5.5

130Motion User Guide
Add a drop shadow to a layer in Motion
Selecting the Drop Shadow tool enables canvas controls to create a drop shadow and
modify its blur, angle, and distance from a layer.
Note: The Drop Shadow onscreen controls are not available for layers within a 360°
environment.
A drop shadow, by default, is a dark, translucent, offset shape that falls behind a layer, as
if a light were shining on the layer. Drop shadows are the same size as the layer to which
they’re applied, although blurring a drop shadow might enlarge it somewhat. Drop shadows
create the illusion of depth, so the foreground layer seems to pop out at the viewer. For
this reason, drop shadows are frequently used to create the impression of space between
two overlapping layers.
Add and adjust a drop shadow in the canvas
1. In Motion, select a layer in the Layers list or canvas.
A bounding box appears around the selected layer in the canvas.
2. In the canvas toolbar, click and hold the transform tools pop-up menu, then choose
Drop Shadow.
In the canvas, a drop shadow bounding box appears around the selected layer. By
default, the drop shadow is hidden behind the layer.