Adobe AFTER EFFECTS 5.5 Help Manual page 157

Adobe After Effects Help
Using Help | Contents
Mask feathering takes place only within the dimensions of the layer frame area. Therefore,
a feathered mask shape should always be slightly smaller than the layer area. If a mask
feather extends beyond the layer area, the feathered edge ends abruptly.
You can adjust the feathering of a layer's mask by specifying precise values or by dragging
in the Timeline window.
To adjust feathering by specifying precise values:
1 Select the mask that you want to adjust.
2 Expand the desired layer and its Mask Properties, right-click (Windows) or control-click
(Mac OS) the underlined value for Mask Feather, and choose Edit Value.
3 Specify amounts for horizontal and vertical feathering (or type one value and select
Lock to make both values the same) and click OK.
To adjust feathering in the Timeline window:
1 Expand the desired layer and its Mask properties.
2 Drag the underlined value for Mask Feather.
Note: When you adjust feathering by dragging the single underlined value in the Timeline
window, you change both the horizontal and vertical feathering. To have the Timeline
display both the horizontal and vertical values, first type different values for horizontal
and vertical feathered edges using the above method for adjusting precise values.
Adjusting the edges of a mask
To finely expand or contract all the edges of a mask, use the Mask Expansion property. This
property value represents, in pixels, how far from the original mask edge you are
expanding or contracting the adjusted edge.
To adjust the edges of the mask using Mask Expansion:
1 In the Timeline window, expand the Mask properties of the layer you want to adjust.
2 Drag the underlined value for Mask Expansion.
Adjusting the opacity of a mask
Masks have an opacity property that you can use to adjust the transparency of any mask,
or even to turn masks on and off temporarily.
To adjust the opacity of a mask:
1 In the Timeline window, expand the mask properties of the mask you want to adjust.
2 Drag the underlined value for Mask Opacity.
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Working with Masks and Transparency
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