Importing Shapes

You can import the image or image sequence you want to use as a shape. When you import the shape, you can select the portion of the image(s) to use and set the color depth.

Note: Importing a shape is not like importing footage into a composite. An imported shape appears in the shape library, not the Footage Library.

The available import options depend on the selection you make before you click Import. There are three main import options:

• Import Shape Only—The shape is used for a particle type only; it is not added to the library. To use this option, you select a particle type in the Workspace panel before you click Import.
• Import Shape and Add to Shape Library—The shape is added to the library; it is not used for a particle type. (You can assign it later.)
• Replace Current Shape in Library—The shape replaces the shape selected in the library; it is not used for a selected particle type. To use this option, you select a shape in the library before you click Import.

Note: In this case, all particle types for library emitters that use the old shape are replaced with the new one. If you want to use the new shape for another particle type (for example, one you select in the Workspace panel), you can assign it later.

The other settings on the Particle Shape Import Options dialog control shape size and shape type.

To import a particle shape:

1. To use the first option, select a particle type in the Workspace panel. To use the third option, select a shape in the library.
2. Click Shape to show the Shape controls.
3. Click Import.

The Import Particle Shape Image dialog appears.

4. Select an image or image sequence, then click OK.

If you selected an image sequence, the Image Sequence Detected dialog appears when you click OK. Set the sequence options and click OK.

5. The Particle Shape Import Options dialog appears. Examine the shape.
6. Set the shape size and shape type. See Using the Shape Import Dialog.
7. Enable one of the import options:
• To import the shape and use it for the selected particle type, enable Import Shape Only.
• To import the shape directly into the library, enable "Import Shape and Add to Shape Library."
• To import the shape and use it to replace the selected shape, enable "Replace Current Shape in Library."
8. Click OK.

The shape appears in the shape viewer. The shape name is set to the filename without the extension.

Names of shapes in the library can be the same, so do not worry that a new shape will overwrite an existing shape with the same name.

Note: If you selected the second or third option, you can select a particle type and click Swap to use the shape for the particle type.

Using the Shape Import Dialog

As you import a shape, you need to set the shape size and shape type. Some of the options depend on the type of image file you selected (if it has an alpha channel or not).

View the image or image sequence in the preview. You can scrub to view other frames of a clip. Right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Macintosh) the preview and choose Fit to Window, or Show Transparency.

To set the shape size and shape type:

1. In the Shape Size settings, select Crop or Resize.



2. For the Resize method, you can set only the Size fields.

Use Lock to change the Size values proportionally. You cannot increase the size of the original shape.

3. If you set Method to Crop, you can also set the Offset fields.

The maximum X Offset is the width of the source image minus the Width setting. The maximum Y Offset is the height of the source image minus the Height setting.

4. Enable High Quality Scaling to use a sampling method that interpolates edges smoothly.
5. In the Shape Size settings, select the color depth (Color or Gray).



When a shape is set to Gray, the pixel value always represents the transparency (black is transparent, gray is semi-transparent, and white is opaque). For more information, see Choosing a Shape Type.

6. If the image has an alpha channel, you can select Use Alpha to use it. When this option is enabled, you can invert the alpha channel, guess the alpha settings (such as pre-multiply), and change the alpha pre-multiply color.