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slam629
Inspiring
Mar 17, 2018 10:33 AM UTC
Answered

Can't find fill and stroke

Hi, I'm an absolute beginner with AE so I apologize if this is a silly question, I don't find these items as showed in the screenshot. I tried clicking on some panel in the window menu but I didn't find them.

AE CC 2015

Win 7

      P.M.B
      P.M.BCorrect answer
      Legend
      Mar 17, 2018 12:35 PM UTC

      Sure, this is my screen, as you can see tool selected, nothing appears.


      You have a solid selected in the layer panel.  Deselect that layer.

      ~Gutterfish
      View reply

      27 replies

      drew_7550
      Participant
      Oct 8, 2025 11:26 PM UTC

      The shape/mask needs to be its own layer, the options are not available if you add a shape/mask to a solid.

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      Daniel25992439w1yx
      Participant
      Oct 9, 2025 4:27 PM UTC
      lol thank you G, since 2018 and not having a firm grasp of fill/stroke in
      AE, I had brad pitt in my source monitor this year, stay in school kids
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      Saimurai
      Inspiring
      Mar 22, 2022 1:34 PM UTC

      Thanks for posting this, still needed in 2022! Loving the love in here and zero tolerance for bullies.

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        defaultpl8suxx57z3f
        Participant
        Oct 18, 2021 6:45 AM UTC

        Hey friends,

        and other newbs to After Effects, this took me an hour to figure out and the solution for me was clicking off any layers i had selected, i have the 2021 version if that makes any diffrence.

        Also i would like to say i am a motion graphics studen who created a 10 second short that took me 4 days but i could make a 30 minute film in premier pro in half a day so its all about learning the softwear!

        ALSO AFTER EFFECTS IS HELLA CONFUSING!

        Translate
          KayBeeGee
          Known Participant
          Nov 5, 2021 2:14 PM UTC

          Yes, the learning curve has some obstacles but once you get over them you'll find that After Effects is a powerful animation program that blends quite smoothly with Premiere.  And you don't have to be an expert to create fantastic animations! AE's drag and drop presets can really add pop to your animation by simply tweeking a few settings. Learn what you can about the graph editor, it's your best friend in AE. And don't hesitate to ask!!

           

          Good luck, keep learning. 

          Translate
            Anonymous
            Oct 18, 2021 5:20 AM UTC

            2021 Update:

            For anyone wanting to find this:

            Go to Effect - Generate - Fill. 

            Hope this helps 🙂

            Translate
              defaultkga3m5h2ltvv
              Participant
              Jul 10, 2021 5:44 PM UTC

              Hello from 2021,

               

              I've revisited this thread a few times with similar issues, but I was still unable to find a solution to my problem until now.

              Turns out I just needed to drag the tool bar down a bit!

               

              Cheers to all of those diving blindly into After Effects like me and yet somehow still managing to learn something.

              Translate
                John230493110288
                Participant
                Nov 2, 2022 5:05 AM UTC

                Feel so incredibly silly that the fix was that easy, but thank you for that!

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                The Cowboy Austin McBride
                The Cowboy Austin McBride
                Participating Frequently
                Aug 3, 2020 3:56 PM UTC

                Late to the game but I was having this problem too and found that the reason these otions didn't come up when I selected the shape layer was because I had another tool selected.  I had the Pan Behind Tool selected and it wasn't until I went back to the default tool (arrow) that these otions came up at the top like they're supposed to.

                 

                Hope this helps someone down the line.

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                  slam629Author
                  Inspiring
                  Mar 17, 2018 12:19 PM UTC

                  I forgot to mention one important thing,  these options don't appears despite I selected the shape tool first.

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                  Roei Tzoref
                  Roei Tzoref
                  Legend
                  Mar 17, 2018 12:21 PM UTC

                  Show a full screenshot

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                  slam629Author
                  Inspiring
                  Mar 17, 2018 12:27 PM UTC

                  Sure, this is my screen, as you can see tool selected, nothing appears.

                  Translate
                    Mylenium
                    Mylenium
                    Legend
                    Mar 17, 2018 11:09 AM UTC

                    Those are contextual tool options that only appear with shape layers. You have to select the shape tool first. I would suggest you bother to at least read up on some basics. Blindly diving into AE is not going to get you anywhere.

                    Mylenium

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                    slam629Author
                    Inspiring
                    Mar 17, 2018 12:17 PM UTC

                    You're right indeed I apologize because I forgot to mention one important thing i.e. contextual tool options don't appears despite I selected the shape tool first.

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