Creating a Paint, Text, or Particles Layer

You can quickly add a solid layer to a composite that contains a Paint, Text, or Particles operator. You can then create Paint objects, Text objects, and Particles emitters immediately. Later, you can add operators to the solid layer, or replace it with footage.

To create a Paint, Text, or Particles layer:

1. Select a composite in the Workspace panel. You will create the new layer in this composite.
2. Choose Object | New Layer, or press Ctrl+Y (Windows) or Command+Y (Macintosh).

The New dialog appears.

3. Choose Paint, Text, or Particles from the Type list.
4. In the Name field, enter a name for the layer's Footage operator.



5. Select a standard format from the Format Options list or select Custom to create a custom format.

For more information, see Choosing Format Options.

The corresponding properties (output size, frame aspect ratio, pixel aspect ratio, and frame rate) appear in the Format Options box.

6. In the Duration field, enter a duration in either frames or in SMPTE timecode.
7. To change the color of the solid layer, click the Background Color box, select a color from the Pick Color dialog that appears, and then click OK.
8. Select a bit depth from the Depth list. This option is not available for a Particles layer because the Particles operator is limited to a bit depth of 8.
9. Enable Transparent to set the opacity of the solid image to 0%. The image is 100% opaque by default. Then click OK.

A new layer named "Layer" is added to the composite; the layer includes the new operator (in the example, the Paint operator).

For information on replacing solid footage with an image file, see Importing Footage.