• Adobe After Effects

  How can I attach a layer to a motion path/mask made by pen tool?

  Posted by Errol Lazare on January 20, 2008 at 11:30 pm

  Hello,

  I use motion3 and after effects and notice that in motion3 it is very easy to create a path using the shape tool and then run an object/layer along that path. It also allows us to snap the alignment to the path so the layer rotates to keep itself hugged to the path as it curves

  My question: Is there any way to do both of these things in after effects where you can create a custom path using the pen to to create a mask and have the object follow that path. Please let me know if you know the answer!
  Thanks you!
  Errol

  Errol Lazare replied 18 years, 7 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Darby Edelen

  January 21, 2008 at 12:49 am

  There are a few options for creating your motion path:

  1. Create two position keyframes anywhere, then use the pen tool to alter them in the composition window with the position property selected (it works just like creating a mask after you have your first 2 keyframes, bezier handles and all).

  2. Create a mask with the pen tool. Create a keyframe on the Mask Shape property. Copy this keyframe and paste it into a layer’s position property, it will default to a 1 second long animation using roving keyframes.

  As for orienting the layer along the path, right click the layer and go to Transform > Auto-Orient > Orient Along Path. You can still adjust the angle that it travels along the path with by changing the Rotation property.

  Darby Edelen
  Designer
  Left Coast Digital
  Santa Cruz, CA
• 

  Errol Lazare

  January 21, 2008 at 3:45 am

  Ah! Thanks Darby! It makes sense now.
  Thanks for the help.
  Errol

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