what you see in the Compo-
sition window as you work and what aspects of the layer the strokes affect, including what
happens when you preview and render the composition.
As you paint and erase, you can either hide or display the footage image. You have similar
viewing options when you paint using matte and alpha-channel options.
As you work, painting and erasing can block pixels in an original image, such as a footage
file or solid. You can also paint on a virtual layer above or below that image (although this
does not appear as a separate layer in the Timeline window). You can paint and erase to
adjust mattes and alpha channels for the original image. You can restrict Vector Paint
strokes to the areas inside or outside the original alpha channel.
Each Composite Paint option specifies a unique combination of work view, layer type
(image, matte, or alpha channel), and placement of strokes relative to the original image.
You can select strokes later and change the Composite Paint option, but it is a good idea
to understand what results each option produces before you start painting.
UG.book Page 427 Wednesday, February 21, 2001 12:05 PM