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Creating a trail of images


    This expression instructs a layer to be at the same position as the next higher layer in the Timeline window, but delayed by a specified amount of time (in this case, .5 seconds). You can set similar expressions for the other geometric properties. This expression requires two or more layers.

To create a trail of images:

  1. Start with two solids that are scaled to about 30%.
  2. Create a motion path for the first layer.
  3. Select the Position property for the second layer and choose Animation > Add Expression.
  4. Select the default expression text and type:
  5. this_comp.layer(this_layer, -1).position.value_at_time(time - .5)

  6. Duplicate the last layer five times.
  7. Click outside the expression to activate it. All layers follow the same path, and each is delayed .5 seconds from the previous.