Looking for a great polygon background texture for your design? Then you’re going to love this collection of free and premium geometric and poly background textures.

• Polygon Abstract Background After Effects Images

Low poly and geometric backgrounds are now turning out to be one of the most popular trends in design this year. They’re being used for both website and graphic designs to give the designs a retro and a pop-art look. Suffice to say, these textures do add an attractive, modern look to any project.

We’ve handpicked a few great free and premium poly and geometric textures you can use with your next project!

55+ Colorful Polygon Backgrounds

This technique will lead to a more realistic scene that is more visually captivating. This After Effects tutorial from School of Motion explains how to create a squash and stretch effect in After Effects. Animated Polygon. If you do a lot of motion design, there ‘s a good chance that you create badges on a regular basis. Jan 16, 2017  Check out my latest upload here! Learn how to create an awesome modern low-poly background effect in Adobe After Effects CC 2017 using the plug-in Trapcode Mir. Abstract polygonal background, seamless looping 3d animation, full HD 1080 HD Stock Footage Clip.

Why settle for one or ten backgrounds when you can get more than 50 backgrounds in one bundle. All the backgrounds in this pack feature stylish polygon texture designs.

The polygon backgrounds are available in 4000 x 2500 resolution and in JPG file format.

Why This Is A Top Pick

Since this all-in-one bundle comes with 56 different styles of polygon backgrounds, you’ll be able to use them to design backgrounds for everything from websites to mobile apps, posters, flyers, and much more.

Modern Abstract Polygon Backgrounds

A bundle of creative abstract polygon backgrounds featuring colorful designs. It includes 6 unique backgrounds with modern polygonal patterns and they are available in 6000 x 4000 resolution JPG files.

24 Creative Polygon Backgrounds

This pack comes with 24 stylish polygon backgrounds that feature creative textures and patterns. They are perfect for designing backgrounds for websites, apps, presentations, and much more.

Abstract Geometric Memphis Background

This unique geometric background features a design inspired by the Memphis design trend. It has a colorful and minimalist design that makes it suitable for website backgrounds, social media designs, business cards, and more. The background is available in JPG, PNG, and customizable AI and EPS file formats.

Spiked Polygon Backgrounds

A set of unique abstract backgrounds featuring spiked polygon shapes. This collection includes 10 different backgrounds with stylish polygon designs. The backgrounds are available in 5000 x 3333 resolution JPG files.

Dark Geometric Backgrounds

This collection comes with a set of geometric backgrounds featuring a dark color theme. It includes 8 unique backgrounds with stylish designs and they are available in 7 different color variations as well.

Clean Polygon Abstract Backgrounds

The backgrounds in this pack are ideal for creating websites and using with landing pages. This bundle includes 10 minimal and clean backgrounds that feature stylish polygon shapes. The backgrounds are available in 2560 x 1440 resolution.

10 Free Geometric Backgrounds

This creative and free geometric backgrounds pack includes various styles of backgrounds featuring both geometric and polygon textures.

The bundle includes 10 different backgrounds featuring colorful textures you can use to make backgrounds with creative patterns.

All of the backgrounds in this pack are available in multiple formats, including AI, PSD, EPS, and JPG. This will allow you to easily resize and edit the backgrounds to your preference without affecting the quality.

8 Free Seamless Geometric Patterns

This bundle of backgrounds includes subtle geometric patterns that are ideal for designing minimalist backgrounds for websites and apps as well as other creative projects.

• Price: Free

3 Free 8K Geometric Backgrounds

Another set of free geometric backgrounds. The backgrounds in this pack come in 8K resolution, allowing you to use the backgrounds in both print and digital designs.

• Price: Free

Geometric Colors Backgrounds

Featuring lots of bright and vibrant colors, these geometric backgrounds are perfect for creating designs for instantly grabbing the attention of your audience. It includes 10 unique backgrounds in 4K resolution.

Colorful Polygon Abstract Backgrounds V12

Another bundle of abstract backgrounds featuring polygon design. This collection includes 10 stylish backgrounds you can use to design website headers, app backgrounds, social media covers, and much more.

3D Polygon Backgrounds

This is a collection of modern backgrounds that feature 3D generated polygon shapes. These will fit in perfectly with your technology and startup related website backgrounds as well as futuristic poster and flyer designs.

24 Polygonal Backgrounds

Add more color to your design projects using these attractive backgrounds. It comes with 24 backgrounds featuring polygon textures and lots of colorful designs. The backgrounds are available in 4000 x 2500 resolution.

Black and Gold Polygon Patterns

This bundle of polygon textures is quite different from the rest. It comes with 44 PNG files with transparent backgrounds featuring various styles of polygon shapes. You can use these shapes to create your own unique abstract backgrounds. As a bonus, it includes 12 seamless pattern textures in JPG format as well.

12 Free Gold Polygon Backgrounds

A set of unique polygon backgrounds featuring dark and gold designs. These are ideal for creating backgrounds for luxury, fashion, and high-end brand designs.

• Price: Free

60 Free Low Poly Background

A collection of more than 60 different low poly backgrounds. This pack includes backgrounds in various colors and patterns. You can use them for free with personal and commercial projects.

• Price: Free

Abstract Linear Geometric Backgrounds

This is a pack of 10 beautiful abstract backgrounds with colorful geometric shapes. The attractive design of the graphics makes it perfect to be used as a background for an app landing page, video game website, and also for websites related to kids.

Abstract Flat Geometric Lightning Backgrounds

This unique background pack includes 10 different abstract graphics that feature cosmic-like designs with colorful lightning bolts. The graphics are available in 5000 X 3333 resolution JPG files.

Diamonds – Low Poly Refraction Backgrounds

The perfect background graphic for a luxury brand or a store website. This low poly backgrounds pack comes with 10 stunning graphics with a unique refraction design with diamond-like shapes to add more style to your website background.

ZigZag – Geometric Wavy Backgrounds

A bundle of 30 background textures featuring geometric wavy designs. The pack includes 6 unique backgrounds, each with 5 different color variations. Ideal for creating everything from website backgrounds to social media covers and more.

Abstract Geometric Shapes Backgrounds

This pack of geometric backgrounds comes with 10 unique graphics you can use for your website backgrounds that feature various geometric shapes. These backgrounds are perfect for creating eye-catching website headers.

Vintage Polygon Backgrounds

The backgrounds in this pack feature polygon designs with a vintage touch. The bundle includes 10 different backgrounds in 3000 X 2000 resolution PNG files. These will fit in nicely with you retro styled minimalist website designs.

Free Minimal Polygonal Texture

This is a free minimal polygonal texture you can use to craft your own pattern or background. It’s available in 2000 x 1500 resolution.

• Price: Free

Free Geometric Background

A subtle geometric background featuring a wavy pattern. This free background is available in EPS vector file format.

• Price: Free

Realistic Polygon Backgrounds

The polygon shapes in this backgrounds pack come with a realistic 3D-like design. The backgrounds are available in different colors and with different shapes to let you pick just the right background for your project.

Polygonal Splash Backgrounds

If you’re working on a video game or an entertainment-related website, this background pack has 10 great backgrounds with splash graphics that will fit in nicely with your website project.

10 Grungy Polygonal Backgrounds

This pack of polygon backgrounds features 10 graphics you can use for various projects. The backgrounds also feature a retro style grungy design. Which makes them more suitable for websites with vintage designs.

Triangulated – 200+ Abstract Backgrounds

This is a massive pack of abstract backgrounds with triangulated designs. The pack features over 200 backgrounds with various designs you can use for your website, social media, app designs, and even print projects.

Outline Polygon Connected Dots Backgrounds

The graphics in this pack are simply perfect for creating a background or a header for a modern website. The minimalist outlined design with connected dots gives these backgrounds an elegant look that will help highlight the text on your website.

Geometrical Backgrounds

A pack of geometrical backgrounds that also feature a slightly blurred effect. You can use these with your website designs, slideshows, social media covers, and much more. The pack includes 10 different backgrounds.

Polygon Abstract Backgrounds V2

This collection of polygon backgrounds feature a colorful design. The graphics were created using the Delaunay Triangulation technique. The pack includes 10 unique backgrounds.

3D Crystal White Triangle Backgrounds

The graphics in this backgrounds pack were generated using 3D designs. The attractive crystal white color use makes it even more stunning. This pack comes with 12 background images in 3K resolution.

The Speed of Light Backgrounds

The colorful backgrounds in this collection feature a design that will instantly attract anyone’s attention. This pack includes 10 unique graphics in 4500 X 3000 resolution JPG files.

Geometric Vector Textures

A heavy bundle of 40 beautiful geometric textures. The geometric shapes in this bundle are fully scalable and they can be used in any app you use, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and CorelDRAW. It also includes a PDF visual reference guide for instructions on how to use them as well.

Seamless Polygon Backgrounds Vol.2

This is a bundle of free polygon backgrounds featuring a seamless design. The pack includes 5 different textures and comes to you as a layered PSD file for easier editing.

Low Poly Landscapes Backgrounds

A collection of 20 unique low poly backgrounds. All backgrounds in this pack feature landscape designs. However, you’ll be able to edit them to use as textures as well.

Free Polygonal Low Poly Background Texture

A breathtakingly beautiful low poly background texture. You can download and use it for free with your web and print design projects.

Polygon Geometric Collection

This is a collection of fully editable and scalable geometric vectors that you can freely use to create your own unique backgrounds. The pack comes with 10 original geometric shapes.

5 High Definition Geometric Backgrounds

A set of 5 HD geometric background textures. They are all available for free in 2500 x 2500 px resolution. You can use the designs as website backgrounds, poster designs, and more.

Geometric Textured Backgrounds

These textured backgrounds are ideal for a modern and a minimal website design. This pack of geometric backgrounds includes 10 different backgrounds with 6 color variations.

Geometric Backgrounds Set

A pack of multicolor geometric background textures. This bundle features 5 unique textures. You can download and use these textures for free. However, you’ll have to include an attribution to its author.

Grunge Geometric Backgrounds

This pack of geometric backgrounds features a unique take on a grunge design. The bundle includes 7 original backgrounds and you’ll also be able to choose from 3 different color variations for each background as well.

20 Free High-Res Geometric Polygon Backgrounds

For a freebie, this bundle packs a lot of goodness. It includes 20 high-quality poly backgrounds you can use with website and graphic designs. They are available in 3000 x 2000px resolution at 300ppi.

Magic Poly Backgrounds

Another collection of poly backgrounds. You can use these for your website headers, presentations, print work, and more. This bundle includes 12 different professionally designed poly backgrounds.

4 Free High-Res Geometric Polygon Backgrounds

This set of free poly backgrounds features 4 unique textures. Despite being free, all the textures have been professionally crafted. The colorful mixed design of the textures will certainly help make your designs stand out.

Outline Geometric Polygonal Backgrounds

A collection of different poly backgrounds. This bundle includes 10 original geometric and poly backgrounds. The only downside is they are available in JPG, which means you’ll only have limited customization options. But, they come in 5000 x 3333 resolution, which is more than enough to fit any web or print design.

10 Polygon Background Banners

This is a collection of 10 different poly backgrounds, specially designed for banner and poster backgrounds. However, you’ll be able to customize them to use with website backgrounds as well. All free to download.

Geometric 117 Tileable Backgrounds

This big bundle of backgrounds includes over 100 geometric background textures. It includes 13 unique textures in 9 different color schemes. They will work well with many different types of designs.

7 Polygon Backgrounds

The poly backgrounds in this free bundle feature a design with a blurred effect. It includes 7 unique backgrounds with different colors and with the same blurred effect.

Polygon Backgrounds

A collection of stylish polygon backgrounds you can use with your web design, product designs, logos, headers, brochures, and more. This pack of textures includes 8 unique poly backgrounds.

10 Free Polygon Backgrounds

A set of 10 free poly background textures featuring a strong and a colorful design. These textures come to you in 4000 x 3000 resolution and are ideal for website headers, backgrounds, social media covers, print designs, and more.

Polygon Abstract BGs Lines Style

This bundle of poly backgrounds features 12 different textures with line-style designs. Each comes in 3000 x 2000 resolution and they will fit in nicely with both digital and print design projects.

25 Colorful Polygon Backgrounds

A collection of 25 premium-quality poly background for free. This bundle includes 25 unique backgrounds featuring different colors and styles. All textures comes to you in 1600px x 1600px resolution as well.

Black Space Polygon Backgrounds

A set of 12 poly backgrounds for using with modern graphic and website designs. This pack of textures features a space inspired dark design. Which makes them perfect for minimalist design projects.

50 Free Tessellated Designs

A yet another big collection of poly background textures. This pack includes 50 free poly background textures you can use for all kinds of design work. The designs are available in both Photoshop and Illustrator files, as well as 2560 x 1440 resolution PNG files as well.

100 Geometric Patterns

Why settle for just a couple of textures when you can get 100. This massive bundle of geometric patterns includes 100 pattern swatches, including stripes, lines, triangles, waves, zigzag, scale, grid, checker, and more patterns. Works with both Photoshop and Illustrator.

Finding the perfect background texture is a time-consuming task. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find a texture for your design from our list and save your valuable time.

Background Textures

Choosing the right background texture for your website or design project can be tricky. Our series teaches you how to work with and incorporate background textures, as well as where to find stunning graphics to work with.

Polygon Abstract Background After Effects Images

You can create one or more masks for each layer in acomposition using any of the following methods:

• Draw a path using the shape tools or Pen tool. Drawing a mask path is similar to drawing a shape path. (See Create a shape or mask by dragging with shape tools and Create a Bezier shape or mask using the Pen tool.)

• Specify the dimensions of the mask path numerically in the Mask Shape dialog box. (See Create a rectangular or elliptical mask numerically.)

• Convert a shape path to a mask path by copying the shape’s path to the Mask Path property.

• Convert a motion path to a mask path. (See Create a mask or shape from a motion path.)

• Trace color or alpha channel values to create a mask using the Auto-trace command. (See Create a mask from a channel with Auto-trace.)

• Paste a path copied from another layer or from Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or Fireworks. (See Copy a path from Illustrator, Photoshop, or Fireworks.)

• Convert a text layer to one or more editable masks on a solid-color layer by using the Create Masks From Text command. (See Create shapes or masks from text characters.)

• Use captured shapes to create motion graphics. (See Use captured shapes to create motion graphics.)

When you create masks on a layer, the mask names appear in the Timeline panel outline in the order in which you create the masks. To organize and keep track of your masks, rename them.

Note:

To rename a mask, select it and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS), or right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the mask name and choose Rename.

When creating additional masks for one layer in the Layer panel, make sure that the Target menu in the Layer panel is set to None; otherwise, you replace the targeted mask instead of creating a mask. You can also lock a mask to prevent changes to it.

When creating or editing masks, look in the Info panel for informationsuch as the mask name and the number of vertices in the mask.

Note:

To create a mask that you can move independently of the primary layer that it is masking, do the following:

1. Create the mask on a separate white solid layer, and use that solid layer as a track matte for the primary layer.
   
2. Use parenting to make the solid layer a child of the primary layer, so that the mask moves with the primary layer as if it were applied directly. Because the solid layer is a child layer, it can also be animated independently of its parent.
3. You can use motion tracking to make the solid layer (and therefore the mask) follow moving objects in the primary layer. (See Convert a layer into a track matte and Parent and child layers.)

Create a rectangular or ellipticalmask numerically

Select a layer in the Composition panel,or display a layer in the Layer panel.
Choose Layer > Mask > New Mask. A new mask appearsin the Composition or Layer panel with its handles at the outeredges of the frame.
Select Reset To, choose Rectangle or Ellipse from theShape menu, and specify the size and location of the bounding boxfor the mask.

Create a mask from channel valueswith Auto-trace

1. You can convert the alpha, red, green, blue, or luminance channel of a layer to one or more masks by using the Auto-trace command.
   
2. Auto-trace creates as many Bezier masks as necessary to outline the specified channel values in the layer.
   
3. It also creates masks with the smallest number of vertices possible while conforming to the settings that you choose.
   
4. You can modify a mask created with Auto-trace as you would any other mask, and you can link its path to other path types, such as shape paths on a shape layer, using expressions.

When you apply Auto-trace, affected layers are automatically set to Best Quality to ensure accurate results.

Note:

To reduce the number of masks createdby Auto-trace, apply a keying effect to the layer to isolate yoursubject before applying Auto-trace.

• To create mask keyframes at a single frame,drag the current-time indicator to the desired frame.

• To create mask keyframes across a range of frames,set a work area that spans that range.

Creates mask keyframes at only the current frame.

Creates mask keyframes for frames within the work area.

Inverts the input layer before searching for edges.

Blurs the original image before generating the tracing result.Select this option to reduce small artifacts and to smooth jaggededges in the tracing result. Deselect this option to closely tracedetails in a high-contrast image. Specify the radius, in pixels,of the area used for the blurring operation. Larger values result inmore blur.

How far, in pixels, the traced path is allowed to deviatefrom the contours of the channel.

Specifies, as a percentage, the value that a pixel’s channelmust have for that pixel to be considered part of an edge. Pixelswith channel values over the threshold are mapped to white and areopaque; pixels with values under the threshold are mapped to blackand are transparent.

Specifies the smallest feature in the original image that is traced. For example, a value of 4 removes features smaller than 2 pixels wide by 2 pixels high from the tracing result.

Specifies the roundness of the mask curve at vertices. Enter ahigher value for smoother curves.

Applies the mask to a new solid the same size as the selected layer. This control is automatically selected for layers that have Collapse Transformations enabled—it creates a layer the same size as the composition that contains the layer.

Select to preview the mask results and the results of thevarious options of the Auto-trace command.

You create a shape layer by drawing in the Composition panel with a shape tool or the Pen tool. You can then add shape attributes to existing shapes or create shapes within that shape layer. By default, if you draw in the Composition panel when a shape layer is selected, you create a shape within that shape layer, above the selected shapes or group of shapes. If you draw in the Composition panel using a shape tool or Pen tool when an image layer other than a shape layer is selected, you create a mask.

Note:

Before drawing in the Composition panel to create a shape layer, press F2 and deselect all layers.

You can create shapes and shape layers using any of the followingmethods:

• Draw a path using the shape tools or Pen tool. Drawing a mask path is similar to drawing a shape path. (See Create a shape or mask by dragging with shape tools and Create a Bezier shape or mask using the Pen tool.)

• Convert a text layer to shapes on a shape layer by using the Create Shapes From Text command. (See Create shapes or masks from text characters.)

• Convert a mask path to a shape path.

• Convert a motion path to a shape path. (See Create a mask or shape from a motion path.)

• Paste a path copied from another layer or from Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or Fireworks. (See Copy a path from Illustrator, Photoshop, or Fireworks.)

• Create an empty shape layer by choosing Layer > New > Shape Layer.

Usually, a new shape has a fill and a stroke that correspond to the Fill and Stroke settings in the Tools panel at the time that the shape is drawn. You can use the same controls in the Tools panel to change these attributes for a selected shape after it has been drawn. Shapes created from text are created with fills and strokes that match the fills and strokes of the original text.

Note:

To draw a mask on a shape layer, click the Tool Creates Mask button in the Tools panel with a shape tool or Pen tool active. For more information about creating masks, see Creating masks.

You can create a shape layer from a vector art footage layer, and then modify it. With the ability to bevel and extrude objects in After Effects, you can extrude the artwork, for example, extruded logos. For more information, see Extruding text and shape layers.

To convert a vector art footage layer to shape layer:

Choose Layer > Create Shapes from Vector Layer. A matching shape layer appears above the footage layer, and the footage layer is muted.

The following issues are known:

• Not all features of Illustrator files are currently preserved. Examples include: opacity, images, and gradients.
• Converted shapes ignore PAR overrides specified in the Interpret Footage dialog box.
• Gradients and unsupported types may show as 50% gray shapes.
• Files with thousands of paths may import slowly without feedback.
• The menu command works on a single selected layer at a time.
• If you import an Illustrator file as a composition (i.e., several layers), you cannot convert all those layers in one pass. However, you can import the file as footage, and then use the command to convert the single footage layer to shapes.
  

Create a shape or mask by draggingwith shape tools

The shape tools are the Rectangle , RoundedRectangle , Ellipse , Polygon , andStar tools.

Note:

To activate and cycle through the shape tools,press Q.

A polygon is a star without an Inner Radius or Inner Roundness property. So, the name of the shape created for a polygon or a star is the same: polystar.

You can create a mask by dragging with a shape tool on a selected layer in the Composition panel or Layer panel. You can create a shape by dragging with a shape tool on a selected shape layer in the Composition panel. If you drag with a shape tool in the Composition panel with no layer selected, you create a shape on a new shape layer.

Note:

To draw a mask on a shape layer, click the Tool Creates Mask button in the Tools panel with a shape tool active.

When you create a shape by dragging with a shape tool in the Composition panel, you create a parametric shape path. To instead create a Bezier shape path, press the Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS) key before you click to begin dragging. You can release the key before you complete the drag operation. All mask paths are Bezier paths. (See About shapes and shape layers.)

Dragging starts when you click in the Composition panel or Layer panel to begin drawing, and ends when you release the mouse button. Pressing modifier keys at different times during a single dragging operation achieves different results:

• To reposition a shape or mask as you aredrawing, hold the spacebar or the middle mouse button while dragging.

• To scale a circle, ellipse, square, rounded square, rectangle,or rounded rectangle around its center while drawing, hold the Ctrl(Windows) or Command (Mac OS) key after you begin dragging. Don’trelease the key until you have released the mouse button to finishdrawing.

• To cancel the drawing operation, press Esc.

Note:

Eachshape tool retains the settings of the most recent drawing operationwith that tool. For example, if you draw a star and modify the numberof points to be 10, then the next star that you draw will also have10 points. To reset settings for a tool and create a shape withthe default settings, double-click the tool in the Tools panel. (See Createa shape or mask the size of the layer.)

Select the Rectangle tool or theRounded Rectangle tool , anddo one of the following:

• To draw a rectangle or rounded rectangle,drag diagonally.

• To draw a square or rounded square, Shift-drag diagonally.

(Optional) If drawing a rounded rectangle or roundedsquare, do the following before releasing the mouse button:

• To increase or decrease the corner roundness, press the Up arrow key or the Down arrow key, or roll the mousewheel forward or backward.

• To set corner roundness to the minimum or maximum, press the Left arrow key or the Right arrow key.

Finish drawing by releasing the mouse button. If drawing a square or rounded square, release the Shift key after releasing the mouse button.

Note:

Squares are created to be square according to the pixel aspect ratio of the composition. If the pixel aspect ratio of the composition is not 1, then squares appear square in the Composition panel only if the Toggle Pixel Aspect Ratio button is selected at the bottom of the Composition panel.

Select the Ellipse tool , anddo one of the following:
Release the mouse button to finish drawing. If drawinga circle, release the Shift key after releasing the mouse button.

Note:

Circles are created to be circular according to the pixel aspect ratio of the composition. If the pixel aspect ratio of the composition is not 1, then circles appear circular in the Composition panel only if the Toggle Pixel Aspect Ratio button is selected at the bottom of the Composition panel.

Select the Polygon tool or theStar tool , anddo one of the following:
• Drag to scale and rotate the polygon orstar as you draw it.
• Shift-drag to scale the polygon or star as you drawit, preventing rotation.
(Optional) Do the following before releasing the mousebutton:
• To add or remove points, press the Up arrow key or the Down arrow key, or roll the mouse wheel forward or backward.
• To increase or decrease the outer roundness, press the Left arrow key or the Right arrow key.
• To keep the inner radius of a star constant as youmove the mouse to increase the outer radius, hold the Ctrl (Windows)or Command (Mac OS) key.
• To increase or decrease the inner roundness of astar, press the Page Up key or the Page Down key.
Release the mouse button to finish drawing. If Shift-draggingto prevent rotation, release the Shift key after releasing the mousebutton.

You can create a Bezier mask using the Pentool on a selected layer in the Composition panel or Layer panel.You can create a shape with a Bezier path using the Pen tool ona selected shape layer in the Composition panel. If you draw withthe Pen tool in the Composition panel with no layer selected, youcreate a shape on a new shape layer.

Creating a RotoBezierpath is similar to creating a manual Bezier path. The primary differenceis that direction lines for vertices and curvature for path segmentsare automatically calculated.

With the Pen tool selected and the RotoBezieroption deselected in the Tools panel, click in the Composition panelwhere you want to place the first vertex.
Click where you want to place the next vertex. To createa curved segment, drag the direction line handle to create the curvethat you want.
Note:
To reposition a vertex after you’veclicked to place it but before you’ve released the mouse button,hold the spacebar while dragging.
The last vertex thatyou add appears as a solid square, indicating that it is selected.Previously added vertices become hollow, and deselected, as youadd more vertices.
Repeat step 2 until you are ready to complete the path.
• To close the path, place the pointer overthe first vertex and, when a closed circle icon appears next tothe pointer , clickthe vertex.
Note:
You can also close a path by double-clickingthe last vertex or choosing Layer > Mask And Shape Path >Closed.
• To leave the path open, activate a different tool,or press F2 to deselect the path.

The simplest path that you can draw with the Pen tool is a straight line, made by clicking with the Pen tool to create two vertices. By continuing to click, you create a path made of straight-line segments connected by corner points.

Place the Pen tool where you want the straightsegment to begin, and click to place a vertex. (Do not drag.)
Click again where you want the segment to end. (Shift-clickto constrain the angle between segments at the corner point to awhole multiple of 45°.)
Continue clicking to set vertices for additional straightsegments.

You create a curved path segment by draggingdirection lines. The length and direction of the direction linesdetermine the shape of the curve.

Note:

Shift-dragto constrain the angle of the direction lines to whole multiplesof 45°. Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (Mac OS) to modify onlythe outgoing direction line.

Place the Pen tool where you want the curve tobegin, and hold the mouse button down.
A vertex appears, and the Pen tool pointer changes to anarrowhead.
Drag to modify the length and direction of both directionlines for a vertex, and then release the mouse button.

A. Placing the Pen tool B. Startingto drag (mouse button pressed) C. Draggingto extend direction lines
Place the Pen tool where you want the curved segmentto end, and do one of the following:
• To create a C-shaped curve, drag in thedirection opposite from the direction that you dragged the previousdirection line, and then release the mouse button.

A. Starting to drag B. Draggingaway from previous direction line, creating a C curve C. Resultafter releasing mouse button
• To create an S-shaped curve, drag in the same directionas the previous direction line, and then release the mouse button.

A. Starting to drag B. Draggingin same direction as previous direction line, creating an S curve C. Resultafter releasing mouse button
Continue dragging the Pen tool from different locationsto create a series of smooth curves.

• To create a shape on an existing shapelayer, select the shape layer.
• To create a shape on a new shape layer with thedimensions of the composition, deselect all layers by pressing F2.
• To create a mask, select a layer in the Timeline panel, Layer panel, or Composition panel. To create a mask on a shape layer, select Tool Creates Mask in the Tools panel with a shape tool active.
• To replace a mask path, select the mask in the Timelinepanel, Layer panel, or Composition panel.
• To replace a shape path, select the shape path (notthe group) in the Composition panel or Timeline panel.
In the Tools panel, double-click the Rectangle , RoundedRectangle , Ellipse , Polygon , orStar tool.

The Create Shapes From Text command extractsthe outlines for each character, creates shapes from the outlines,and puts the shapes on a new shape layer. You can then use theseshapes as you would any other shapes.

The Create Masks FromText command extracts the outlines for each character, creates masksfrom the outlines, and puts the masks on a new solid-color layer. Youcan then use these masks as you would any other masks.

Note:

Some font families, such as Webdings, include charactersthat are graphical images, rather than text. Converting text fromthese font families can be a good way to get started with simplegraphical elements in shape layers.

• To create shapes for all characters ina text layer, select the text layer in the Timeline panel or Compositionpanel.
• To create shapes for specific characters, selectthe characters in the Composition panel.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS)the layer or text and choose Create Shapes From Text from the contextmenu.

The Video switch forthe text layer is turned off.

The new shape layer is createdat the top of the layer stacking order. The new layer contains oneshape group for each selected character, plus fill and stroke propertiesthat match the fills and strokes of the text.

For charactersthat consist of compound paths—such as i and e—multiplepaths are created and combined with the Merge Paths path operation.

Effects,masks, layer styles, and keyframes and expressions for propertiesin the Transform property group of the text layer are copied tothe new shape layer or solid-color layer.

• To create masks for all characters in atext layer, select the text layer in the Timeline panel or Compositionpanel.
• To create masks for specific characters, selectthe characters in the Composition panel.
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS)the layer or text and choose Create Masks From Text from the contextmenu.

The Video switch forthe text layer is turned off.

The new solid-color layer iscreated at the top of the layer stacking order.

For charactersthat consist of compound paths—such as i and e—multiplemasks are created and combined with the Subtract mask mode.

Copy a path from Illustrator, Photoshop,or Fireworks

You can copy a path from Illustrator or Photoshop and paste it into After Effects as a mask path or shape path.

To make the data copied from Illustrator compatible with After Effects, the AICB option must be selected in the Files & Clipboard section of the Adobe Illustrator Preferences dialog box.

For a path imported from Photoshop to be scaled correctly, the Photoshop document must have a resolution of 72 dpi. 72 dpi is the Resolution setting of documents created in Photoshop using a Film & Video preset.

Note: You can also use a copied Illustrator, Photoshop, or Fireworks path as an After Effects motion path. See Create a motion path from a mask, shape, or paint path for more information.

In Illustrator, Photoshop, or Fireworks, selectan entire path, and then choose Edit > Copy.

In After Effects, do one of the following to define atarget for the paste operation:

• To replace an existing mask path or shape path,select its Path property.

Note:

To paste a path as a shape path, you must selectthe Path property of an existing shape in a shape layer. This selectiontells After Effects what the target of the paste operation is; ifthe target isn’t specified in this way, After Effects assumes that thetarget is the entire layer and therefore draws a new mask. If thereis no Path property—perhaps because the shape layer is empty—thenyou can draw a placeholder path with the Pen tool and then pastethe path from Illustrator into the placeholder path.

If you paste multiple paths into a shape path, the firstpath goes into the shape path, and the remaining paths are pastedinto new mask paths. This behavior is because the paths other thanthe first one don’t have a clearly defined target, so they are addedto the entire layer as masks.

You can copy position keyframes, anchor pointkeyframes, or an effect control point’s position keyframes and pastethose keyframes into a selected mask path or shape path. When youcreate mask paths or shape paths from motion paths, make sure thatyou copy keyframes from a single Position property only—do not copythe keyframes of any other property.

Note:

Drawa motion path with Motion Sketch and then paste the path into amask path or shape path.

Note:

When copying between a mask path to a motion path, keep in mind that the mask path’s values are expressed in the coordinate system of the layer (layer space), whereas the motion path’s values are expressed in the coordinate system of the composition (composition space). This difference causes the pasted path to be offset, requiring you to reposition the path after pasting it. (See Coordinate systems: composition space and layer space.)

In the Timeline panel, click the nameof the Position property or Anchor Point property from which youwant to copy the motion path. (This selects all keyframes. To selectonly some of the keyframes of a motion path, Shift-click them.)
To create a mask, select the layer on which to create the mask, and choose Layer > Mask > New Mask.
In the Timeline panel, click the name of the Mask Pathproperty for the mask into which to paste the keyframes from themotion path.

In the Timeline panel, click the nameof the Position property or Anchor Point property from which youwant to copy the motion path. (This selects all keyframes. To selectonly some of the keyframes of a motion path, Shift-click them.)
To create a shape layer, press F2 to deselect all layers, then click in the Composition panel with the Pen tool to create a single-point Bezier path.
Press SS to reveal the Path property for the shape. Clickthe name of the Path property into which to paste the keyframesfrom the motion path.

When a shape group is selected in group selectionmode, you can duplicate the group while moving, rotating, or scalingit in the Composition panel.

• Hold the Alt (Windows) or Option (MacOS) key as you drag to transform a group.

  The pointer changes to a duplication pointer ( or ) asyou hold the key and place the pointer near the group transformbox.

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