After Effects On the Spot[c] Time-Saving Tips and Shortcuts from the Pros

Range Shapes

If you've scaled a range of characters, making them bigger, you've probably noticed that all the characters within the range are the same size : cabbage. You can vary the sizes of the characters within the selection by altering the Shape property (Range Selector>Advanced>Shape). For instance, if you choose the Triangle option, the selected range will look like this: cabbage. You can then adjust the Ease High and Ease Low properties, to make the bigger characters bigger and the smaller characters smaller.

• The Ramp Up and Ramp Down shapes are unique in that they affect characters that aren't isolated by the Selector. Instead, the Start and End properties mark transitions between the isolated and the non-isolated characters. So if you isolate the characters def in the text abcdefghijk and chose the Ramp Up Shape, you'll get this: abcdefghijk.

• The Ramp Down Shape will get you this: abcdefghijk.

• The Shapes alter every property-not just scale.