Selecting And Arranging Layers - Adobe AFTER EFFECTS CS3 PROFESSIONAL User Manual

Because effects on adjustment layers apply to all layers beneath them, they are useful for applying effects to many
layers at once. In all other respects, an adjustment layer behaves exactly like other layers; for example, you can use
keyframes or expressions with any adjustment layer property.
Note: If you want to apply an effect or transformation to a collection of layers, you can precompose the layers and then
apply the effect or transformation to the precomposition layer. (See "Precompose layers" on page 118.)
Use masks on an adjustment layer to apply an effect to only parts of the underlying layers. You can animate masks to
follow moving subjects in the underlying layers.
• To create a new adjustment layer, choose Layer > New > Adjustment Layer.
• To convert selected layers to adjustment layers, select the Adjustment Layer switch
Timeline panel or choose Layer > Switches > Adjustment Layer.
Note: You can deselect the Adjustment Layer switch for a layer to convert it to a normal layer.
See also
"Apply an effect or animation preset" on page 350
"Creating and importing masks" on page 254
Create a layer and new Photoshop footage item
When you create a new Adobe Photoshop file from After Effects, Photoshop starts and creates a new PSD file. This
PSD file consists of a blank Photoshop layer that has the same dimensions as your composition, with the appropriate
title-safe and action-safe guides. The color bit depth of the PSD file is the same as that of your After Effects project.
The newly created PSD file is automatically imported into After Effects as a footage item. Any changes that you save
in Photoshop appear in the footage item in After Effects.
• To create a new Photoshop footage item and use it as the source for a new layer in the current composition, choose
Layer > New > Adobe Photoshop File. The Photoshop layer is added as the top layer in your composition.
• To create a new Photoshop footage item with the settings of the most recently open composition, without adding
it to a composition, choose File > New > Adobe Photoshop File.
See also
"Working with footage items" on page 67
"Preparing and importing Photoshop files" on page 90
"Working with Photoshop and After Effects" on page 28

Selecting and arranging layers

Select layers
Selected layers that also have properties selected are indicated with a hollow highlight in the Timeline panel. A
selected layer that has no properties selected is indicated with a solid highlight.
AFTER EFFECTS CS3
User Guide
for the layers in the
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