How to make a selection ?

[Darby Edelen]

There are several ways to use the black and white image as an alpha for the solid.

The most common are probably a Luma Track Matte or the Channel > Set Matte effect.

Information on track mattes is available here:

https://help.adobe.com/en_US/AfterEffects/9.0/WS3878526689cb91655866c1103906c6dea-7cf9a.html

Less common would be the Stencil Luma or Silhouette Luma blend modes, as these affect every layer below the stenciled/silhouetted layer.

Darby Edelen

[Bernhard Rieder]

thank you for the info, I really appreciate that.

it wasn’t really the answer I was looking for.
I was looking for a simple selection solution.

I’ve explored and know already how I can use the track mattes, but I wanted to do somethign much more easier.

In Photoshop, you can simple select an Alpha Layer, or also a Channel and his saved Alpha inside.

Simple Click the Layer, or the Channel while pressing down the ALT button. Done… you get a selection, so you can cut out things.

This is my question – how can I make such a simple selection in AE ?

thx for your help

[Darby Edelen]

[Bernhard Rieder] “This is my question – how can I make such a simple selection in AE ?”

There is nothing in AE that works quite the same way as a selection in PS. However, a selection in PS can essentially be thought of as an alpha channel (as you noted in your previous post). So pretty much anything you can think of doing with a selection in PS can be done with some kind of a matte or masks in AE (which you use depends on your needs).

It’s all a matter of thinking about things in a different way. If you tell me what you’re trying to accomplish with a selection, I’m sure I can provide you a solution in AE.

Darby Edelen