Creating masks from text characters

For each character in a text layer, you can create a separate mask. The Create Outlines command extracts the outlines for each character, creates masks from the outlines, and puts the masks on a new solid layer. You can then use these masks as you would any other mask in After Effects; for example, you can apply effects such as Audio Waveform or Scribble Fill. By default, all masks created using the Create Outlines command use the Difference mask mode.

To create masks from characters:

1. Do one of the following:
• To create masks for all the characters in a text layer, select the text layer in the Timeline window.
• To create masks for specific characters, select the characters in the Composition window.
2. Choose Layer > Create Outlines.