After effects: my vector files imported from AI are pixelated when zooming in!

[adamg81944920]

I have vector files from Illustrator that I import into after effects and they become blurry and pixelated when zooming in and just in general they arent as sharp as normally. I have continous rasterization checked and I have done all the other things I have read before. Really confused as to what is happening. I even uninstalled both AE and AI and reinstalled. I also am runing the latest version on a brand new macbook pro and it is still not working. Please help!! thanksss 🙏 

[Roland Kahlenberg]

Please provide screen grabs of your Timeline and Comp Panel.

[adamg81944920]

[Roland Kahlenberg · Accepted solution]

You are zoomed, 800% into the Comp Panel. The resulting image you view at such a zoomed in value will of course look chunky/pixelated. You are confused between zooming with the Transform>Scale property and the Comp Panel's View-Zoom feature - they are quite different. The latter provides a feature for you to zoom into an area of the Comp Panel to perform tasks which require a zoomed in view, toperform tasks which require pixel-level accuracy. The Transform>Scale property allows you to scale vector imagery which have their Continuously Rasterized (CR) switch enabled. This property and the CR feature allows you to animate the vector without introducing pixelation artefacts.

HTH

[adamg81944920]

I have been using after effects for years and have always been able to zoom(scroll or track pad) in to a vector image and it remains crystal clear. I know the diference between transforming and zooming lol. I know that there is something wrong unless this new version of after effects is different which idk why it would be. Either way, when rendering out it still has a slight fuzz to it so there is something wrong. 

[Roland Kahlenberg]

AE is a bitmap application (every pixel you see in any of its View Panels is a bitmap/rater image). If you set your zoom levels above 100% in any of AE's Viewer Panels, you will see pixelation artefacts.

That your renders are slightly fuzzy is a different issue. What are your render settings?

[adamg81944920]

[adamg81944920]

Here are two screen shots. One of them I got to not be pixelated by unistalling AI and creating a brand new file. The other one is the same file resaved with vectors copied from an older file in after effects and it is significantly more pixelated. Smart ass telling me im dreaming am I dreaming now. Why dont you just do your job and try to help me. 

[Roland Kahlenberg]

The ACPs here are volunteers and do so to help their fellow professionals. You are obviously knowledgeable enough to Scale up your AI to 800% (or higher) while zooming 800% into the Comp Panel to try to prrof your point that you can zoom >100% into AE's Viewer Panels without seeing pixelation artefacts. That you know this much shows that you are probably smarter than I am.
As a volunteer, who's had about 2-3 hours of sleep over the night and who has come in very early in his morning, I really should be getting back to my paying job. Now that you have 'solved' your zooming into Viewer Panels issue, you should share your render settings and hopefully someone else can be of assistance to you. And I believe there's a customer support number where you can obtain assistance. Have a good day.

[adamg81944920]

LOLOLOL I didnt ask you specifically to answer the question. I dont need your sob story bro lololol i will call the support number thanks 

[Andrew Yoole]

Everything Roland has told you is correct.  When you zoom into the comp viewer as you have, the image will pixelate when above 100%.  This has been true in After Effects since forever.  

The reason your upper example doesn't look pixelated is because the lines are all straight and After Effects doesn't need to antialias them.  Try shifting position of the layer by half a pixel or rotating 1 degree and you'll see some antialising/pixelisation.

[Rick Gerard · Accepted solution]

adamg81944920, the reason that the red shapes have sharp edges when viewed at 800% magnification is that they are perfectly aligned with the pixel grid. Move the layer .5 pixels or .33 pixels and check again. 

If you create artwork in Illustrator that has curved lines and magnify the view 800% and you are not lined up with the pixel grid or the paths are curved or at an angle and you turn on Pixel Preview you will see the same thing that you see in AE. 

Roland isn't a smart ass, he is trying to teach you how the interface works and you are too self-important to take his advice and do a little experimenting. 

[adamg81944920]

What are you even talking about "self important" that doesnt even make sense gramps. Mind your own business bro. He made a smart ass comment about me "dreaming" for no reason. Explain to me how  I am too self important?