Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
however, you've never used any graphics programs with
blending or transfer modes, then do try to keep up.
Return to the Timeline Window and reset the Transforms
in layer 1. Then set the 'Anchor Point' and 'Position' to
the values above; this places the hair in the lower right
corner of the Composition Window.
If, for some reason, the
Modes
column in the Timeline
Window is missing, right-click on one of the column
headers to reveal the Columns Chooser, then check
Modes. Click on the drop-down menu button with
'Normal' listed directly under the Mode title (highlighted
above). A long list of Blending Mode options will appear.
Select 'Lighten', then look at the Composition Window.
The hair's black background has now been blended out
because 'Lighten' transfers the brighter pixels of an
image to the layers below while fading the darker pixels
and completely hiding the black.
This is just one mode out of 34 (as of After Effects 6.5) -
each has a unique effect it applies to its layer. Some
Blending Modes have a compound effect on all layers
beneath, while others may only affect the layer they're
applied to.
To see what a few more Blending Modes look like, set
the following layers to the listed Mode:
1
Lighten
2
Normal
3
Overlay
4
Screen
5
Normal.
Now look at the Composition Window; the design now looks a little better -
but not yet complete. We'll fix the rest of it in the next section, 'Focus on the
Composition Window'.
