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Adding Elements to the Layer Stack

Now that we've set up a composition, let's take a look at how to merge multiple graphic elements:

  • Drag the Basketball_Court.png image from the Project Panel into the layer stack to create the first layer. The image is exactly the same size as the composition and it's centered by default.

  • We're going to do the same for the basketball image and drag it from the Project Panel, but, before releasing the mouse button to drop the image in the layer stack, you'll see a yellow line indicating where this new layer will be added - be sure to place it at the top of the stack.

||| IMAGE DU LAYER DANS LA COMPOSTION

Now the Viewer displays a composite image that combines the basketball and the basketball court. This is because the ball.png image has an embedded Alpha channel which sets the pixels around the ball transparent.

Selecting in the Viewer Based on Layer Transparency

With no layer selected, move your mouse over the Viewer between the ball and the court. You'll see flashes that appear over the silhouette of each layer, as well as over the layers in the Timeline. These flashes indicate which layer will be selected if you press the left mouse button.

||| IMAGE DU FLASHING

For people migrating from Adobe After Effects, this selection process is more advanced because it's based on Alpha channels for each layer and you can click through transparent pixels to directly select what you see in the Viewer.

After selecting a layer, it will have a yellow outline.

||| IMAGE DE L'OVERLAY

For the time being, it's advised to keep these visual aids switched on; but, if you want to turn them off, just click on the Overlay button at the top of the Viewer and uncheck:

  • Enable 2D Selection Hint

  • Enable 2D Selection Contour

Notes

To know more about Viewer Overlays, please refer to this section.

Reordering Layers

  • To reorder layers, click on a layer and drag it where you want to place it. For example, drag the Ball.png layer to the bottom of the stack where it will be hidden.

  • You'll notice that the yellow outline remains visible because the layer is still selected, but now the basketball_court.png layer appears in front of the ball.

You can move the ball layer to the top of the stack again to make it visible, or just press Ctrl/Cmd + Z to undo this reordering.

||| VIDEO DU REORDERING

Using the Visual Stack

Autograph's Visual Stack feature provides a visual overview of the layer stack on the right-hand side of the Viewer.

|||IMAGE DE A VISUAL STACK

  • You can access the Visual Stack by clicking on the button located at the top-right corner, just below "100%". Select the Visual Stack from the list or just press the V key to quickly bring it up.

  • The Visual Stack displays the thumbnails of all the visible layers in the same order as in the layer stack.

  • You can select layers by clicking on the thumbnails and scrolling through them with mouse wheel, or by clicking and holding down the left mouse button to navigate through the visual stack.

  • Selecting a layer in the Visual Stack will also highlight it in the layer stack, making it easier to manage layers that might be hidden, like the ball behind the basketball court.

Notes

To know more about the Visual Stack, pleaser refer to this section.

Maximizing Panels

To maximize a panel and have more room to work, click on the burger icon at the top right of a panel and select Maximize panel. You can also place your mouse over a panel and use the shortcut Ctrl/Cmd + Space.

To go back to working in the main interface, you can press the red icon next to the burger icon, or press Ctrl/Cmd + Space again.

||| IMAGE DU BOUTON ROUGE

Notes

Panels and containers can also be minimized to give more room to other panels. To know more about managing panels and workspaces, please refer to [this section] (|| LINK TBD).


Summary

This section went over how to:

  • Add graphic elements to a composition

  • Reorder layers in a composition

  • Use the Visual Stack for easier navigation