How To Create Shape Layer Masks in After Effects

https://youtu.be/QP30KuJHlqw

Adobe After Effects CC 2024: How To Create Shape Layer Masks

**Description:
**This tutorial will show you how to create Masks on Shape Layers in Adobe After Effects CC 2024 using the Tool Creates Mask option in the Toolbar.

**Problem This Tutorial Solves:
**
When selecting a Shape Layer to create a Mask, after selecting one of the the Shape Tools or Pen Tool, the default behavior is to create a new Shape on the same Shape Layer and not a Mask.

The Fix:

Click on the ’Tool Creates Mask’ to change from Shape to Mask Mode.

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro: About The Tutorial
00:13 How To Create Masks in AE
00:44 How To Create Shapes in AE
01:23 How To Create Masks on Shape Layers
01:49 Fix: Tool Creates Mask
02:36 Recap: Tool Creates Masks

**Software Used:
**Adobe After Effects CC 2024 (Click To Try or Buy)

How To Create a Mask in After Effects (typically):

1. Select Layer to create a mask on
2. Select one of the Shape Tools or Pen Tool
3. Click and drag out Mask
4. Press Shift Key for ‘perfect mask shape’
5. Press Spacebar to reposition while dragging out Mask

How To Create Shapes in After Effects (typically):

1. Deselect all Layers (F2)
2. Select one of the Shape Tools or Pen Tool
3. Select Fill and/or Stroke Color
4. Click and drag out Shape
5. Press Shift Key for ‘perfect shape’
6. Press Spacebar to reposition while dragging out Shape

How To Create Mask on Shape Layers (Tool Creates Mask):

1. Select Shape Layer to create a mask on
2. Select one of the Shape Tools or Pen Tool
3. Click the icon next to the ’star’ in the top toolbar (Tool Creates Mask)
4. Click and drag out Mask
5. Press Shift Key for ‘perfect mask shape’
6. Press Spacebar to reposition while dragging out Mask