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

When you click quickly on a layer and make a vertex, you make a corner point vertex. If you click and drag one way or another, the vertex point becomes a smooth point, otherwise known as a Bezier Vertex Point. Bezier vertexes have direction handles that you can tweak while drawing or after you've closed your masks.

• You can change a vertex from point to smooth (or vise versa) by using the Convert Vertex Tool, which is located beneath the Pen Tool in the Tools Palette.

• You can also press G on the keyboard to toggle between the Pen, Add Vertex, Delete Vertex, or Convert Vertex Tools.

  

• Hold down the Option+Cmd (Alt+Ctrl) keys to change the Selection Tool into the Convert Vertex Tool.

• Be careful not to have all your points selected because you will convert them all.

• Hold down the Cmd key (Ctrl) over a vertex point to turn the Selection Tool in a Remove Vertex Tool.

• Hold down the Cmd key (Ctrl) anywhere else on the mask to change the Selection Tool to the Add Vertex Tool.

• Option+Click (Alt+Click) to select all points in a mask.

• To invert a mask, press Cmd+Shift+I (Ctrl+Shift+I).

• For a new mask, press Cmd+Shift+N (Ctrl+Shift+N).