Painting

[jimlolo]

I need to paint on 1 layer out of many. I need the layer below it in order to guide where to paint. It seems to paint you have to do it by double clicking it and it appears as a single layer. So how can I use the layer beneath it to paint on the 1 above it? Do I have to permanently combine the 2 layers in order to do this?

Thanks.

[Roei Tzoref]

you can paint right on the layer you want to use as a reference, then duplicate that, set the paint effect "paint on trasparent" and remove the effect from the bottom layer.

[jimlolo]

I'm not sure that's what I need. The bottom is a reference, but also the top layer I am painting on needs to be visible while painting on it. So I need to see both layers at the same time while painting only on the top. Is that different from what you said?

Thanks.

[Roei Tzoref]

I see now. if you need both layers at the same time you would need to combine them (pre-compose) and paint on that, then you can remove in the precomp that bottom reference. it's either that or you could paint on layer 1 in the layer window, while seeing the composite of layer 1 +layer 2. it's not real-time, you only see the result after you paint. to do this you can drag the layer window panel to the right and stick it there so you will have 2 panels: layer panel where you see the paint on layer 1, and composition panel where you see layer 1 on top of everything else in the timeline. that's the best we can do in After Effects with the paint tool.

[Roei Tzoref]

wait I got something for you.

you can add an effect to the top layer that composites another layer underneath it, so when you use paint you will paint on them both. no precomp

try this:

• in the upper layer add the compound arithmetic effect
• set the "second source layer" to that bottom layer
• keep the operator as "copy"
• operate on channels "ARGB"

this will place the bottom layer on your current layer as an effect
now we want it to reverse the layer order so:

• add "cc composite" effect
• uncheck "RGB Only"

you have now hopefully created a composite of 2 layer with effects only. you can paint on that and when you are done just toggle off these two effects off or toggle the "paint on transparent" - that depends if you want just the paint or the paint + layer 1

here's a project file of this kind of setup:

Paint_on_Two_Layers.aep - Google Drive

[jimlolo]

Will try. Thanks.

[jimlolo]

once I am done with the pre-comp, can I get the top layer back to being a regular individual layer, not in some pre-comp status?

[Roei Tzoref · Accepted solution]

got another simpler method (less parameter to change, and supports 16bit) instead of compound arithmetic, use the blend effect:

• set the layer to layer 2
• set the crossfade to 0%
  
  

the rest is same as before.

here's the project file:

Paint_on_Two_Layers_v2.aep - Google Drive

[jimlolo]

I'm having an  issue. The top layer, which is a PNG that I animate through Transform key frames, seems locked in at 1 position and will not animate anymore. I can see both layers and paint, but the PNG isn't changing.

Any idea why?

Thanks.

[Roei Tzoref]

show a full screenshot of what you got going on there. press UU on the layers so we can see all the modified properties. not sure exactly what you are doing but you might need a previous step to pre-compose the layer with the transform properties changes and move all attributes for what you are trying to do. then paint on that.

[jimlolo]

Yeah, pre-comp got me. Thanks!

Btw, is there a way to paint just 1 frame at a time, instead of having each paint stroke extend to the end, by default? I have to keep pulling back the paint stroke from all the way to the end, to just 1 frame.

[Roei Tzoref]

Yes, in the paint panel you can set it to one frame so each paint stroke duration will be one frame. I suggest you type “paint“ in the  search field in upper right corner of your Ae interface.

[jimlolo]

Sorry, but I can't see any choice for paint duration. I typed paint in the Effects panel in upper right, and looked in the Paint panel underneath it. Can you say why I am not seeing any such option?

Thanks.

[Roei Tzoref]

you will not find paint in the effects. it applies an effect when you set the first stroke.
drag the lower border of the paint panel to expose the rest of it.

you can also choose the paint workspace under window->workspace.

[jimlolo]

Thanks!

[aaa_6723]

Is there a modern answer to the same question? 

I’m using the Brush tool to draw on a layer, but when I double‑click that layer and go into the Layer panel, every other layer disappears. I need those underlying layers visible so I know where to place my strokes relative to the rest of the comp.

I just want to see the other layers underneath while I paint.