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After Effects shape layers anti-aliasing problem

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
August 17, 2017
6 replies
30657 views

I need to import many Illustrator files into After Effects and convert the AI-layers into shape layers.

After the conversion into shape layers I encounter a problem with the anti aliasing.

After the import of the separate AI layers, I set each of them in the "Interpret Footage" -> "More Options" dialog from "fast" to "accurate".

If I don't do this, two adjacent layers have a line of semitransparent pixels between them. So the anti aliasing fixes this issue in the AI layers.

I need to animate the shape / path of the vector layers. So I convert them to AE shape layers.

As you can see below the shape layers again have a row of semitransparent pixels and visible steps between them.

The color layers do not overlap eachother, their anchor points meet exactly at the same spots. So there is absolutely no space between them!

It would be very annoying if I had to manually make the layers overlap each other by a pixel. If there is no fix for this problem then I will add a stroke with a width of 1 pixel. But this would be annoying, too.

Is there an anti alias setting for shape layers? Or is this some kind of premultiplication problem?

The images below are zoomed versions of the original to better see the problem.

Here is a link to a simple Illustrator file to replicate the problem: WeTransfer

You will have to import the separate layers or import the whole file as footage and then split the layers and convert the layers to shape layers.

Correct answer natalieb33698529

I had this problem - changes the view mode to full res and it was fixed.....

devotive

Participating Frequently

I know this is an old post but none of the answers worked to fix my particular issue but I figured out a solution so wanted to post here just in case it helps someone in the future.

In the main comp go to the renderer options, that would be the wrench in the top right of the composition window next to "Cinema 4D".

Once in that window slide the quality slider all the way to the right. It will increase the processing time but also the quality and remove a lot of aliasing issues.

I

Image_Engine

Participating Frequently

Yes but C4 doesnt support blend modes etc unless Im missing something?

natalieb33698529

Participant

When the view mode drops below full resolution AE adds a transparent border to shape layers regardless of stroke.

natalieb33698529Correct answer

Participant

I had this problem - changes the view mode to full res and it was fixed.....

joeb10754511

Participant

This needs fixing. Run into this every project when Alpha matting shape layers

angie_taylor

Legend

Was it like this when rendered or just in the application? Did you chexk you weren't using the 3D renderer or Fast previews?

D

denniss45937208Author

Participating Frequently

It appears like this when rendered and in application. When I don't convert the Illustrator layers to shape layers and set the anti alias settings in the Advanced Options of the file to high quality everything looks fine. Only when I convert them to shape layers, the problem occurs.

angie_taylor

Legend

Have you checked that the comp isn't using the Raytraced 3D Renderer?

Szalam

Community Expert

Set the blending mode of both layers to Alpha Add.

Alternatively, set the shapes up on separate layers in Illustrator and then simply animate the Illustrator layers in AE instead of needing to convert them to shape layers.

R

Rick Gerard

Community Expert

When you create artwork in Illustrator for video it is very important to have snap to pixel and pixel preview turned on because video is pixels.

It is also best if all of your shapes that have horizontal and vertical lines be an even number of pixels or points wide and that strokes also line up precisely on the pixel grid.

Sometimes inside AE you can nudge artwork a half or a quarter of a pixel to get the edges to line up. The problem isn't in AE, it is in the way the artwork was created in the first place. If it won't line up precisely horizontal and vertical edges will anti-alias or be shifted if you are working in the draft mode.

Also, one last point, 1 point (one pixel) lines do not work well in video. Thin or light versions of many fonts do not work well because you need at least 2 or 3 pixels to maintain color and the illusion of a thin line when it moves. This is a fact that you have to work around.

D

denniss45937208Author

Participating Frequently

Turning on "Pixel Preview" in Illustrator does the trick, thank you. I was not aware of this option.

I am still confused as to why the Illustrator layers show up correctly inside After Effects, even though they don't align to pixels! When I convert them to shape layers, without moving any anchor points, that is when the problem occurs. Why would After Effects have a different logic for shape layers and AI layers?

So a comp like this with separate AI layers looks great:

comp_ai_layers

- ai_layer_2

- ai_layer_1

- ai_layer_bg

But as soon as I convert the AI layers to shape layers the problem occurs.

comp_converted_to_shape_layers

- shape_layer_2

- shape_layer_1

- shape_layer_bg

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