Each shape within a Shape Layer’s Contents tab had its own Transform properties – which work independently from the Layer’s Transform properties. This means you can set a property for the entire layer and another property only for its content.
Here’s a concrete example to make this a bit less abstract. We’ll create a Shape Layer, with two shapes (a rectangle and a star). The entire layer will move from top to bottom, but the star will rotate clockwise and go from 5 to 10 branches, while the rectangle will rotate counter-clockwise and become rounder).
You can watch the finished example below and download the .aep file here:
We’ll start by creating a new composition
- Go to Composition > New Composition… (or Command + N)
- Name: ShapeProperties
- Preset dropdown: HDTV 1080 29.97
- Duration: 0;00;05;00
- Set the background color by clicking on the color swatch at the bottom of the Window
Now let’s add a shape:
- Activate the Rectangle tool (within the Shape tool), and set its Fill, Stroke and Stroke Weight
- Make sure the “Bezier Path” checkbox is off (otherwise we won’t be able to change the rectangle’s properties down the line (i.e: roundness)
- Click and drag on the Composition to create a rectangle
- Notice the new Shape Layer in the Timeline as well as the “Rectangle 1” in its Contents tab
- Make sure the name of the Shape Layer you just created is highlighted, activate the Star tool (also within the Shape tool), and set its Fill, Stroke and Stroke Weight. Make sure the “Bezier Path” checkbox is off.
- Click and drag on the Composition to create a star
- Notice a “Polystar 1” was added to the Contents tab, above “Rectangle 1”
- Position both shapes with the Selection tool (V). You can move the entire layer or double click on the individual shapes to move them independently).
- Set the Time Indicator to 0;00;00;00
- Toggle the “Transform” menu that controls the entire layer, and click the Stop Watch of the Position property to set the initial Keyframe.
- Set the Time Indicator to when you want the layer to reach its final position (i.e: 0;00;04;00)
- Move the layer along the y axis (with the Selection tool or by changing the second number of the Position property.
- Preview the animation by pressing the Spacebar. You’ll notice that the entire Layer (both shapes in its Contents tab) move along the Y axis
- Let’s go back to the beginning of the animation (0;00;00;00) and rotate the Star clockwise:
- Toggle the star’s Transform menu (“Transform: Polystar 1”)
- Click on the Stop Watch next to the Rotation property to set the first Keyframe
- Go to the end of the animation (0;00;04;00) and Enter how many full rotations+degrees you want the shape to turn between the two Keyframes (i.e: note that a negative value will move counter-clockwise, while positive values will move clockwise)
- Preview the animation by pressing the Spacebar. You’ll notice that the rotation has only been applied to the Star
- Follow the same process to rotate the Rectangle counter-clockwise (set two Keyframes for its inner Rotation property. Just make sure you use negative values).
- Next, well change the number of branches for the Star:
- Go back to the beginning of the animation (0;00;00;00)
- Toggle the star’s Path menu (“Polystar Path 1”)
- Click on the Stop Watch next to the Points property to set the first Keyframe (by default, the Star should have 5 branches, but you can also change the initial value at this point)
- Go to the end of the animation (0;00;04;00)
- Change the value of the Points property to your desired number of branches (i.e: 10)
- Preview the animation by pressing the Spacebar. The star should gradually go from 5 to 10 branches over the course of the animation
- Finally, we’ll round our Rectangle:
- Go back to the beginning of the animation (0;00;00;00)
- Toggle the Rectangle’s Path menu (“Rectangle Path 1”). Notice that there is no Points property for the Rectangle since it has no “branches”.
- Click on the Stop Watch next to the Roundness property to set the first Keyframe (by default, a Rectangle is not round at all – the value should be 0.0)
- Go to the end of the animation (0;00;04;00)
- Change the value of the Roundness property to your desired value (i.e: 100 = completely round)
- Preview the animation by pressing the Spacebar. The rectangle should gradually change into a circle.
It is also possible to edit a shape’s Path. In this next step, we’ll morph a rectangle into a triangle by adding and transforming individual Vertex points.
- Make sure the existing Shape Layer is not active (otherwise, the new shape will be created within it)
- Set the Time Indicator to 0;00;00;00
- Activate the Rectangle tool (within the Shape tool), set its Fill, Stroke and Stroke Weight, and, this time, check the Bezier Path box. This means your rectangle will be created as an editable Bezier Path rather than a Parametric Shape (a set shape type)
- Click and drag on the Composition to create your rectangle (somewhere just above the Composition)
- Rename the new Shape Layer (i.e: Peak)
- On your new layer, toggle Contents > Rectangle 1 > Path 1 and click on the Stop Watch icon to the left of the Path property to set your first Keyframe
- Set the Time Indicator to where you’d like the next stage of the Path’s transformation to happen (0;00;01;00)
- Click once on the Path 1 tab so that it’s the only thing selected in the Timeline window
- Activate the Selection tool (V)
- Select both bottom points and move them downwards (expanding the rectangle onto the Composition). Notice that a new Keyframe was automatically created.
Next, we’ll morph the rectangle into a peak:
- Set the Time Indicator to where you’d like the next stage of the Path’s transformation to happen (0;00;04;00)
- Activate the Add Vertex tool (within the Pen tool)
- Click in the center of the rectangle’s bottom path to add a point
- Activate the Selection tool and drag the new point down to create a peak (you could also drag the two side points to align them with the edges of the Composition)
