User Guide

Using Help | Contents | Index Back 212

Adobe After Effects Help Applying Effects

Using Help | Contents | Index Back 212

4 Use the Iterations slider to specify how many times After Effects repeats the spread-

and-choke sequence. You may need to try a few different settings so that the sequence is

repeated as many times as necessary to close any unwanted holes.

Paint effects (PB only)

For information on using the Paint effect, see “About Vector Paint (PB only)” on page 333.

Perspective effects

Use these effects to adjust an image’s position in an imaginary 3D space, add depth, or

create an adjustable z axis.

Basic 3D

This effect manipulates a layer in an imaginary 3D space. You can rotate your image

around horizontal and vertical axes and move it toward or away from you. With Basic 3D,

you can also create a specular highlight to give the effect of light reﬂecting off a rotated

surface. The light source for the specular highlight is always above, behind, and to the left

of the viewer. Because the light comes from above, the image must be tilted backwards to

see this reﬂection. This can enhance the realism of the 3D appearance. The specular

highlight can be viewed only at Best quality.

Note: You can now use the 3D layer features instead of this effect to create 3D effects. See

“Working with 3D layers” on page 229.

For more information, see the After Effects product section on Adobe’s Web site.

Bevel Alpha

This effect gives a chiseled and lighted appearance to the alpha boundaries of an image,

often giving 2D elements a 3D appearance. (If the layer’s alpha channel is completely

opaque, the effect is applied to the bounding box of the layer.) The edge created in this

effect is somewhat softer than that of the Bevel Edges effect. This effect works especially

well for elements with text in the alpha channel.

Bevel Edges

This effect gives a chiseled and lighted 3D appearance to the edges of an image. Edge

locations are determined by the alpha channel of the source image. Unlike Bevel Alpha,

the edges created in this effect are always rectangular, so images with nonrectangular

alpha channels do not produce the proper appearance. All edges have the same thickness.

Best quality calculates the thickness of the chiseled area; the edge thickness is interpo-

lated with smooth visual results.